Episode Transcript
Rogue Tyger
“Lost and Found,” Part 1
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
Enling, Tormar, and Aidan have just escaped a wrecked ship before it careens into a minefield. With them is a mysterious robot. But can they be picked up before their enemies aboard the Silver Star get them first?
(BEAT)
Jabberwocky Audio Theater presents Rogue Tyger. Tonight’s episode: “Lost and Found,” part one.
MUSIC: THEME MUSIC ENDS
SPACE
SOUND: AIR JET SPUTTER AND STOP
TORMAR
Do not stop the suit thrusters. We must maximize the distance from the wreck.
ENLING
Easier, said than done, Tormar. My thrusters are overheating.
TORMAR
The thrusters should be able to sustain red line use for up to 5 minutes.
AIDAN
They’ve been in the red for about that long.
ENLING
Six-five-one, you’re pointed back toward the wreck…
T-651
In anticipation of your question, Doctor, we are still too close.
AIDAN
How close is too close?
T-651
If the wreck and the enemy craft hit the minefield as expected, we will be caught in one or more shockwaves from the ensuing explosions.
TORMAR
Exactly. Engage your suit thrusters.
SOUND: AIR JET SPUTTER AND STOP
ENLING
I don’t think I have a choice. Besides, I might need some extra juice in case our brilliant Plan A doesn’t come to pass.
AIDAN
Plan A nothing. We’re on Plan F or G by my count.
T-651
It is important to remain positive.
ENLING
Morale tips from a robot! I don’t suppose you’d like to calculate the odds of the Tyger picking up our beacon in time?
T-651
There are too many variables.
TORMAR
Pilot Kochowa is very capable.
AIDAN
How much time do we have left?
TORMAR
Less than a minute.
T-651
Engineer Tormar, I believe our current velocity should be sufficient to escape the most likely explosions.
TORMAR
I concur.
AIDAN
What happened to “we’re still too close?”
T-651
There is the possibility not all of us will survive the explosion. However, it is too late to increase our velocity to make an appreciable difference.
AIDAN
I thought you said to be remain positive.
T-651
You have a better than fifty percent chance of surviving.
ENLING
In that case, I say we all rotate and take a look at the show.
SOUND: AIR JET
TORMAR
Very well.
SOUND: AIR JET
AIDAN
Hey! How did you turn around so easily?
ENLING
Try doing a tiny burst on your right mid thruster only. No, not the rear one. This one on your side. Use this control here.
SOUND: AIR JET
AIDAN
Ah, thanks. We must have had older suits in training…
(BEAT)
Wow. It looks like the Silver Star has decoupled from the wreck.
T-651
Indeed. The enemy ship may yet survive.
TORMAR
If it has time to change its trajectory.
AIDAN
Let’s hope it doesn’t change its trajectory to come after us.
ENLING
Hey! Did the Star just launch something? Six-five-one, do you see anything?
T-651
I do not believe so. What area of the ship did you see it?
ENLING
Ventral side. Rear quarter.
T-651
I do not detect anything.
AIDAN
Maybe it was an escape pod?
TORMAR
The Silver Star does not have them. I believe you were affected by a trick of the light, doctor.
ENLING
Yeah, well the Star didn’t have a particle cannon the last time you were aboard her either, Tormar. I saw something.
TORMAR
I have had eighteen of my eyes on the Silver Star the whole time and I saw nothing.
AIDAN
Come on, Tormar, they upgraded their weapons. Enling must have seen something. Maybe they have a small fighter?
TORMAR
Do not be ridiculous. Simply because you wish to mate with the doctor —
T-651
Pardon! Everyone shield your eyes, the explosion is imminent.
MUSIC: TRANSITION BUMPER
TYGER BRIDGE
(STANDARD TYGER BRIDGE AMBIENT)
SOUND: FTL DRIVE ENGAGES
GRAINNE
Jump complete, Captain.
REG MACORUM
Good work, Grainne.
SOUND: DISTANT MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS
REG MACORUM
There goes our salvage opportunity.
GRAINNE
I only hope they weren’t caught up in that.
REG MACORUM
Let’s check.
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
SOUND: BEACON SOUND
REG MACORUM
Sounds strong and clear. Can you get a lock?
GRAINNE
I think so. They’re moving awfully fast.
REG MACORUM
Position the ship in front of the signal and open the cargo hold. We can let them slip in.
GRAINNE
You act as if that’s an easy maneuver. The cargo hold opens up far enough below the main engines, but it’s still rear-facing. Too much thruster and they’re toasted. Too little and they’ll be flattened inside the cargo hold.
REG MACORUM
I thought you’d like the challenge.
GRAINNE
Yayanah akan dilakukan.
REG MACORUM
Oh, I don’t think your gods or the fates want to do us in just yet.
GRAINNE
We’ll see.
(BEAT)
Captain, I read the three suit transponders, but the mass is too big for just the three of them.
REG MACORUM
Perhaps they were able to get some salvage after all.
SPACE
(SAME AS BEFORE)
T-651
You were correct, your pilot is very capable.
ENLING
That’s our Grainne.
AIDAN
Okay, the ship’s in front of us, but how-
(BEAT)
Oh, the cargo hold is opening.
TORMAR
Look out!
AIDAN
I see it!
SOUND: THREE AIR JETS (NEAR SIMULTANEOUS)
ENLING
Aidan, Tormar: one of you two forgot to tie everything down in the hold.
T-651
I hope that was not a valuable container.
TORMAR
We will assess that later. First we must turn around to decrease our velocity.
AIDAN
Okay, so I need to flip one-eighty instead of spinning around…
SOUND: AIR JET
ENLING
Good job.
SOUND: AIR JET
AIDAN
Thanks.
SOUND: AIR JET
TORMAR
Good. I suggest a five second burst to decelerate.
SOUND: AIR JETS (FIVE SECOND BURST)
TORMAR
That should be sufficient, but be careful. There is not much padding in the cargo hold.
ENLING
It’s hard to look back without some extra eyes. Speaking of which, have you been keeping tabs on the Silver Star?
TORMAR
I have… and I have not seen any escape pod, fighter, or other craft.
ENLING
Oh, you’d say that even if you had, wouldn’t you?
TORMAR
I only deceive you when we play cards, doctor.
ENLING
You wish.
AIDAN
Hey, I don’t even see the Silver Star.
(BEAT)
Was it destroyed?
T-651
Look below the main field of dust and debris, Aidan Vosky.
AIDAN
Oh.
ENLING
If it’s possible for a ship to look angry…
AIDAN
It’s coming about. What’s the range of their particle cannon?
TORMAR
Attend to the cargo hold, Mechanic Vosky.
ENLING
Easy does it
SOUND: METALLIC CLANG
TYGER CARGO HOLD
(AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE NOISE WILL FILTER BACK IN WITH AIR.)
SOUND: COMM BEEP
TORMAR
Tormar to bridge: we are inside.
SOUND: HYDRAULIC DOOR CLOSING
ENLING
Hang on. The gravity gyros —
AIDAN
I know. The gyros are going to reset.
SOUND: AIR RUSHING BACK IN
SOUND: FEET CLOMP ON FLOOR (FOUR SETS)
ENLING
That’s much better.
AIDAN
Oh gravity, you don’t know how much I missed you.
SOUND: ALERT SOUND
REG MACORUM
(INTERCOM)
Welcome back aboard. Sit tight for a jump, then come on up to the bridge.
TORMAR
Understood. Captain, we did not have time to speak of it previously, but we have also brought a robot aboard.
REG MACORUM
(INTERCOM)
That’s your salvage?
T-651
I am not salvage.
ENLING
More like a guest, captain. He’s from the wreck.
REG MACORUM
(INTERCOM)
All right, bring it up as well. Bridge out.
AIDAN
Is there something with the captain and robots?
ENLING
Yeah, well… you’re going to have to be on your best behavior, Six-five-one.
T-651
That is my default programming, doctor.
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES IN
TYGER BRIDGE
(SAME BRIDGE AMBIENT)
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES OUT
SOUND: FTL DRIVE ENGAGES
GRAINNE
That’s our third jump on a random vector. We’re well outside the system and no sign of pursuit. We can probably afford to let the drive cool down a bit, Captain.
REG MACORUM
All right. But have the next jump point plotted.
(TO THE REST)
Based on what you’ve told me so far. Sylvia has plenty of reason to want to hunt us down.
ENLING
Well, she wouldn’t be Captain Sylvia Malabar if she didn’t want to hunt us down. But we didn’t kill anyone.
AIDAN
What about those crewmen in the cargo hold?
ENLING
Okay, we may have contributed to the untimely ends of people trying to kill us.
AIDAN
And when we decompressed the bridge?
ENLING
I still think all the bridge crew got their helmets on in time.
REG MACORUM
All right!
(BEAT)
Sylvia doesn’t split hairs like that. And we know her ship survived.
AIDAN
I only hope it’s damaged.
TORMAR
Its appearance aids in that hope, but I cannot be positive.
T-651
There is a thirty percent probability that the enemy vessel sustained damage to its jump drive and a seventy percent probability that it sustained damage to its main thrusters.
REG MACORUM
You’re certain of that? I didn’t catch your designation.
AIDAN
Uh, captain —
T-651
I am Taquermeraphon Six-Five-One, Royal Plenipotentiary and Privileged Servant of the Exalted Khalil al-Zamin.
ENLING
He lives for that.
REG MACORUM
“Lives” being a relative term.
(BEAT)
So, Taq — I’m sorry what was it again?
T-651
Taquermeraphan Six Five One.
REG MACORUM
Right. So Six-five-one, what are we going to do with you?
T-651
If you set course 15 degrees spinward, 110 degrees vertical, you will find the reward you sought on the Sihaya and I will have a chance to fulfill my mission.
REG MACORUM
(NOT AMUSED)
Did one of you tell it we were open for charters?
AIDAN
Uh, no. He’s kind of direct.
REG MACORUM
But not forthcoming. Maybe he needs some maintenance — a little memory adjustment. You up on your robotics Vosky?
AIDAN
I wouldn’t do that. He’s, uh, pretty handy in a scrap.
TORMAR
That is an accurate assessment.
T-651
Captain Macorum, I am on official business for my house. While it is not in my interest to divulge royal secrets, it would be counterproductive if I were to put you or your crew in peril.
REG MACORUM
All right, so we follow your course. What’s to keep my ship from being tracked?
GRAINNE
Uh, captain?
REG MACORUM
What?
GRAINNE
The course heading he gave takes us through a nebula.
AIDAN
A nebula!?
GRAINNE
The Vischulon Nebula. It’s a big one. Sensors bounce off. Scanners don’t work. A whole fleet of ships could get lost in it… or just one.
REG MACORUM
You knew this.
T-651
There was a high probability Grainne Kochowa would check and see the nebula in the flight plan and inform you, Captain.
ENLING
Ooh, he’s good.
REG MACORUM
It can impress me later. You lot can go get cleaned up.
(BEAT)
Tormar, see that our guide here gets any fluids he may require.
TORMAR
Of course, captain.
SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS
SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES
REG MACORUM
All right Grainne, I saw your looks. Give me the details.
GRAINNE
Well, first, his course into the nebula isn’t a bad plan at all. We can shake Sylvia if she’s following us. After we go in, she’d need a squadron to keep track of us. Like wiping the slate clean.
REG MACORUM
And as for why the thing wants us to go in that direction?
GRAINNE
It does take us further out of the way than the course I plotted. It’s obviously planning something… but the surprising thing is that the robot must have been planning it for a long time.
REG MACORUM
What do you mean?
GRAINNE
It’s ironic: if his model weren’t so advanced, I wouldn’t have heard the nuance in his voice. He called both of us by name, and neither of us volunteered them.
REG MACORUM
I wondered about that, but the rest of the crew must have mentioned it.
GRAINNE
And our attempt to salvage the wreck of the Sihaya too?
REG MACORUM
Again, possible.
GRAINNE
Don’t ask me why, but I have a deep feeling that our robot’s clever plans date back to before we left Flatrock.
REG MACORUM
When we got the tip about the wreck.
(BEAT)
So what clever plan does our robot have?
GRAINNE
And how do we fit in?
MUSIC: CLIFFHANGER MUSIC CUE
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
You’ve been listening to Rogue Tyger, episode sixteen: “Lost and Found,” part one 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 Phil Amico, Yasmin Tuazon, Nick DePinto, William R. Coughlan, Erin Goldstein, and Brooks Tegler.
(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 wonderful cast and crew and other interesting 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.