Episode Transcript
Rogue Tyger
“Lost and Found,” Part 2
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
Trying to evade the vengeful Sylvia Malabar and her ship, the Silver Star, the crew of the Tyger follow a course given to them by a mysterious robot.
(BEAT)
Jabberwocky Audio Theater presents Rogue Tyger. Tonight’s episode: “Lost and Found,” part two.
MUSIC: THEME MUSIC ENDS
TYGER AIRLOCK CABINET
(STANDARD TYGER AMBIENT)
AIDAN
Hey Enling, is your suit okay?
ENLING
There isn’t any damage, amazingly enough. But it could probably use a shower as much as I did.
(BEAT)
Hey, what did you do, Aidan? Take your spacesuit in the shower with you?
AIDAN
No, I uh, I used some number 3 solvent from the machine shop. It’s a little trick I learned. From an instructor. Y’know, to keep suits clean.
ENLING
I’ll say, well, give it here and let’s put it away until the next “salvage mission.”
SOUND: CLOTHES RUSTLE
ENLING
(REGARDS SUIT)
You know, Tormar’s suit is always this clean, I’ll bet he knows that trick and he’s never told me.
AIDAN
Well, I can certainly show you.
(BEAT)
Uh, Enling, speaking of Tormar — what he said during our escape. You know, about…
ENLING
You wanting to mate with me?
AIDAN
(AWKWARD)
Yeah, that.
ENLING
(PAUSE)
Uh-huh. Well, Tormar is a typical Coutharian and they don’t engage in that sort of thing for recreation. It always has to be for mating or, apparently, some rituals.
AIDAN
I, I didn’t know that. But what I meant to say was… I mean —
ENLING
You’re a normal young adult male with normal hormone levels.
(BEAT)
I can always run some tests on you if you’re worried otherwise. And I still have to do those DNA tests we talked about.
AIDAN
No! I mean, I do want you to do the DNA testing, but… I wanted you to know that Tormar, well, he wasn’t right about the mating and I don’t know about the rituals, but he was right that I, I —
ENLING
I’m flattered if you feel more than just gratitude for me saving your life back on Flatrock, but for right now, how about we just agree you’ll try and save my life sometime when I need it? Oh, and that spacesuit cleaning trick.
SOUND: BULKHEAD DOOR OPENING
REG MACORUM
There you are, doctor. Tormar said you weren’t in sick bay.
ENLING
Is he injured?
REG MACORUM
No, just baby-sitting the robot.
SOUND: METALLIC CLANG
AIDAN
Is that a scanner or… what kind of tech is that?
REG MACORUM
Ha! I wouldn’t suppose you’d know, would you?
ENLING
Ease off, Captain. I’ve been on this boat for more than a year and I’ve never seen… whatever that is.
REG MACORUM
What are they teaching kids in schools these days?
ENLING
Hey, watch it. What I’ve learned in school has saved your hide on more than one occasion.
AIDAN
Is is some form of archaic transmitter?
REG MACORUM
Oh, it sends a signal all right. It’s called a bollix. Come on, doctor, we need to use the medbed and I didn’t want you to think we wouldn’t ask you.
ENLING
Doesn’t sound like you’re asking me now.
SOUND: BULKHEAD DOOR CLOSING
REG MACORUM
We’re a couple jumps away from the Vischuon Nebula, but no closer to knowing why our robotic guest directed us that way.
AIDAN
I thought Grainne said we could hide the Tyger and shake anyone who’s following us.
REG MACORUM
True, but who’s to say we won’t be meeting someone as well?
ENLING
Captain, I know the robot’s been secretive, but he’s been, well, honorable with us the whole time. He’s a royal plenipotentiary.
REG MACORUM
Enling, think about some of the stories you’ve told me growing up in Shantung society.
ENLING
That’s not fair.
REG MACORUM
That was your point as I remember.
ENLING
This is different.
REG MACORUM
Because, just now, it needs our help? Have you ever met a Royal House that isn’t ultimately self-serving?
ENLING
No.
(BEAT)
But I haven’t met many royal houses and neither have you.
AIDAN
I haven’t met any. But this robot seems really independent, what makes you think he’s being used?
REG MACORUM
Because all robots get their orders from someone these days, otherwise they wind up as so much scrap.
ENLING
I think he’s better off helping us with an agenda than being a pile of scrap without an agenda.
REG MACORUM
We just need some answers, doctor. Vosky, the door.
AIDAN
Okay.
SOUND: BULKHEAD DOOR OPENING
TYGER SICK BAY
(SICK BAY AMBIENT)
TORMAR
Ah, doctor, I was just explaining our medical capacity to Six-Five-One, but you would be a more suitable guide.
SOUND: BULKHEAD DOOR CLOSING
REG MACORUM
Expecting someone to get sick?
T-651
With organics, there is always that possibility.
REG MACORUM
But you wouldn’t be checking if there wasn’t a probability of someone getting sick or wounded.
T-651
I must cover all contingencies.
REG MACORUM
Then you’ll understand this.
SOUND: ELECTRICAL FIELD ACTIVATING
(ELECTRICAL FIELD HEARD IN BACKGROUND)
REG MACORUM
You know what this is, don’t you Six-five-one?
T-651
(SHOCK AND FEAR)
That. Is. Not. Warranted.
AIDAN
Wait, that device: It’s paralyzing him.
ENLING
How much damage is that thing doing to him?
REG MACORUM
Nothing, yet. Tormar, ease it onto the medbed. We don’t want it to fall.
TORMAR
Yes captain.
T-651
This. Is. Not. Necessary.
AIDAN
Can it feel pain?
ENLING
Yes.
(BEAT)
Damn it, Captain. I’m not going to have you kill anyone in my sick bay, I don’t care if they’re mechanical or not.
REG MACORUM
No one has to die, Enling.
ENLING
He helped save our lives.
REG MACORUM
I’m not discounting that, but I don’t trust genies out of their bottles.
TORMAR
The restraints are secure.
REG MACORUM
Thank you.
SOUND: ELECTRICAL FIELD POWERING DOWN
AIDAN
You’re turning it off?
REG MACORUM
Not entirely.
ENLING
(MUTTERS)
So that’s why you wanted the medbed.
REG MACORUM
You’ll forgive the old toy, my crew explained how dangerous you are in hand-to-hand combat.
T-651
I do not pose a threat to your ship or your crew.
REG MACORUM
At present.
T-651
Yes.
REG MACORUM
But you have been instructed to take over this vessel if it proves necessary for your mission, haven’t you?
T-651
It has not proven necessary.
REG MACORUM
Remember Vosky, robots have to tell you the truth, but they never have to tell you the whole truth.
AIDAN
But why should it help us, you know, under duress like this?
REG MACORUM
Quick lesson in robot sensibilities…
(BEAT)
Six-five-one, am I exceeding my authority as captain of this vessel in detaining you?
T-651
No.
REG MACORUM
And it is acceptable if I find I must destroy you to protect my ship and my crew?
T-651
Your actions are acceptable and within Imperial code. However, as I stated, I do not find this detainment warranted. My house will require considerable compensation should I be destroyed.
REG MACORUM
Would you destroy this ship to prevent that?
T-651
That has not proven necessary and would be counterproductive to my mission.
ENLING
Why don’t you tell us about your mission, Six-Five-One? You’ve helped us. We can help you.
T-651
I do not mean to offend, doctor, but as you are not allies of my House, I am not authorized to talk about my mission to you.
ENLING
But aren’t we allies if we help you in your mission?
REG MACORUM
A robotic distinction, Enling. As long as we’re not formal allies of House Clark-Timurin, he can put us and the ship in jeopardy to fulfill his mission.
AIDAN
Is that true?
TORMAR
Is is the nature of robots, Mechanic Vosky.
T-651
I do not wish to harm you.
REG MACORUM
And we do not wish to harm you. In fact, we wish to help you in your mission.
(BEAT)
For a price.
T-651
I do not possess monits, but I can assure that you will be compensated for your assistance.
REG MACORUM
Oh, we can talk about that later. Now, I want a different assurance. You said you are a royal plenipotentiary.
T-651
I am.
REG MACORUM
So you are authorized to enter into binding agreements with foreign parties.
T-651
My mandate is limited.
REG MACORUM
But you can enter into binding agreements.
T-651
So long as they are in the furtherance of my mission and the agreement does not violate the laws of my House nor my charter.
REG MACORUM
Fine. Then part of the price of our aid is to enter one of these agreements. We would be allies of the House of Clark-Timurin.
T-651
Are you requesting an official agreement?
REG MACORUM
I am: an official contract of allegiance under the Imperial Code and your House’s particular laws on the subject.
T-651
You have read them?
REG MACORUM
Yes, in fact, since that would take time we don’t have, I suggest we waive the full reading of all the standard clauses.
T-651
Is you are asserting your knowledge of them, that is acceptable.
REG MACORUM
I do, though I do wish to add some points for our… circumstances.
T-651
Very well.
REG MACORUM
As allies, you will do no harm to this ship or this crew or by inaction allow this ship or this crew to come to harm.
T-651
Such as within my power.
REG MACORUM
We will expect details of your mission for us both to avoid harm to our ship and crew and to safely deliver you to a destination port of your choosing.
T-651
That is acceptable.
TORMAR
Do you have terms?
T-651
I expect you and your crew to act as any ship under a royal commission. You pledge its speed and your strength to our cause without exception.
AIDAN
(WHISPER)
Is this a negotiation or a ritual?
ENLING
(WHISPER)
Both. I forgot robots could be so florid.
REG MACORUM
Our pledge matches your guarantee.
T-651
Then we are bound with one remaining stipulation.
REG MACORUM
Name it.
T-651
I do not wish to see that device, the bollix, again.
REG MACORUM
Agreed.
(BEAT)
Help our new ally off the medbed, would you Tormar?
TORMAR
Of course.
SOUND: RESTRAINING HARNESS RELEASING
T-651
Thank you, Engineer Tormar.
(BEAT)
Your resourcefulness will prove useful to our House, captain.
SOUND: GEARS WHIR
T-651
With this hand, I seal this agreement on behalf of the House of Clarke-Timurin
REG MACORUM
And with this hand, I seal this agreement as Captain of the Tyger.
(BEAT)
I assume you got a DNA sample just now for your records?
T-651
That is correct.
(PAUSE)
ENLING
Okay, now can we find out about this mission?
REG MACORUM
That’s a good point Six-Five-One. We’ll be at the nebula soon. What should we be expecting?
T-651
Nothing. The nebula serves to confound any ships tracking us as Grainne Kochowa noted, but it is not our final destination.
AIDAN
Do we get to find out what the final destination is?
T-651
Insofar as I know it. It is the fourth moon of the seventh planet of the star B’toon.
ENLING
(WHOA)
That’s off the beaten path.
TORMAR
It is outside of Imperial territory.
REG MACORUM
So what’s the mission?
T-651
Our ship, the Sihaya, was carrying diplomats for the royal house. For safety, they were dispatched to that remote location. We must rescue them.
AIDAN
A rescue mission, huh? That doesn’t sound too hard.
T-651
I hope not Aidan Vosky. If we do not rescue these diplomats, it may prove the end of my House.
MUSIC: CLIFFHANGER MUSIC CUE
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
You’ve been listening to Rogue Tyger, episode seventeen: “Lost and Found,” part two 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 Nick DePinto, Yasmin Tuazon, Brooks Tegler, Phil Amico, and William R. Coughlan.
(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 great cast and crew and other intriguing details about the worlds of the Imperium.
(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.