"Hi, Günther." "See you in a bit." "May I introduce, Secretary of State, Von Weinlaub." "I'm Hirse." "How do you do?" "I'm the personal assistant of Mr. Von Weinlaub." "Good afternoon, Mr. Secretary." "I'm Lause, security supervisor." "Please follow me." "Mr. Siskins is already expecting you." "Wasn't that Prof. Vollmer?" "Indeed." "In a few words..." "Simulakron is almost functional." "Consider me not too well informed..." "I'm interested in your definition of "almost"." "Of course, Mr. Secretary." "Pardon me." "Right now our prognostics are flawed in 5.8% of all cases." "I see, thank you." "Prof. Vollmer is better suited to inform you about our research." "To him we owe the development of the computer." "We know that Mr. Siskins." "Prof. Vollmer, if you could..." "You are Secretary of the State?" "Yes, I am." "I really don't care much." "Tell me, have you got a pocket mirror with you?" "A mirror?" "Why?" "Take this one." "What do you see?" "Please, go ahead." "What do you see?" "I'll help you Mister..." "Von Weinlaub" "Very well then, Mr. Von Weinlaub." "What you see is how other people see you." "Nothing else." "Pardon me?" "Thank you." "You know what you are?" "You too, Siskins." "Want to look in the mirror?" "Go ahead, look!" "It's a pathetic joke." "It's enough, Vollmer." "That goes too far." "Hirse, we better leave." "Oh, these headaches." "It hurts and hurts and..." "Do you know what hurts inside my head?" "I know it." "Lause, please come over here." "You better lie down professor." "Lause will accompany you to your office." "Come on, Henry." "These are not just headaches." "It's much more." "So much that my head is about to explode." "Come on." "I'm coming, Günther." "They don't want to understand." "Those pitiful fools." "Take good care of him, Lause." "I will, Mr. Siskins." "Please accept my apologies, Mr. Secretary." "Mr. Vollmer has worked day and night these past months." "He's always had weak nerves." "The thin line between genius and madness..." "A strange form of madness, don't you think so?" "I do, Mr. Secretary." "Very strange indeed." "If you'd excuse me for a second." "Go ahead." "Go ahead." "I'm sorry, I'm..." "Look!" "What do you see?" "Me." "Stiller planned to be back yesterday." "He'll arrive, Henry." "I'm afraid." "I'm with you." "Yes, you are here." "There's always this pressure in my head." "Have you ever heard of an exploding head?" "Just like that, into a thousand pieces." "No, never." "Do you remember... as we were children we used to play this game." "It's about seeing something that the others don't." "Of course I do, we all played that game." "Günther..." "I know something that you don't." "Nobody must found out about it." "It'd be the end of the world." "Vollmer!" "Pardon me, the bar's over there." "These are not muscles, they are just well padded." "Is that so?" "Yes, it makes the shoulders appear larger." "Not everything is padded, is it?" "If you're interested... my name's Stiller, Fred Stiller." "I'm in the phone book." "No luck with your drink?" "I'm obviously too small." "What a pity." "Maybe you'll grow." "Maybe." "Whiskey?" "With water." "Rainer, two whiskey." "One with ice, one with water." "Coming right up, Mr. Siskins." "Will we see each other at the funeral?" "I'm going to be there, although... the dead really don't care much, do they?" "Two whiskey." "Thank you." "Can you get the computer to work?" "Now that Vollmer's gone." "I think we can." "Good, we don't need any further delays." "The Ministry is pressuring us." "By the way..." "What is it?" "Nothing, forget it." "What's your dream car?" "Excuse me?" "Your dream car." "It's a simple question." "A corvette." "Corvette?" "275 PS." "Costing about 40'000 DM." "A wee bit off your salary, isn't it?" "A wee bit, yes." "But you haven't asked me about my salary." "So, what kind of salary would you like to have?" "A wee bit more." "Why not?" "If you are as good as Vollmer." "I'm not, but I'm tough." "I assume that you are well informed about my differences with Vollmer?" "Yes, I am." "Nothing but stubbornness, don't you think so?" "Well, I..." "Just think about it." "Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an offer, it was a hypothesis." "I got your meaning, Mr. Siskins." "275 PS?" "That's what I'm talking about." "My name's Gloria." "Would you like to drink something?" "Champagne." "What else." "Champagne!" "Still 106-65-98?" "It's 99." "Sitting around all the time makes me fat." "Every inch is precious." "Thank you." "How's the computer?" "Well." "How's working for Siskins?" "Don't say that, I'm honest with you." "I'm genuinely interested in Simulakron." "Is it true that you've built an artificial world with it?" ""World" is slightly exaggerated." "It's populated by about 10'000 identity units." "Which is enough for our purposes." "You see, it's the world in a nutshell." "10,000 people?" "They are human, aren't they?" "Hard to tell." "For us they are just a bunch of wires and electrons." "But they... they..." "They live like we do." "They build roads, listen to music." "Eat... and sleep with each other?" "That too." "They sleep with each other." "Just for fun." "They are having babies." "How exciting!" "Mhmm?" "I'm sorry..." "You mean sleeping together..." "Yes, that too." "What I meant was... a living world... inside an electronic box." "We are alive." "They are like images on television dancing for us." "It's wonderful how you talk." "You are wonderful." "Hi, Lause." "Hi." "Have you seen Stiller?" "A second ago." "Why don't you come in?" "It's okay, I'll wait here." "Please go and fetch him for me." "I will." "Have you got a second?" "Me?" "Lause wants to talk to you." "Excuse me for a moment." "What a pity." "Yes, indeed." "Lause!" "I'm so glad to meet you, I need to talk to you." "You look terrible." "What have you been doing?" "After Vollmer's death I drove to your house... you had already left." "Have you found him?" "Yes, but where have you been?" "I..." "I drove back earlier than I planned to." "What's up?" "I don't want to talk here." "It's about Vollmer's death." "I thought it was an accident." "I don't know, I wasn't there." "It must have been very strange." "What was strange?" "Vollmer." "Vollmer was strange." "Something strange happened to him." "Shortly before his death I've talked with him." "He was afraid." "He told me something that was... quite unbelievable." "What?" "I can't tell you, it's too insane." "Maybe he was insane too." "Do you know what fear is?" "Yes, Lause..." "I think I do." "You have no idea my dear friend." "You may be right, but... what did Vollmer tell you?" "Okay then." "It will sound crazy." "But maybe..." "Decide for yourself what you'll do with it." "Oh dear, I'm so clumsy." "I've scared you." "Just a moment." "Disappeared into thin air." "At a party of the boss of the IKZ, Herbert Siskins... during the previous night... according to a testimony by a member of the institute... security supervisor Günther Lause disappeared... without leaving a trace." "The police has started an investigation." "What's your plan, Stiller?" "What about these stories about Lause and Vollmer?" "Please sit." "I've told the police only what I'd seen with my own eyes." "I've got the impression you want to ridicule yourself and the institute." "It happened the way I testified." "All right then, if that's what you want." "Inspector Lehner from the department of missing persons." "Inspector Stuhlfahrt from homicide." "This is Dr. Stiller." "Who's currently replacing our chief technician." "You seem to be the only one, Dr. Stiller... who has noticed Lause in the course of yesterday's evening." "What do you mean by that?" "Every guest was interrogated by my men." "Nobody has seen him there." "Maybe you had too much to drink last night?" "No, I wasn't drunk." "Maybe we should mention... that we haven't met Lause at his apartment either." "Of course, this could just be a coincidence." "I'm interested in what Lause allegedly had to say about Vollmer's death." "Nothing in particular, he just had a bad feeling about it." "Where were you at the time of Vollmer's death?" "In my shack in the mountains." "Any witnesses?" "No." "We'd like to see the room where Vollmer died." "Please take these men to the computer room." "Yes, Mr. Stiller." "Goodbye." "We'll see you again." "Adieu." "I'd like to forget about this, Stiller." "You already have." "I wanted to talk to you about Vollmer's job." "I've already mentioned this to you, Vollmer's stubbornness..." "He was starting to get on my nerves." "Me..." "I'm not stubborn." "That's what I wanted to hear." "I've a good instinct for people." "I was sure that we'd come to an agreement." "Tell me your dream car and I tell you who you are." "I see." "Well then, I'll ask the members of the board." "But I don't see any difficulties." "Goodbye..." "Mister..." "Director." "What are you doing there?" "You're hurting me." "Thank you, Fred Stiller." "You are Fred Stiller, aren't you?" "Yes, I' am." "Nevertheless, what are you doing here?" "I've been brought here by a guard." "You are not by any chance..." "I'm Eva Vollmer." "Eva?" "I didn't recognize you." "Of course not." "Why I'm here?" "They've asked me to get my father's things." "I thought you are still in Montreux." "I'm back since a month." "You have been with your father when..." "Did you notice anything about him?" "Was he unusually nervous?" "I haven't noticed anything, why?" "I believe he's made some important discovery." "He couldn't tell me anymore." "He was a little depressed, but that was about it." "You know... if you'd come and visit me..." "I'd be very happy about it." "Tell me... has your father often met with Günther Lause recently?" "Lause?" "Your uncle, Günther Lause." "I don't know a Günther Lause." "You don't remember your uncle?" "I remember my uncle well." "His name was Jakob." "Jakob Meichsner." "He died four years ago." "Eva?" "Yes?" "May I..." "May I help you?" "I'll manage." "My father has left me some money." "And the house too." "I'm sorry Fred..." "I was biased." "I thought you were only interested in taking father's seat." "I should have known that this was not true." "I'd like a piece of cake." "Cake?" "You have to choose it at the buffet." "You are arrested." "Follow me quietly." "Franz, you've scared me." "I'll take this one." "And two whiskey." "What's up, Stiller?" "I'd like to..." "I've got this riddle for you." "Imagine a drawing... a Greek warrior carrying a spear... with his right hand... taking a step forward." "In front of him there's a turtle moving in the same direction." "Are you familiar with this subject?" "Or have you recently seen anything like it?" "Me?" "What's all of this supposed to mean?" "Prof. Vollmer has left me this drawing." "What could it mean?" "Foolish, if you ask me." "Foolish, eh?" "Do you know the meaning of this?" "Maybe." "Go ahead." "Zeno." "Yes, Zeno's Paradox" "Achilles and the turtle." "Achilles follows the turtle, unable to catch up with it because... whenever he's reached half the distance between him and the turtle... the turtle has already advanced some more." "What meaning could this paradox have regarding our work?" "Who knows, after all I'm only responsible for the psychology of our creatures." "But... as far as I remember... the paradoxon is meant to illustrate... that every movement is an illusion." "I don't see the connection to our work." "Well, Vollmer was quite strange in the time before his death." "How has ordered this cheese cake?" "Maybe he's had a reason, what did he say?" "Have you ordered this cake?" "No, no." "Wait, yes, I think I have ordered it, thank you." "What was strange about him?" "Three days before his death I've played chess with him." "But he didn't seem to be his old self anymore." "He was rambling on about philosophy all the time." "He was talking about an elementary discovery." "What discovery?" "He wouldn't say." "It was a secret." "Something like that." "Why are you so interested in this, Fred?" "I don't believe that Vollmer death was an accident." "What do you mean?" "I know about the argument between Vollmer and Siskin about the application of the simulation model." "I haven't said anything in this direction." "Well then." "By the way." "I can imagine what Vollmer's elementary discovery was all about." "I bet it has a lot to do with his attitude towards... the programmed identity units in his computer." "If you remember, he liked to call them his children." "That was meant as a joke." "You can't stuff a computer with information for several years... which is meant to describe human behavior... without expecting to create something similar to a human consciousness." "Lause spoke of an elementary discovery." "Lause?" "Who's that?" "Seriously now, if I hadn't believed Lause's story about Vollmer..." "I'd never have gone to the police with it." "Lause?" "Police?" "What's all this?" "Günther Lause." "Head of security at the institute... for cybernetics and futurology." "At our institute." "Calm down." "Stiller... do you see the man over there?" "That's Hans Edelkern." "Since 5 years he's head of security at the IKZ." "Do you remember now?" "Gloria?" "Have you got something to write?" "Please take a few notes." "To the United Steel Company's board of directors." "Dear Mr. Hartmann," "I gladly accept your invitation would like to advise, regarding the well known circumstances to consider my visit for the time being as strictly personal." "You will understand that I have to insist on absolute confidentiality." "Sincerely Yours, Herbert Siskins." "Did you find it easily, dear Siskins?" "Please come in." "A nice couple." "Rupp, from the Daily News." "A few questions, Mr. Stiller." "Does the new computer serve national research purposes?" "I'm not allowed to make any official statements." "Contact the press office of the IKZ." "That's a cheap excuse." "Does any corporation receive information about... the results that the computer generates." "Let me say this, Mister..." "Rupp!" "Mr. Rupp..." "I'd be grateful if you could explain to your readers... the difference between a computer and our simulation model." "I'll tell my colleagues from the science department." "It's a radically different generation of computer technology." "And who's to profit from it?" "Everybody if it was up to me." "May I see you identity card?" "It's a matter of protocol." "I know." "Thank you, director Stiller." "What would you like to see?" "Personal files require a special permission." "I'm only interested in the registry entries." "Which letter?" ""L"" ""L" and then?" "Ask who it is." "Günther Lause." "Günther Lause is not known." "See for yourself." "Well..." "Edelkern..." "Ask about Edelkern." "What does it say?" "The truth, what else?" "Hans Edelkern is security supervisor of the IKZ." "Tell me Missus..." "Meier." "Do you know anything special about Hans Edelkern?" "About Mr. Edelkern?" "Not that I know of." "But why don't you ask him yourself?" "Hi Fred." "Has anybody complained about me?" "You can tell me the truth." "No, not at all." "It's well then." "I was afraid there could be trouble." "No... really..." "I..." "Don't worry, Fred." "You don't need to explain anything." "I trust you know what you are doing." "Tell me..." "Why don't you come and visit us sometime." "Laura is still talking about our last dinner." "She thinks that you are by far the most charming entertainer." "Is that true?" "Laura says so." "Well, if Laura says so..." "She does." "Just give us a call." "It'd be a pleasure." "I've never met a woman called Laura in my whole life." "Do you need anything else?" "No thanks." "You're welcome." "Hi Fred." "I'm here because of Lause." "Which Lause?" "It's okay, Fritz, it's okay." "Hey, Fred!" "Is anything wrong?" "Morning, Maya." "Morning, Mr. Stiller." "I'm a present." "Siskins thought you'd be pleased." "Of course I'm pleased." "You're looks are supposed to make my heart beat faster, aren't they?" "Yes, I suppose they are." "Where's Mrs. Schmidt-Gentner?" "She's ill." "Probably not just for today." "By the way..." "Siskins didn't let me go without a heavy heart." "Thank you, I feel honored." "Do you want a cup of coffee?" "No, thank you." "It's wonderful to be working with you." "I share your sentiment." "I need to speak to the police, inspector Lehner." "Right away, Mr. Stiller." "Inspector Lehner for you." "Thank you." "Hi inspector, I wanted to ask you about Lause." "Have you found anything out?" "Who's there?" "Stiller from the IKZ." "I call because of Lause." "Günther Lause." "Pardon me, I've never heard of a Günther Lause." "By God, inspector, you've got to remember." "Siskins' party." "A man disappeared." "I've personally filed a report." "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with such a case." "Siskins expects you at 2.30 pm in his office." "Thank you, Mrs. Fromm." "How are you?" "I don't know." "Bad." "What does the doctor say?" "They've made every test." "They've taken blood samples." "Urine." "Everything." "But they don't know what it is." "General state of fatigue." "What about you?" "How are you?" "I've an appointment with Siskins at half past two." "Really?" "Mhmm." "Who's with you now?" "Where?" "In the office." "Gloria Fromm is now with me in the office." "116-65-98?" "99." "Because of all the sitting around." "I understand." "I better go." "Get well soon." "Thank you." "I..." "Yes?" "I still love you." "Why don't you take a seat, Dr. Stiller?" "Would you like to have a drink?" "Coffee?" "No, thank you." "Okay then." "Let's start." "Would you like to start?" "You might already know that as a member of a commission founded by the government" "Perspectives 2000 my main focus is the steel industry." "Thanks in part to your function as chairman of the board of the united steel works." "Quite naturally." "In this regard we are worried about certain tendencies concerning new public transportation systems." "Which would have certain consequences on the demand for steel in the eighties and nineties." "Are you well familiar with economical matters?" "Hardly." "You see, if I might shortly explain this to you..." "Investments in our sector... are not only long term but also very expensive." "Let Hartmann say what he has to say, Stiller." "Of course, that's one way of calling it." "Quite right... expensive." "In other words an investment in the amount of several 100 million... which was executed today... might take more than 20 years before it pays out." "If your decision was right." "Exactly, if our decision was right." "This is not a matter of rough estimations... we make use of several instruments of scientific precision." "Analysis of the economic situation." "Market analysis." "Trend calculations." "Input output relations." "All of it." "You know better than anybody how restricted... the performance of these prognostic instruments is." "Which all work with conventional computer technology." "The element of uncertainty with such calculations is very high." "Especially compared to your simulation model." "Yes." "Why do you tell me all this?" "I don't quite understand." "He does." "Dr. Stiller... this is not about somebody opening a hot-dog stand or not." "This is about a decision of great... economical importance... for which Mr. Hartman in his function as a member of the commission..." "Perspectives 2000" "Then let the commission come forward with it." "Do you seriously suggest to involve the whole bureaucratic..." "Beside that there's no way of accessing... special data once the program is running." "It'd jeopardize the whole program... and throw us back at least 2 months." "I won't be ridiculed in front of my colleagues... from a technical point of view..." "I'm sorry, Stiller, but this is not negotiable." "You will extract from the program the basic data... concerning the demand of steel for the next 20 years... and deliver it to this office until..." "The 23rd." "...deliver it until the 23rd." "I'm not sure about this." "You can't just favor any particular company..." "What I can or can't do, dear Stiller... is entirely my own business." "If you don't need me any further..." "Dear God, Siskins..." "I'd hoped that at least within the institute... everybody was on the same page." "Everything's taken care of, dear Hartmann, believe me." "You see..." "Stiller is a scientist." "And in every scientist there's a certain amount of idealism." "But don't worry, I'll deal with that idealism." "Hi Stiller." "Hi Hahn." "Would you like to check the psychological structures... of the new identity units?" "No, that's okay, we've already discussed that." "Are you better today?" "I'm alright, I've suddenly fallen ill yesterday." "I guess I have to apologize for my behavior." "Don't worry, it's all right." "No it's not, I'm truly sorry about it." "Pardon me..." "I've got to go to the computer room." "See you later." "Right now there are exactly 9700 identity units active." "Almost like a small town." "Tell me..." "I need a plug-in." "For yourself?" "Yes, I'd like to breath some different air." "No problem, whenever you like." "You see that?" "She's transferred into the consciousness of a millionaire's wife." "Yes, he's here right now." "Okay." "Okay, I'll tell him." "The police is waiting in your office." "They want to talk to you." "The police?" "Why don't you come with me?" "Okay, boss." "Good afternoon, Dr. Stiller." "Thank you." "You are flattering me." "That's Stiller." "Pardon me, I'm sorry." "Good afternoon, Dr. Stiller." "Is it possible to talk to you in private?" "Do you insist?" "I'm afraid I have to." "I'll go then." "I'm going back to the computer, see you later." "Why don't you come in?" "I've got some question, Mr. Stiller." "Questions for you." "Questions in the case of Henry Vollmer." "You were Vollmer's assistant?" "You already know that." "Of course, I do." "That's mere routine." "It's part of the job, part of the training." "It's hard to unlearn." "I'll be frank with you, Mr. Stiller." "There's a possibility that Vollmer's death... was not an accident." "You were on holiday." "In my shackle in the mountains." "I've already told you that." "You have already told me that?" "What are you talking about?" "Nothing." "But I was in my shakle in the mountains." "Are there any witnesses?" "No." "Vollmer was my best friend." "You seem to do very well... as a director at the IKZ." "I've no reason to complain." "In case anything else comes up... will I be able to reach you here?" "Of course, if anything else comes up..." "Goodbye, Mr. Stiller." "He's from homicide, isn't it?" "If anybody comes too close to you..." "I'll be there for you." "The police is not easily satisfied, which is a good thing." "Lause has already hinted at the possibility that..." "Vollmer's death was probably not an accident." "Lause?" "Who's Lause?" "The same Lause, Gloria, who vanished at Siskins' party." "Really?" "Someone vanished at Siskins' party?" "That must have been one of his pranks." "You are probably right, Gloria." "I need a simple plug-in to a single identity unit." "It's okay like this, isn't it?" "I've chosen 4388 for you." "He's a truck driver." "He'll take you for a little sight-seeing tour." "All right, let's roll." "It's about to start." "Be a good boy and don't cause any trouble, okay?" "Do it." "The weather we have programmed them..." "Very strange." "Why is there no traffic?" "Maybe it's Sunday." "I forgot to ask about it." "Hurry up, old boy!" "If you die in an accident you won't even cause a short circuit." "Good Heavens, what has Walfang come up with now?" "Hey, what's that?" "You were lucky." "It's just a minor shock." "You could easily have gone for good." "What went wrong?" "I've no idea." "I haven't checked it yet, but..." "But?" "Tell me." "What's your guess?" "Something must have exploded." "Think about it." "Think about it." "That was an act of sabotage." "Sabotage?" "That's impossible, Mr. Siskins, everything is monitored." "You've scared me." "Why, is anything wrong?" "No." "I've just thought about my father." "Let's go for a ride." "Just like that." "You know, I need some distraction." "On the table... there are a few documents that belonged to my father." "Maybe you'll find something that's important for you." "I'll get ready." "After your father died... has everything stayed the same... or has somebody taken anything?" "Excuse me?" "I've asked you... has everything stayed the same after your father died?" "Are you interrogating me?" "Come on, let's drive." "Have you seen the drawing of your father again?" "Which drawing?" "Achilles and the turtle." "I've never seen such a drawing." "Achilles with a turtle?" "I'll try to find out... how your father really died." "Do you think?" "Possibly." "I don't want anything happen to you." "What's the matter?" "Nothing, I didn't feel very well during the past few days." "I feel dizzy, I imagine things." "I'm probably just working too hard." "Should I drive?" "No, it's okay." "I'll rest for a moment and then I'll drive you home." "one, two, three, four... five, six, seven, eight... nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen..." "Come in!" "...fourteen, fifteen." "Hi Fritz." "Hi Fred, what's that?" "Medicine for improved circulation." "Circulation?" "Yes, I've had some dizzy spells recently." "Be careful." "I will." "You're back in the game." "I've already made contact with 0001." "Einstein?" "Yes." "The latest breakdown has alarmed him quite a bit." "He's causing other problems too." "You know what?" "This was Vollmer's only big mistake." "What's that?" "The identity unit Einstein." "It couldn't have worked without him, we tried everything." "There had to be a unit which we could directly contact." "That's how the conflict became inevitable." "Why?" "Because nobody can stand to be artificial and knowing about it at the same time." "That's true." "But if it's true that they already suffer from psychological disorders... that could be a great success for us." "That's debatable." "Einstein has reported on a suicide attempt." "That's crazy." "Who?" "7326" " Christopher Nobody" "I'll deactivate him, otherwise he'll mess with our whole simulation." "Cruel, aren't we?" "But we've got no other choice." "Okay, you may delete him, Dieter." "Christopher Nobody?" "That's right, Christopher Nobody." "See you later, Fred." "Christopher Nobody." "Christopher..." "No..." "C..." "Nobody" "Ce..." "No..." "Ceno." "Zeno's Paradox." "That's not a coincidence." "That's what Vollmer must have meant with the drawing." "Christopher Nobody." "I've got to speak with Christopher Nobody." "Can you plug me in?" "There ain't no Christopher Nobody, Fred." "He's already in Heaven." "Don't fool around." "I've unprogrammed him, he doesn't exist anymore." "Shit, shit, shit." "Why?" "He knows something." "Knew something." "He knew something I was interested in." "I can hardly believe that, Fred." "I've programmed him myself, it's a unit like all the others." "I don't know what you mean." "Nothing, Fred, nothing." "It was just an idea." "In that case I'd like to speak to Einstein." "Please set up a meeting with him." "Just give me a moment." "Where do I meet Einstein?" "In a hotel lobby." "You've only got five minutes." "Understood?" "Understood." "You had me waiting quite long." "Good afternoon, Einstein." "Good afternoon." "What's the matter?" "We don't often meet somebody from "up there"." "Right now me too I'm nothing but a bunch of electronic circuits." "A projection... if you like." "Let's sit down." "I've only got a few minutes... it's hardly worth the trouble." "I need to know something about Christopher Nobody." "You've talked to him, haven't you?" "Do you know what made him commit suicide?" "Whiskey." "He was close to a break-down." "Why?" "He knew about it." "He knew about what?" "Somehow he found out... what he really was." "You can't just found out about this." "Have you told him anything?" "You know very well that my program doesn't let me." "Time's almost up." "Stiller's got to come back soon." "In about a 120 seconds." "I know." "We'll give him a sign in a bout 30 seconds." "Time's up." "I've got to go." "Goodbye, Einstein." "I can't stand this anymore." "Please take me with you, please!" "You know very well that's impossible." "I'll be back." "Leave me alone, I'm on the phone." "...and then we'll meet at 8 'o clock in the restaurant at the corner." "What's gotten into you, young man?" "Has nobody taught you any manners?" "How rude!" "Do you have a light?" "Thank you." "Everything all right?" "Everything all right." "Just..." "Just what?" "I've seen Günther Lause." "Who?" "Come with me." "I'd like to conduct a little experiment." "Have you got time?" "Of course." "I'm looking for an identity unit." "Use the lists." "I'd like to try the other way around." "I'll give you the characteristics and you start a request." "Okay." "Age?" "55, male... not married... degree in engineering..." "Psychological characteristics?" "I'd say friendly... miserly and drinks quite a lot." "I need two minutes." "Eva?" "This is Fred." "Fred?" "Yes?" "There's too many, can you give me some more information?" "Heavy smoker." "Golden sports badge." "Collecting antique clocks." "That should be enough." "I'm sorry, but..." "No, I'm just in the middle of an experiment." "Tell me..." "Can you meet me today?" "I'd like to see you." "Okay, at six 'o clock." "There's five left." "Is that good enough?" "What's their name?" "Keiler, Strunz, Kittel, Erdhofer, Lause." "First name?" "Günther." "Günther Lause." "Wasn't that?" "Yes." "Which number?" "7683." "Programmed by whom?" "By Vollmer himself." "Thanks a lot." "Strange..." "Günther Lause?" "Daily News!" "Secrets surrounding supercomputer!" "Hallo?" "For your own sake, forget everything you've found out so far." "Otherwise your life's worth nothing." "Daily News!" "Secrets Surround supercomputer!" "Are you in trouble?" "You could call it that way." "Is it about Zeno?" "Or a man called Lause?" "Yes, that too." "I assume you know about the act of sabotage during the plug-in." "That a policeman who had already interrogated me... didn't remember me during his second interrogation, that you don't know." "Yesterday evening, everything around me... the lights and the streets just disappeared... for several seconds... but you don't know about that either." "Neither can you explain my dizziness or my depressions." "Really?" "A street disappeared... and then reappeared?" "Yes!" "Yes." "Ice or water?" "Nothing." "I've thought a lot about this." "About you Stiller." "I believe that... because of the immense responsibility... for the simulation model... and because of all the stress that's part of your job... you are overstrained... and mentally ill." "Each day you are looking after a miniature world... that you have created yourself, almost like a God." "This world slowly starts to appear like a real world to you." "You have the power to activate or deactivate all its beings." "That's how you came to feel guilty... depressed and anxious." "You need to relax." "You need distraction." "Excuse me, I need to call somebody." "What should I do?" "You've already taken the first steep." "You know the cause of your illness and how it's progressing." "You're conscious of the problem." "If you continue to work on it, you're condition will get better." "And you will stop to have those mental problems." "You should go on a holiday." "No chance, especially now." "I need to make sure that our computer doesn't work exclusively for a certain Mr. Hartmann." "It's better if I leave now." "Try to relax a little from time to time." "And don't think too much." "It's better for you." "Believe me." "I'll try." "Don't you want to get in?" "That's quite a coincidence, isn't it?" "That's not a coincidence." "Dr. Hahn called me." "He hoped I'd distract you a little this evening." "I had nothing against it." "Me neither." "Gloria." "Gloria!" "Now I'm feeling better." "But still I won't let you manipulate me." "Who's trying to manipulate you?" "Siskins." "What do you mean?" "I'm not scared that easily." "If necessary I can be as stubborn as Vollmer." "Vollmer would have refused to let them use the computer for profit." "And I'll refuse too." "I don't care what Siskins wants." "Don't you think Siskins could be dangerous to you." "No, because he needs me." "Good morning, Fred." "Good morning, Mrs. Fromm." "Any mail?" "No." "Do you need an aspirin?" "No." "Any calls?" "No." "Except Siskins is waiting for you." "Mrs. Fromm?" "What is it?" "I..." "I must have talked a lot of nonsense yesterday evening." "You don't take it serious, do you?" "Are you sure it was nothing but nonsense?" "Well then, what's the matter?" "I need your help." "We need to do something." "The press is getting impatient." "Here's a question." "Just to be on the safe side." "Could you explain to the layman the purpose of the computer... and its benefit for the whole of society?" "Of course." "I've got my convictions... and I'm able to argue them convincingly." "See, that's exactly what I expected from you." "Come in." "My co-worker, Dr. Stiller, and I... would like to make a statement regarding the simulation model." "After that we've got some refreshments for you." "Owing to a misunderstanding there were some... confusing reports got public through the press." "We'd like to use this occasion to clear that misunderstanding." "Dr. Stiller, together with Prof. Vollmer... has developed the simulation model." "Dr. Stiller will now make a few statements... about that new model." "It's not a computer in the common sense of the word... it's rather an electronic simulation system... with immense memory capacity." "As Prof. Vollmer used to say... with our system we have created the first fully autonomic computer." "We've built a unique artificial miniature world using relays, circuits, electric impulses, reflexes... which is capable of leading its own existence." "According to our rules... but following its own dynamic processes." "Concretely, Dr. Stiller, what's the use of this thing?" "Not surprisingly, Dr. Stiller prefers to think in scientific categories." "If you like particulars from the point of view of a pragmatic..." "I'd be gladly at your service." "What Hahn has said about my condition..." "I think it did me a lot of good." "At least I know what's going on with me." "You'll soon fell better, Fred." "I'm truly sorry about what I've said the other day." "I was in bad shape." "Hahn thinks..." "I'm paranoid." "He's probably right." "I'm glad that everything is going to be all right again." "After all this press business, television and so on..." "I hope he's trapped himself with it." "What do you think?" "I hope you are right." "Excuse me for a second." "We'll see each other again sometime." "Eva?" "Eva?" "Eva!" "Answer me!" "She's not there." "Do you have a light?" "Now she's disappeared." "Like Lause." "Lause has disappeared too." "Everybody forgot about him." "Except me." "He's still in my head." "He doesn't want to leave this head." "My Eva." "My dear little Eva." "They'll forget her too." "She'll stay in my head." "Actually my head... is a strange head." "There's things in it... that don't fit in any other head." "Good morning, Mr. Stiller." "Good morning, Mrs. Fromm." "Aspirin, please." "Just a moment." "I've tried to reach you the whole evening." "Me?" "Siskins wants to talk to you." "Siskins?" "Where have you been?" "Have you met with Eva Vollmer?" "In any case... he wants to see you immediately." "It's important." "Stiller's here." "Let him in." "Morning, Stiller." "You don't look too good." "You've been up all night, haven't you?" "Sit down." "What's up?" "I'd like to introduce a new assistant to you and your crew." "I think you've already met him." "He's a good man." "He asked for the job... and I had to hire him before someone else..." "Ah, that must be him." "Come in." "Mark Holm." "Good afternoon." "Hi Mark." "Mr. Holm is as of now a member of your department." "Where have you worked until now?" "At the civil registry office." "But..." "Just a second... isn't that a... partner firm of the united steel works?" "Certainly, Fred." "Thank you." "That's all I needed to know." "Well... 161266" "Eva?" "Eva, where have you been last night?" "I've searched the entire house without finding you." "Wait a second." "Thank you." "Where have you been?" "I was inside the house, Fred." "I was lying on the couch and fell asleep." "You haven't found me that's all." "I've searched every..." "That's not important, Fred." "I want to apologize for running off." "I love, I'm happy." "I've been thinking and I don't worry anymore." "I need you, Eva." "Yes, goodbye." "Hi, Fred." "I've been looking for you." "How are you?" "Cigarette?" "No." "I'm sick of it." "Since today Mark Holm is nosing around." "I need a hook-up with Einstein." "I need to know what's going on with this fellow." "Are you coming, Fred?" "No, not today." "All right." "See you later." "Hey, Fritz!" "Fritz, what's going on?" "Nothing, Mr. Stiller." "It's nothing." "You are not Fritz Walfang." "You are Einstein." "What's going on here?" "Let me go, please." "I don't want to go back." "That's my only chance." "I want to be human." "And I'll succeed." "That was the first step." "And I'll do the next step." "Into the real world." "What do you mean by the next step?" "You are in the real world." "Do you still drink this?" "What?" "No." "That's what you believe, Stiller." "The truth is... that all of this... all that you see or seem... is just another simulation model for the real world." "Fred Stiller, the big computer boss." "You're nothing but a conglomeration of electronic circuits." "Identity unit Fred Stiller." "You're a number." "Like everybody else." "A number in an experiment." "In a very advanced experiment." "Prof. Vollmer knew about it." "That's why he had to die." "Now you know it." "That's not true." "Tell me that's not true." "Mysterious things happen in the institute for cybernetics and future research" "Prof. Henry Vollmer, inventor of a revolutionary supercompupter died under unknown circumstances" "An accident?" "Suicide?" "Or murder?" "GÃ¼nther Lause, security supervisor of the institute was the last one to speak with Vollmer" "Tell me what Vollmer said to you" "At a party of the head of the IKZ, Herbert Siskins, he wants to confide to Fred Stiller, Vollmer's only assistant" "But suddenly," "Lause disappears without a trace" "Oh, i'm so awkward, now i've disturbed you" "One moment please" "The police registers Stiller's case but they don't believe him" "This is because Stiller is the only one to have seen that Lause at the party" "Instead, the police wants to know Stiller's alibi for the time of Vollmer's death." "I'm interested in what that Lause supposedly said about Vollmer's death" "He didn't say anything specific, he was talking about a bad feeling" "Stiller is Vollmer's successor wouldn't that be a good motive for a murder?" "Goodbye..." "Mister..." "Director...." "Eva Vollmer, who Stiller surprises in her father's office, seems to have such a suspicion at first, in spite of her obvious attraction to Stiller" "She denies strongly ever having had an uncle called GÃ¼nther Lause" "What are you doing here?" "A supervisor guided me here" "Even the institute's psychologist, Fritz Hahn has never heard of the supposed colleague from the IKZ" "Lause?" "Who's that?" "Ask who he is" "Stiller doesn't give up" "In the personnel register of the institute a security supervisor called GÃ¼nther Lause isn't known either" "Who is GÃ¼nther Lause?" "GÃ¼nther Lause is not known" "What?" "Has Stiller gone crazy?" "In the street in front of the institute, Stiller escapes by a hair a mysterious accident" "Does someone want to kill him?" "Now Stiller wants to know the truth for sure" "During an electronic voyage into the computerworld where he wants to question the contact-unit Einstein about the mysterious events he discovers the GÃ¼nther Lause, whom up there, nobody can remember" "Stiller's confusion is enforced, when Eva Vollmer disappears without a trace, too" "Say something!" "What's up?" "I wanted to present you your new assistant for your technical staff" "Furthermore the conflict with Herbert Siskins about the usage of the research-results of the computer gets worse" "Siskins had own, commercial ideas to which Stiller doesn't want to obey" "He is assigned a watchdog, Mark Holm" "Aah, that's gonna be him" "Come in!" "Mark Holm..." "Good day" "Stiller nearly gives up" "But then a computer-error occurs which leads him to another trace" "In the shape of Fritz Walfang, the contactunit" "Einstein appears in Stiller's world and claims that it wasn't real either, that it was an electronic world" "It's nothing" "You are not Fritz Walfang" "You are Einstein" "My god, what's that supposed to mean?" "Let me go...please!" "I don't want to go back" "That's my only chance" "I want to be a human being and i will make it" "That was the first step and i'll manage to do the next one, too, into the real world" "What do you mean by that?" "The next step?" "You are here in the real world" "Einstein!" "Stop that nonsense, you don't have any chance!" "I don't want to go back, i want to live!" "Call for help, call Edelkern!" " He!" " Yes?" "Call for help!" "I don't understand a word, dear Sir you have to speak louder, you understand?" "My ears..." "T..." "Telephone..." "Help!" "Edelkern, Stiller here" "I'm in the cantine, i need help, fast!" "What's up, Fred?" "What have you done with Walfang?" "Take the man to the transferroom, quick!" "And plug the programme for 0001" "He looks like Fritz Walfang, doesn't he, Edelkern?" "In reality it's identity-unit 0001" "Vollmer called him Einstein" "But..." "I mean..." "I've seen him..." "Please come with me" "Are you ready?" "Let me do it" "I couldn't have known that...." "What couldn't you have known, Holm?" "What could happen..." "What for heaven's sake has happened?" "Attention!" "Wait, silence" "Is it working?" " No, but..." " It's OK" "I... just wanted to try if i could add myself too" " ...and during that..." " Yes?" "The consciousness of the two swapped" "Now he should be there soon..." "Hello Fred..." "It's useless, she isn't there" "Why?" "Because she hasn't been here for 6 weeks" " But..." " Away for cure!" " For 6 weeks already" " I see" "Do you have a key?" "Me?" "Ah, it's you" " You haven't been here for a long time, have you?" " No" "Where have you been?" "Have you been sick?" "We have wondered were you were...." "People were...talking" "There, the key is still under the doormat where itelongs" "I always see it when i clean up" "There, the upper lock" "After you, you know the way" "Yes, a real ambulance came to pick her up" "I haven't been there myself but people talked about it, you know" "Mh, six weeks..." "A long time...." "Well, i should go away for cure myself, but people like ourselves..." "Where do you want to go?" "The Key!" "Odd...." "Odd... she used to be such a clean person..." "Nice little bar, isn't it?" "Depends on how you look at it..." "Oh, it's nice nice" "Especially in the afternoon, you know" "When all the other people are still working" "It gives you a feeling of...hm...." "That's your trick, yes?" "What trick?" "Well, to get to know people" "Ah, no" "I don't have no plan for that" "Far from it, i'm a bit like a...chameleon, you know?" " I see..." " I adapt" "Herr Hahn" "Good day" "Hello..." "Whisky?" " Hello." "Whisky, milk, whatever you want" " Angry?" " What?" " Are you angry?" "Two Whisky with water, please" "I'm not angry, I..." "There's been an accident at the institute, right?" "There was..." "Strange, i always thought the exchange of consciousness was some kind of utopic joke" "A joke?" " Well, a pretty intelligent joke, but..." " That's not a joke" "Seems to have stressed you quite a bit, the whole thing" " No" " No?" " It's not that, but..." " Tell me!" "Something's wrong, isn't it?" "I know what Vollmer died of" "Sure, high voltage" "Yes, high voltage" " I thought you wanted to tell me something?" " He couldn't bear it no longer 800 Volts, right?" "I'm sorry" " I should've known that sooner..." " What?" "Well, the people in our simulation also think that their world is the only real world" "And?" "Who says that this isn't...a computer, too?" "You, Me, everybody in here" "Maybe we're just electronic circuits, too" "Identity-unit 3,124,00, called Hahn." "Na, wie klingt das denn?" "Pretty drunk" " The whisky, the peanuts, everything artificial" " Sure" "Why are you suddenly eating so fast?" " Are you nervos?" " Me?" "No!" "I'm just thinking that for being artificial they taste pretty good" "My god, now you're thinking it, too." "You know what you have, Hahn?" "A quirk!" "Sure... an artificial quirk" " Vollmer must have been awfully scared" " Why Vollmer?" " Because he knew it" " What?" "That this world isn't the real world" "Stiller..." "I mean, he convinced of his thought..." "Well, if he was right...then they could have..." " They?" " Yes, they  they could have switched him off ...just switched him off, exit Vollmer" "Do you know how we deleted Nobody?" "Whom?" "Christopher Nobody, just a joke-name, you know" "By pressing a button" "Yes..." "But unobtrusive..." "You know what that means?" "It had to look like an accident for the other identity-units so they wouldn't get any bad ideas" "Just like Vollmer!" "Everybody thinks it was an accident and the systems stays stable" "You see the parallel?" "I'm just seeing that whisky's not good for you...." " And Lause?" " Who?" "Lause was deleted too quickly, they didn't have enough time for creating ...a proper explanation" "That's why they just deleted Lause from the memories" " Nobody knows anymore that there was a GÃ¼nther Lause" " There never was..." " You see?" " What?" " How it works" " Oh man..." "Crappy game, what?" "Seriously Fred, don't you want to go home?" "You need some rest" "The contact-unit..." "That's it..." "The contact-unit...." "Our simulation only works because we programmed a contact-unit for it, Einstein" "If we also are just simulation of a real world then there must be such an Einstein here as well, someone who knows everything, who stays in contact with the people up there" " I have to find it!" " I'm always there for you, you know that, Stiller" "It could be anybody..." "Siskins ...Gloria Fromm Eva Vollmer Walfang even you, Herr Hahn me?" "You too...why not you?" "Why not me?" "Well, i wouldn't tell you, that's for sure" " You'd have to trick me, surprise me, or..." " It's fine..." " Besides, there is evidence" " Yes?" "People keep disappearing" "Who has disappeared now?" "Pf, first Lause..." "Yeah, right..." " And now Maya Schmidt-Gentner disappeared, too" " Who?" "A secretary" "Gloria Fromm?" "No, the other one i had" "Ah, her...." "Yes, i've been in her appartement today" "She's supposed to be away for cure, but nobody leaves home like that when he goes away for cure" "Well, but..." "Come, I'll show you!" "If you want to..." "The bill, please" "I don't know, but I think it's alright here" "But two hours ago..." "Everything looked different, everything was..." "Yes?" "The Bed..." "The Bathroom..." "Fred..." "I'm sure..." "I think now he's gone completely mad" "When did you arrive?" "An hour ago" " The janitor..." " He..." "Forget that story..." "Come..." "On what day was the article suppossed to be in the newspaper?" "The 31th of may" "The end of the world is on the 30th of may..." " Uschi?" " Yes?" " The may-volume, please" " Alright" "How's the computer?" "It's fine...." "And Siskins?" "Aaaah.." "Thanks, fine..." "Still friends with Hartmann?" "Possibly..." "Why not...." "There are worse reasons for a friendship" "Yeah..." "Probably" "Listen, Stiller, I'm doing you a favor here so you could at least give me some information..." "I'm just not a good businessman" " Are there consultations between Siskins and the United Steel?" " The may-volume..." "Thank you" "I think so" "Only...." "I can't give you copies of it, if you mean that" "Say, I'm sure the official simulation contains calculations ...that could be useful for the United Steel?" "I think so, yes" "Ah!" "31th of may" "But here's a completely different article..." "Let me see..." "CS..." "Christoph Simon, our correspondent in Rome" "It couldn't have been another day?" "No" "You see here our reporters, Ladies and Gentlemen" "They are the ones who make the stories" "They edit short notices ...the essence of a story, you might call it, and create stories out of it they supply the backgrounds-information, if it exists" "And from there, the script goes, if it is edited into the case room, which we're gonna see next" "Thank you very much and goodbye" "Say have there been other issues on the 31th of may?" "They are both in the volume" "If the existing calculations wouldn't suffice for Hartmann someone could programm additional ones?" "Someone could, if he wanted to" "Here it was, on this page, but there's this article wiht "CS" again" "And?" "Does he want to?" "Somebody perhaps" "Not me" ""Vanished without a trace", I can remember it, really..." ""Vanished without a trace", I have no idea, really" ""Druggang in Rimini busted", might sound a bit more boring but at least it's printed here, in cold print..." "I don't understand that at all..." " Eh...could you ask this..." " Christoph Simon" "Yes, could you...eh...ask him if he really wrote this article?" "Listen, I won't make a fool of myself..." "Okay..." "If it's for the good thing..." " Please" " Uschi?" " Yes?" "Send a message to Christoph Simon in Rome and ask him if there is new information about the Rimini-affair" " from his article from the 31th of may" " OK" "I'll take you to the elevator" "What was that again about that additional steel-programme?" " I forgot it" " Forgot it?" "Well, OK, eh...." "Among other things, Simulakron does a traffic-forecast until 2000 for a steel-concern, this could be useful, that's for sure" "You see, that is something" "I don't like chinese food" " Why's that?" " I don't know, it's too sweet" "You can't say that, there are pretty hot things, too" "That Stiller seems to be quite a loonie..." "By the way, i've sent that message" "What?" "I said that only because of the idiot..." "Nah, doesn't matter" "Uschi..." "Get me a book about traffic-forecasts, will you?" "Okay..." "Fred..." "Yes" "You're looking at me in that weird way..." "Is something wrong?" "Uh?" "I don't know" "I've got a headache" "If you have a headache, go to bed" "But I don't feel ill" "It's just that I have a headache" "But maybe I'm just getting crazy" "The "Tagesanzeiger" claims to have got information that the head of the well known institute for cybernetics and futureresearch, Herbert Siskins has close connections with a well known company" "The newspaper suspects that Simulakron 1, a supercomputer developed by the IKZ is not only used for research, but also for commercial purposes" "The paper writes: "The revolutionary results from the computer have to stay in reasonable, responsable hands to be of use for the good of the society"" "...says the "Tagesanzeiger"" "A commission of the ministry of science is going to examine the events" " And what does Siskins say?" " Herbert Siskins rejects the accuses strongly and threatens to sue the paper" "And now, short news" "Helsinki" "Die finnish poetess Araba Suokunnen who is famous for her translation of the "Nibelungenlied"" "died yesterday at the age of 86, when her private plane crashed with a glider above the sport airfield Helsinki" "The pilot of the glider suffered from light injuries" "And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the end of the programme for today" " We wish you a...good night" " Good night" "Siskins or not Siskins" "Holm....or..." "What?" "I just said good night to the television announcer" "Stiiller here, give me Siskins" "Hello, Stiller here..." "Would you come down to the computerlab, please?" "I've got a little suprise for you" "There you are" "What's up?" "What is that?" "That's you" "I see" "I've programmed it myself" "Interesting, isn't it?" "Indeed" "Very interesting" "That's funny" "That seems funny to you, yes?" "How many Siskins are there now, hm?" "I have no idea" "Have you programmed some more?" "No" "In that world this is the only one" "Here are you the only one" "And up there?" "Where up there?" "Ah" "You don't know where up and down is" "You are talking nonsense, Stiller" "Well, here is up, there is down" "Or how deep down does it go?" "It could go down endlessly" "Yes, that's correct" "And endlessly higher" "This is strange" "What's he doing now?" "Stiller?" "Hey Stiller!" "Well, this is pretty impressive, Herr Siskins..." "After all..." "You've got it nice here, Mark" "Really nice" "What's "nice" supposed to mean?" "Nice, like the whole world is, right?" "It's nice, isn't it?" "Now tell me" "What do you really want?" "I know everything, Mark" "You can stop the comedy" "What do you know?" "That you are the contact-unit" "I see..." "You've discovered that?" "Okay" "Yes?" "I just wanted to say..." "Stiller knows everything" " I want to talk to him" " Sure" "He wants to talk with you" "Yes?" " Well, dear Stiller, hasn't it always been obvious, that..." " What was obvious?" "That Holm is here as the contact-person for Hartmann" "I'm responsible for that" "Me alone" "Hartmann's contact-man...." "Such a thing..." " Siskins?" " What was that?" "Dear Fred seems to be pretty done" "He just walked out of the room" "I think we've reached the point..." "Yes" "I think so, too" "He, man!" "Are you feeling sick?" "Is he dead?" " No, not completely" " Hey, wake up already!" "Right...he isn't dead...." "Thanks, I'm fine again" "I have the explicit order from Mr. Siskins to bring you home and help you there" "Just come with me" "Continue with your work, there's nothing to see here!" "Wake up" "Breakfast's ready" "Yes, good man, you're still here" " That's what Mr Siskins told me to do, hasn't he?" " Ah?" "Ok then..." "Do you have a cigarette for me?" "Thanks" "I think..." "Yes?" "...therefore I am, right?" "Yes..." "Yes, I exist" "But I'm not the only one who has the thought that nothing really exists, am I?" "U" "No, no" "Right, already Platon saw the last reality in the mere idea, and Aristoteles was the first who ...understood matter as a passive non-substance.... ...that only by thinking.... ...has produced reality" "I see" "Wel..." "By the way, do you have a friend?" "A friend?" "Yes, sure..." "Good" "Now let's suppose he would suddenly disappear without a trace one moment ago he was standing besides you suddenly he's gone vanished into thin air" "But that would be ..." "I said "let's suppose" well, you tell that the police and the next day there's something about it in the newspaper..." "Yes..." "Suddenly everybody claims that....eh... that this friend nerver existed" "They claim it like that" "What would you say to those people?" "Me?" "Well, i would tell them..." "You're crazy!" "After all, the police has it in their files" "The police would say, too, that she doesn't know about the whole story" "But...it was in the newspaper" "You said so" "It isn't in the newspapers anymore, too" " There's something completely different in it now" " I see..." "Do you know that i just gave you a great tip how you can make people believe you're crazy" "Just in case you would need that someday" " Do you want another cup of coffee?" " No, no, thank you" "I'm gonna take a shower..." "What it's all about, why we're here, i'm sure you all know that" "Of course." "We, eh..." "The article of the "Tagesanzeiger" has alarmed us made us think" "I think it would be best, if you, Mister Siskins would say something about those accusations" "Of course Mr Secretary, of course..." "I'm very sorry, but i have to admit ...that Simulakron 1 has been abused" " Ah?" " Yes" "Mister Holm will give you a clarifying report about the situation" "I'm sorry but who is this Mr Holm?" "Currently Mr Holm is still assistant of the technical director Mr. Stiller" "I see...thank you" "Well..." "During a examination we had to assert.. that into our simulation, an additonal programme had been inducted that didn't have anything to do with our own research" "What was it about?" "Well..." "That's difficult to say" "With the answers, that that programme gives only the person who knows the question can do something useful" "Ah, and eh..." "Yes, and the question is only known to the person who developed the programme" "And who is that?" "Of course we're not certain about that" "But we have our suspicions" "And those would be?" "Mr Holm... please" "Well..." "Of course i can only report things I've seen with my own eyes" "Please make your own conclusions" "Well..eh..." "Well..." "Recently i've been doing a check during the night, too and each time..." "I meet Dr. Stiller in the computerlab" "Docor Stiller?" "Yes" "And a few times he has told me in a very rude way to leave because he wanted to be alone, so he said" "When I asked him what he was doing, he said that this was not my concern" "I'm sure he will deny everything now" "Doctor Stiller?" "Yes?" "What have you to say about the accusations of your assistant?" "What charges?" "That he meets you alone at night at the computer and that you force him to leave" "If he says so, he might be correct" " That..." " It's because I can't stand him" "Seriously..." "Have you used the computer for other purposes than research?" "And if?" "What role would that play?" "This is outrageous, that's..." "Yes, outrageous!" " Stiller, You..." " I hear you!" " The man is..." " Crazy!" "...is the man" "Is he?" "Dr, are you smoking a cigarette?" "Are you sure that's a cigarette?" " This is..." " The idea of a cigarette" "The real cigarettes are being smoked somewhere else" "There, were real people sit on real chairs" "Is that a chair?" "Say "This is a chair"" "This is a chair" "That's not a chair" "But it's the idea .of an idea...of an idea..." " The man is..." " Crazy!" "I think we agreed on that ages ago" "But your coffee, does it have a color?" "Hm?" "It's brown" "Why is the coffee brown?" "Because coffee is brown" "Sorry" "No problem..." "But this coffee is not brown because coffee is brown" "...but because somewhere outside of this box there is real coffee, that might be actually brown!" "Maybe it's actually purple, and some idiot made the one here brown so they could laugh their ass off about us drinking brown coffee, Mr Secretary" " You're not a human being, you...." " That's enough, Stiller!" "You are nothing" "That's a dirty trick" "Because nothing thinks" "What would a Secretary of State be?" "Exactly that..." "Do you remember that... what was the man's name?" "Vollmer?" "Professor Vollmer, right" "I think the story was similar..." "After all..." "Sorry, but..." "I...eh am the psychologist of the institute..." "I've been...observing Stiller for quite some time ...pretty thoroughly" "He suffers from an acute paranoia" "An extreme example of psychical corruption" "He's to make it short not responsible for the things he does" "I would say you should send him on vacation immediately" "Cure or..." "I mean I'm sure he'll recover ...some day perhaps..." "Thank you, Mr Hahn" "Thank you very much" "I think the problem should be solved by that" "Yes, sure, if Stiller and I'm sure he's really not responsible" "Hirse?" "No, of course not, the man is completely..." "I think the best thing would do if we gave Mr Holm preliminary the position of Mr Stiller" "If you want to" "We want to give you full freedom concerning your choice of personnel" "Thank you very much" "And I'd be grateful, Mr Secretary if you sent an according correction...to the press..." "We'll do that" "Anyhow, that parallel to..." "Professor Vollmer ...Professor Vollmer...ist strange and surprising" "And now?" "Nothing, they sent me on vacation" "Fabulous, really" "Open lane for Mr Holm" "And?" "What's "And?" supposed to mean?" "So far you've always been interested in the computer and what he's being used for" ""So far" is past, now it's different" "You're hard to understand, man..." "Say..." "Where are the borders of the perception of our identity-units?" "Okay, imagine..." "We both were creatures programmed in a computer..." "We'd sit here, drink whisky would see our non-existing environment..." "As if it was... real" "Of course" "An electronic environment seems real for an electronic creature" "Good" "And could there be accidents?" "Possible, but unprobable" "What would it look like if an accident happened?" "Well, like..." "An easy example would be like that..." "You're driving along a road which suddenly stops because it hasn't been programmed to the end" "But after a few seconds the road would be complete again for the creature because the correcture-programme would have received impulses" "That's pretty logic" "Nothing can't be, what mustn't be" "Have you read the headline?" "Yes, "technical director suffers nervous breakdown"" "I'm not very happy with that" "Why's that?" "Because it seems too simple" "Stories in real life..." " ...are never that simple" " No?" "I know the saying the other way round" "It exists in both versions, i think that militates in favor for it" "Have you read that?" "What?" "The message by Simon from Rome" "No, what does it say?" ""I've never written about drug-gangs in Rimini"" ""And at that time I've been ill"" "But that isn't possible?" "The thing becomes even weirder" "Of course I've asked Simon what's written in his issue from the 31th of may..." " Do you want to read it?" " Sure, give it to me" "In my issue it is written "Vanished without a trace", i hope it'll help you ...Christoph Simon" "Wow, that's crazy..." "I've got a feeling that this Stiller is stuck in a giant intrigue" "Siskins is obviously a bigger gangster than i thought" "I just wanted to bring yo you stuff" "That's nice of you, thanks" "Fred..." "I'm so sorry" "What?" "You suspension..." "Especially because I'm a bit guilty myself" "Why's that?" "I was a spy for Siskins" "I had to tell him everything you said to me when you were drunk" "And everything else, too...." "Of course..." "But Gloria, I've known that for a long time" "But nevertheless..." "Nevertheless I like you" "I like you too" "Whisky" "Thank you" "Does he pay you or..." "Or what?" "Do you love him?" "Both" "At least you're honest" "You're a bit like how I like men" "And you are totally the way i like women" "Siskins is completely the way I like men" "Yes" "I just can't seperate from him" "Do you want to?" "I don't know" "Probably not" "I'm pretty sure i couldn't, even if I wanted" "You always can manage do do what you really want" "That's a tale" "Right" "I'm one of his marionettes which he controls" "But even worse than that is the fact, that ...I feel good about it" "...at least at night" "Do you want to sleep wiht me?" "Yes" "Well" "How's it going?" "The demand analysis is still running" "I hope you can interprete it correctly" "Please..." "No worries" "I just don't want our friend Hartmann to make any bad investment" "I already told you that you should get out of here" "Go away, man" "I'm still responsible for this area, Mr. Holm" "My playe is here" "Now don't get cheeky" "I'm not getting cheeky" "Not at all" "I just want to do the work I'm being paid for" "What you are being paid for, good man is our decision" "You are totally wrong about that... good man..." "I've got a contract which defines my work .pretty exactly" "Contracts, Mr Walfang, cann be resolved" "Or broken" "Like the on by Dr Stiller" "What's got that to do wiht Mr Stiller?" "I think it does a lot, doesn't it?" " What do you mean?" " What?" "What what?" "And besides, Stiller is on vacation" "Ah, I see...." "That's a thing for itself" "What you did with Stiller is a huge mess" " You're going far, Mr Walfang...." " ...what you did!" "But what interests me personally..." "Why are you trying so desperately to keep me away from the computer?" "Because you're no good" "That's the only reason" "And now, please leave..." "We got work to do" "Okay, good man..." "But we'll continue this conversation sometime..." "Goodbye Mr Siskins" "Goodbye" "That's the next one" "You should be a bit more careful with the people, Mr Holm" "Why's that?" "There are works councils unions just a little bit more careful" "Okay" "I'll try to" "I hope so" "Finally" "Make sure he doesn't make any trouble" "Fine" "Of course, Mr Holm" "Say..." "Holm..." "What's with Stiller?" "If everything went right then he's in a straitjacket by now" "My head..." "Yes, it's me" "How late is it?" "Half past three" "In the morning or in the afternoon?" "Afternoon" "Then we slept for 18 hours..." "You slept for 18 hours" "I'll see what retard's ringing all the time" "Very nice!" "Siskins' newest trick" " What?" " There, look down!" "Quick, you have to run away!" "It doesn't matter now" "Fred, i bet you, leave." "They'll put you in a straitjacket" "Who knows, maybe that's where i belong..." "Don't joke about that, Fred" "Fred!" "Hurry, Fred!" "Take the fire escape" "Fred!" "What can I do for you?" "Where's the madman?" "What madman?" "I don't know what you mean" "His name is Stiller... he lives here, doesn't he?" "You mean Freddie?" "Yes, he's really crazy. in bed if you know what I mean..." "What does that mean?" "Crazy" "Sure" "Now let us through" "Unbelievable" "Fine" "If you want to..." "Eva!" "Evaaa!" "Eeva!" "Eva!" "Eva!" "Eva!" "Stiller!" "Open the door!" "Police!" "We know that you're in there!" "Stiller!" "Don't make any difficulties!" "Or else we'll break in the door!" "Come on in ,man, yu don't have a chance!" "I'll take you to a small room" "So nobody can see you" "Thank you very much" "My god" "You?" "Yes, me" "What's wrong?" "Don't you understand anything?" "It's...it's him" "The contact unit" "Of course" "He..." "And I let myself be fooled!" "But Stiller..." "Hahn has been giving us information from the IKZ for months" "What's wrong about that?" "Information?" "Yes, he was..." "Siskins..." "And the computer..." "Then..." "You still got that crazy idea, Stiller?" "Crazy idea..." "That's a good name for the baby" "And I want to tell you something, Mr Hahn..." "Vollmer's crazy idea I like it way better" "Sure!" "I know what you want to say..." "A madman looks for his evidences where he finds them" "Maybe I'm .really crazy" "But..." "Vollmer didn't die for nothing" "And if he was right, then be the lord or whoever with us" "By the way..." "I've recieved a message from Italy" "You have.... ..what?" "What does it say?" "You were right" "I was right..." "Simon never wrote the article about the Rimini-affair" "In his issue there's an article with the headline "Disappeared without a trace"" "What?" "!" "Very mysterious, sure" "But we'll solve that secret, too" "When does the strike start?" "What strike?" "The strike at the IKZ, Hahn" " It was you..." " Ah, that..." "I don't know..." "Tomorrow or..." "What's wrong?" "Aren't you feeling well?" "I am, I am" "I'm, eh..." "I'm fine" "I'm still fine" "What strike?" "A certain Fritz Walfang made some trouble at the institute" "The staff wants to force Siskins to undo you suspension" "My suspension... undo" "Yeah, great, isn't it?" "Initiative Solidarity" "You can be proud..." "It doesn't matter anymore now" "You're right, Hahn..." "He seems to be completely down with his nerves" "GÃ¼nther Lause..." "Security supervisor of the IKZ" "Siskins' Party" "Say something already" "Make a suggestion!" " But we cant be both..." " You mean crazy?" "Why not?" "Hm?" "You are the specialist here..." "Where do you want to go?" " Just leave" " You can't just leave" "Why not?" "Every policeman is looking for you" "And?" "Say..." "That story with you so-called... contact unit" "Yes?" "Well, I.... ...I mean...." "Yes?" "I want to know...." "Who's crazy here..." "We or the others" "You see" "That's what i call a good motive" "Come wiht me..." "I'll get you ot of here" "You won't come far alone" "It's not Siskins not Holm, not Gloria Fromm, not Walfang... and Rupp neither, that's for sure" "You not and me not" " Eva?" " That's ridiculous" "Eva Vollmer..." "Stop at the phonebooth" "Eva?" "!" "My god, where've you been?" "I've been at your house the whole night" "I entered through the toilet-window" "No, i was just worried" "Well, it's OK" "Say, eh..." "Can we meet?" "Right now?" "Anywhere?" "No, it's nothing urgent, it's just..." "God, i just want to see you" "I need you, please" "I'm not nervous, I..." "Hahn!" "Fred?" "Can you hear me?" "Fred?" "!" "Isn't that Stiller, the murderer?" "There he's running, the murderer" "Murderer!" "Are you feeling sick?" "No, it's nothing, I'm fine again" "Have you already chosen?" "I'd like to have some pork's back and some red wine" "As you please...excellent" "Yes?" "I'm from the bureau for public order, I'm here to check the emergency exits" "Back!" "Where does this door lead?" "I'll have a look" "...died" "The freeway between Essen and Bochum has been closed down" "And now a call for help by the police" "Wanted is 36 year old Fred Stiller former employee at the institute for cybernetics and future research" "He is suspected of the murder of Henry Vollmer former technical director of the IKZ and also of the murder of Fritz Hahn, also an employee of the IKz who died today under unknown circumstances" "Stiller seems to be insane and dangerous" "The public is urged to avoid any contact with the suspect and to give every sort of helpful information to the next police-station..." "Franz Hahn..." "A man who knew too much..." "Eva..." "My God..." "Did something happen to you?" "Say something" "Please..." "Fred..." "What happened?" "Someone shot?" "I shot, because I was afraid" "What do you want here?" "I heard that they are looking for you, because of my father..." "Fred, you know, i can't believe all that" "And then I thought that you needed me and wanted to be with you" " You can't stay, that's much too dangerous" " But..." "No "but"" "I didn't kill your father, I didn't kill anybody!" "Everything's a complot by Siskins and the police against me!" "That's why the only way to defend myself now is with everything I have, nobody believes me now" "I believe you" "Yes" "And I love you" "Go now..." "When I know how to continue, I'll come to the city or I'll call you, ok?" "I'm worried about oyu, Fred" "Go now, Eva" "You have to go" "Believe me" "Eva!" "Eva..." "How could she have known I was here?" "I I've never told her about the cabin" "Then she's it..." "And I'm nothing" "What do you want here?" "Aren't you afraid?" "I'm a murderer!" "Did you understand?" "A murderer!" "Say, what was your name again?" "Echo" "Strange name, isn't it?" "My whole family is called like that" "Maybe I'd better take you to a hospital?" "No, no, I'm fine, it's just the car..." "Please don't smoke" "Monsieur..." "Echo" "Mister Echo..." "I'm terribly sensitive against nicotine" "Recently i saw a really great accident" "Really terrible" "A lightpole went straight through the car" "And the driver..." "Please stop, I'm feeling sick, I have to vomit" "Mon Dieu, please not on the cushion, my cushion, it..." "Stop!" "He wants to get out" "Fred?" "If I were you, I wouldn't run away nown..." "I'm sorry, honey..." "But I don't want you to run away..." "Of course not" "But I'm sure you have better methods for that?" "Better than that up there" "Well, up there, but not here" "You have understood many things, Fred Stiller" "You've gotten a bit...too intelligent for us" "Are you the contact unit?" "As we call that here" "I'm the projection of a real Eva from the real world" "There is no contact unit anymore" "We recognized it as an mistake and got rid of it a long time ago" "Now you're going to finish me, aren't you?" "Like a rat in a cage, that does no longer react to your injections" "I want to help you, Fred...." "You have to believe me" "Now please come and don't make any difficulties" "Please" "I don't care about anything" "You can do with me whatever you like" "I give up" "Delete me, kill me, or whatever you can imagine, i just want it to be over" "That horrible nightmare" "You can trust me, Fred" "There" "I think I'll have to explain a lot to you" "Please, after all you can do with me whatever you like" "Ok, look" "In your world, an Eva Vollmer never existed" "And when i appeared in your life, you quickly made up a memory" "That's... how a simulation unit reacts" "I know how simulation units react" "Yes, it was a mistake to let you develop your own simulation model" "You quickly learn to much" "But on the other hand..." "We need the most possibly nearest approach to our own technical standard" "You have cigarettes?" "No" "What happened with Vollmer?" "In the beginning we actually thought it was pretty interesting and wanted to observe how the it developed" "But then he became a threat for the whole system and had to have an accident, you understand?" "I understand" "And it was decided to send an observer to your world" "That's me" "They always took me back to deliver my reports" "That's why you weren't there the night I was looking for you" "I understand" "And Lause?" "Well, he knew about Vollmer and... was deleted in the last moment, before he could tell you everything" "I love you, Fred" "And i want to stay with you forever" "We have to find a solution for us" "For us?" "What do you have to do with everything?" "I love you" "Of course..." "We have to turn you off, Fred" "Because you're bringin your whole world in the danger to be turned off" "They just pull the plug and it's over" "You know... the man who sits at the computer in my world he's completely megalomaniac" "His power over this artificial world has made him go crazy" "He thinks he's some kind of god and... has his fun with you" "You, for example..." "He didn't want to kill or turn off you immediately at all" "On the contrary..." "He totally enjoyed your fear and your desperation" "And, what does he want to do with me?" " You are going to be shot" " Ah?" "Amd when?" "Tomorrow in the morning" "Well, that leaves us some time" "Yes, the system is only automatically supervised during the night" "Do you want to drink something?" "Yes, a whisky" "Say..." "Yes?" "Why for heaven's sake should I trust you?" "Because I want to help you" "Well, we'll see" "Cheers" "What happened to Hahn, by the way?" "You've seen it" "We had to to that, after the accident with the message from Rome" " Imagine what would've happened..." " Bravo!" "Good work" "My attacks, my constant attacks of dizzines..." "They occure everytime when he wants to contact your consciousness" "And the street?" "Which suddenly disappered and then reappeared" "A circuit was defect, that's all" "Something's wrong about the whole story" "Why?" "Well..." "How can a real person love someone artificial?" "That's easy" "Because you're like someone" "I used to love" "Who was that?" "That is..." "Well, you would call him technical director" "He's responsible for our simulation model" "I see" "What's his name?" "Fred Stiller" "Fred Stiller that's me" "No" "But you just said so yourself..." "That's the same thing Vollmer did with Lause or you did with Siskins" "He programmed himself as a simulated being, just for fun" "Do I resemble him?" "Physically completely" "Only the character is different" "Fred is megalomaniac" "And you are you" "I love you" "I love you too" "Fred..." "Please come to me" "Fred..." "What's wrong, why are your getting dressed?" "I've got a headache again" "This time it#s much worse" "Where are you going?" "I don't know" " To the institute, probably" " No" "No, Fred, please stay!" "I will help you" "Since this Holm got to the institute... everything's going wrong" "Nobody knows what's being done with the computer" "Alone because of that, i urge you, colleagues to strike with me so that the suspension of Mister Stiller is revoked" "Isn't he a murderer?" "!" "A madman!" "He just did it out of grief!" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Please, stay calm" "A moment, please" "I tell you...." "Stiller has been fooled" "Fooled by Siskins and Holm" "Coworkers!" "Listen to me!" "I'm Fred Stiller!" "That, what Fritz Walfang just told you that's true" "Coworkers!" "Listen to me!" "That's true!" "It's true what he said!" "It's true!" "I exchanged your consciousness when you lay down there, dying" "You know, just like when Holm, instead of Einstein came to you" "Hair" "Eyes" "Mouth" "Neck" "Shoulders" "I am" "I am" "After the novel of the same name by Daniel F. Galouye" "Script:" "Fritz Mueller-Scherz and Rainer Werner Fassbinder" "Subtitles by Kane32 for karagarga.net"