Episode Transcript
Rogue Tyger
“Cat and Mouse,” Part 4
INTRODUCTION
HOST
Welcome to Jabberwocky Audio Theater.
RATING ANNOUNCER
The following audio theater is rated AD-G for general audiences.
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: THEME MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
In the distant reaches of space, a lone ship plunges deep into the unknown. Her crew?
REG MACORUM
Reg Macorum, ship’s captain.
GRAINNE
Grainne Kochowa, pilot.
ENLING
Shen Enling, ship’s doctor.
TORMAR
Tormar, engineer.
AIDAN
Aidan Vosky, mechanic.
ANNOUNCER
Trapped in a nebula, the crew of the Tyger search for a way out as enemy ships begin to close in.
(BEAT)
Jabberwocky Audio Theater presents Rogue Tyger. Tonight’s episode: “Cat and Mouse,” part four.
MUSIC: THEME MUSIC ENDS
TYGER BRIDGE
(STANDARD TYGER BRIDGE AMBIENCE)
SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS
REG MACORUM
What do we have, Aidan?
AIDAN
Three ships bearing one-seven-zero by two-one-five.
SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES
GRAINNE
Have you moved the ship?
AIDAN
Only thrusters, like you said, Captain. Enough to change course.
GRAINNE
And?
AIDAN
And they altered course to match.
GRAINNE
They’re confident.
REG MACORUM
Wouldn’t you be?
GRAINNE
Aidan, let me take the controls.
AIDAN
Sure thing, Grainne.
SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS
NALINI
Captain, what is our status?
SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES
REG MACORUM
Precarious, your highness. One moment.
AIDAN
(SOTTO – TO GRAINNE)
Are you sure we can’t risk a jump inside the nebula?
GRAINNE
(SOTTO)
Remember their gravity generators. Do you want to endanger the princess?
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
REG MACORUM
Tormar, have you finished modifications to the sensor drone as we discussed?
TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Yes, captain, but I thought you wanted to use it as an echo drone in an attempt to escape.
REG MACORUM
Right now, we need to find a way to escape the incoming ships.
TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Understood, I will stand by.
NALINI
An echo drone? I see. You mean to use the drone to broadcast the Tyger’s signals like a sensor ghost.
REG MACORUM
Correct, only we’ll increase the drone’s signal so it becomes an irresistably loud target.
GRAINNE
And we become the ghost.
AIDAN
I still don’t understand how they’ve been able to track us inside the nebula.
GRAINNE
Maybe we’re too close to the edge.
(BEAT)
Two more ships coming in from the opposite vector.
REG MACORUM
Tormar, ready on the drone. Grainne, prepare to change course.
TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Ready
GRAINNE
Ready.
REG MACORUM
All right. Launch the drone, but make sure it’s on our same course, just a tad faster.
TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Launched. The signal is good.
REG MACORUM
Okay, don’t boost the signal until we change course. Grainne?
GRAINNE
Easing us away from this course.
SOUND: ENGINE THRUSTERS
REG MACORUM
All right, Tormar, let’s boost the signal on the drone.
TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
I have increased it thirty percent.
SOUND: ENGINE THRUSTERS
GRAINNE
We’re on course deeper into the nebula, hopefully that will distract them long enough.
SOUND: DISTANT MISSILE FIRE (X2)
AIDAN
Are they firing on the drone?
REG MACORUM
Yes. Someone’s eager.
SOUND: DISTANT EXPLOSION
NALINI
Did they just hit one of their own ships?
GRAINNE
It looks that way.
REG MACORUM
Well there’s some good news.
MUSIC: SILVER STAR THEME FADES IN
SILVER STAR BRIDGE
(STANDARD SILVER STAR BRIDGE)
MUSIC: SILVER STAR THEME FADES OUT
SYLVIA MALABAR
(TO OFFSCREEN CAPTAIN)
I don’t care what you meant to do, captain. I expect you to lend the Arjuna whatever assistance it needs to repair your damage and I want you both back on station in the next twenty minutes. Silver Star out.
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
RIKKEN
Transmission cut.
JOCHI BORTAY
Half of these captains have never sailed with anyone else, captain — let alone together. We should have expected someone to be impetuous.
SYLVIA MALABAR
Agreed, Mister Bortay. But the longer we wait, the more likely this will happen again.
(BEAT)
Rikken, are we still receiving the Xinwei signal under their echo drone’s signal?
RIKKEN
Checking ma’am.
(BEAT)
Are we sure it’s a drone?
JOCHI BORTAY
That’s what Reg would always have me use.
SYLVIA MALABAR
Perhaps Reg Macorum has come to the bottom of his bag of tricks.
SOUND: HAIL SOUND
RIKKEN
The Tyger’s hailing us.
SYLVIA MALABAR
Do you have a fix?
JOCHI BORTAY
It’s coming from what we think is the drone.
SYLVIA MALABAR
Hmph. Put him on.
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
REG MACORUM
(RADIO FILTER)
I wanted to see if you were ready to surrender, Sylvia.
SYLVIA MALABAR
You’re not making this easy, Reg.
REG MACORUM
(RADIO FILTER)
I’m not the one firing missiles at shadows. Can I be blamed if your lads are impetuous?
SYLVIA MALABAR
Yes.
REG MACORUM
(RADIO FILTER)
Yes?
SYLVIA MALABAR
For two reasons: one, because you must know how Darius does not look kindly on his captains who fail. Two, because you could just give us the Cee-tee brat and be done with it.
REG MACORUM
(RADIO FILTER)
Well, for number one, it’s been years since I cared how Darius Konstantinos looked at me. And two, why should I believe you’ll us just fly away if we give her to you?
SYLVIA MALABAR
Because Darius isn’t out here and these captains know they answer to me.
REG MACORUM
(RADIO FILTER)
But I don’t answer to you, Sylvia. And I don’t trust you either.
SYLVIA MALABAR
(BEAT)
You’ll be doing one or the other before long.
SOUND: TRANSMISSION CUT
SYLVIA MALABAR
Rikken, do we have the Xinwei signal?
RIKKEN
Uhh, I think so…
SYLVIA MALABAR
Know so. Bortay, order Captain Cifuentes to pursue.
MUSIC: SHORT TRANSITION BUMPER
TYGER BRIDGE
(STANDARD TYGER BRIDGE AMBIENT)
GRAINNE
She didn’t look happy, Captain.
REG MACORUM
I’m not particularly happy, Grainne.
NALINI
And I am outraged you would let her refer to me that way Captain.
(UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE)
REG MACORUM
These people do not care for your honor, Princess, only your life. I’m not going to spend time defending your honor and the honor of your House to someone who will not value it. My first duty is protect the heir of Clarke-Timurin.
NALINI
I… see. Thank you for explaining Captain.
REG MACORUM
Not at all. Princess, you must be tired. Aidan?
AIDAN
Yes?
REG MACORUM
Why not show the princess to the galley? You can take refreshment while we deal with matters up here.
NALINI
Very well. Alert me at once if there are developments.
REG MACORUM
Of course.
SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS
SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES
GRAINNE
If I didn’t hear it with my own ears, I wouldn’t believe it.
REG MACORUM
What?
GRAINNE
You were positively dashing, Captain.
REG MACORUM
Oh please. I’m not smitten.
GRAINNE
Then you’re not looking, she’s a good candidate to be smitten by. Or for smiting.
REG MACORUM
Yes, well, that’s what I’m trying to avoid: her getting smited now means the death of us all.
GRAINNE
By why so dashing?
REG MACORUM
We’re surrounded by my former comrades who have already shown they’re happy to kill me.
(BEAT)
I need new allies, Grainne. I can’t say I have any love for the Cee-tees or any great House, but they may be the key to chasing these boogeymen away in the long run.
GRAINNE
Provided I get these current comrade boogeymen off our backs.
REG MACORUM
Hey, you do that, and I placate the princess. Fair?
GRAINNE
I’d rather deal with the princess.
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES IN
TYGER GALLEY
(SAME AMBIENT AS BEFORE)
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES OUT
NALINI
Do you think Captain Macorum will find a way out of this, Aidan?
AIDAN
If anyone can, he can. Though I think he was annoyed he didn’t manage to get that other captain, Sylvia Malabar, to reveal much.
NALINI
I wondered why he hailed them.
(PAUSE)
AIDAN
Uh, Nalini, I didn’t have a chance to mention it, but, while I was on watch, I repaired your amulet.
SOUND: JEWELRY SET ON TABLE
NALINI
Oh, thank you Aidan.
SOUND: CHAIN, PICK UP FROM TABLE
AIDAN
I’m pretty sure you can’t see the micro-welds.
NALINI
Oh no, it looks — well, I won’t say it looks as good as new because it’s ancient, but it looks wonderful. Thank you.
AIDAN
I hope Tinker doesn’t mind. I, uh, didn’t show him yet.
(BEAT)
Where is Tinker anyway?
NALINI
He’s working with Tormar to improve the guidance systems on your remaining missiles.
SOUND: ALERT SOUND
GRAINNE
(INTERCOM)
Everyone, hang on. It looks like we’re being chased again.
SOUND: ENGINE THRUSTERS
NALINI
(SIGHS)
There’s no rest, is there?
TYGER BRIDGE
(STANDARD TYGER BRIDGE AMBIENT)
REG MACORUM
What do you see?
GRAINNE
If I’m not mistaken, it’s the Kestrel and one other ship moving towards us.
REG MACORUM
How far?
GRAINNE
Still a good distance, but they’re ignoring the echo drone.
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
REG MACORUM
I’m going to cut the signal and pilot it back here. Maybe we can still use it for something.
GRAINNE
They’re not trying to surround us quickly this time with only two ships. They mean to herd us. My guess is all their other ships are going to move in slowly until we run out of nebula.
REG MACORUM
How much nebula do we have to play with?
GRAINNE
Enough to keep them at bay for a few hours, but they have numbers on their side. Unless we can find out how they’re able to track the Tyger, they’ll eventually catch us.
MUSIC: CLIFFHANGER MUSIC CUE
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
You’ve been listening to Rogue Tyger, episode twenty-four: “Cat and Mouse,” part four of five.
(BEAT)
Rogue Tyger is a production of Jabberwocky Audio Theater in association with Arlington Independent Media and was transcribed in Deepest Springfield.
(BEAT)
Tonight’s episode featured the vocal talents of Brooks Tegler, Nick DePinto, Erin Goldstein, Sophia Medley, Phil Amico, Carol McCaffrey, Yasmin Tuazon, and Bjorn Munson.
(BEAT)
Music was composed by John Maestri and arranged by Jason Chmiola, with final sound mixing by William R. Coughlan.
(BEAT)
And the episode was written and directed by Bjorn Munson.
(BEAT)
Visit our website, jabber audio dot com, for full show notes about all our amazing cast and crew and other illuminating details.
(BEAT)
This is William R. Coughlan, reminding you to join us next time for more Rogue Tyger.
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC ENDS
CONCLUSION
HOST
Hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Text © Bjorn Munson, under license to Jabberwocky Audio Theater. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.