Episode Transcript
Rogue Tyger
“Lost and Found,” Part 3
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
On a mission to rescue royal diplomats, the crew journeys to a distant moon. Will they arrive in time?
(BEAT)
Jabberwocky Audio Theater presents Rogue Tyger. Tonight’s episode: “Lost and Found,” part three.
MUSIC: THEME MUSIC ENDS
TYGER BRIDGE
(STANDARD BRIDGE AMBIENT)
GRAINNE
I’m glad you weren’t forced to destroy the robot, Captain, but I still wonder if we really understand the mission even now.
REG MACORUM
In what way, Grainne? Is there something wrong with the coordinates?
GRAINNE
No, I have the moon he specified in some older charts. The B’toon system is as good a hiding place as any if you’re going to be this far out from the core.
REG MACORUM
Ha! You’re trying to retrace what their ship’s path must have been.
GRAINNE
Haven’t you?
REG MACORUM
Six-five-one won’t volunteer any course data, so I’ve been trying to learn more about the V.I.P. diplomats we’re supposed to rescue. I figured if I could find out who they were, you might tell me where they might have gone.
GRAINNE
Well, if they’re out this far, they could be looking to get some of the frontier worlds to ally themselves, but it’s more likely they’re seeking a union with House Ntembu.
REG MACORUM
Because House Ntembu already holds the frontier worlds in its sway. Still, why would the Zenocrate Cartel care what the great Houses are up to?
SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS
AIDAN
Captain, I’ve checked all our hand weapons, and they’re cleaned and charged.
SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES
REG MACORUM
Thank you, Mister Vosky. I suppose we should make you assistant armorer of the Tyger as well?
AIDAN
If that means I’m not blaster bait, I’m all for it.
REG MACORUM
Fair enough.
AIDAN
Hey, Grainne, are we still in the nebula? I would have thought we’d have jumped out by now.
REG MACORUM
Impatient today, Aidan?
GRAINNE
The captain feels that since the Zenocrate Cartel — specifically our friends in the Silver Star — may have tried to follow us, it would be best to add a few jumps within the nebula before exiting.
AIDAN
Oh… yeah.
GRAINNE
Personally, I also haven’t felt quite right since leaving the Russahn system. There’s no sign of the Star, but I still have a feeling.
REG MACORUM
I’ve come to rely on Grainne’s feelings.
AIDAN
I don’t doubt it.
(BEAT)
I didn’t mean to be a backseat pilot, Grainne.
GRAINNE
(AMUSED)
We’ll just have to schedule a time for you to practice piloting again, Aidan.
SOUND: FTL DRIVE SPINS UP
GRAINNE
Ready to jump out of the nebula on course for B’toon.
SOUND: FTL DRIVE ENGAGES
AIDAN
I’m amazed the Sihaya’s shuttle made it this far.
REG MACORUM
They spent enough monits to make the shuttle jump-capable. What’s a few thousand monits more for range?
AIDAN
So, any feelings about the mission? Who do you think we’re rescuing?
REG MACORUM
We were just talking about that.
AIDAN
And?
GRAINNE
And you know about as much as we do.
AIDAN
Oh, come on. You have to know more. Like I was telling Tormar: I got provincial history at home. House Kalmar, Malde, no real interstellar relations stuff.
REG MACORUM
You want that, you should talk to Enling.
(BEAT)
Speaking of our dear doctor, where is she?
AIDAN
She’s still looking over sick bay.
REG MACORUM
What for?
AIDAN
She said she wasn’t convinced that bollix thing you used on Six-five-one didn’t damage some of the diagnostics in the medbed.
REG MACORUM
You should ask her about the Cee-Tees to distract her.
AIDAN
But you’ve had to deal with House Clarke-Timurin before, right?
REG MACORUM
I tried not to in my former life.
AIDAN
Zenocrate went into Cee-Tee territory?
REG MACORUM
Zenocrate territory was Cee-Tee territory.
GRAINNE
It still is. I’m surprised Six-five-one doesn’t have a file on you.
REG MACORUM
He might at that.
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES IN
TYGER CARGO HOLD
(CARGO HOLD AMBIENT)
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES OUT
T-651
Engineer Tormar, I note that this skimmer has seen combat.
TORMAR
You are correct Six-five-one. However, it can still fly.
T-651
But there is no environmental protection.
TORMAR
Is the moon’s environment hostile?
T-651
No. I was assessing the possibility of launching the skimmer from orbit.
TORMAR
That will not be possible without modification. It is an open-topped model as you can see.
T-651
You may have the parts necessary to fabricate the modifications, but it will take time.
TORMAR
We should arrive in the B’Toon system shortly.
T-651
I regret we cannot make the modifications in time.
TORMAR
I regret having to restrain you earlier.
T-651
You were following the orders of your captain.
TORMAR
Still, we are greatly in your debt. I would not have acted so if I did not owe the captain more.
T-651
I expected as much. The Coutharians are an honorable race.
TORMAR
And the captain is an honorable man. You must understand this. I would not sail with him otherwise.
T-651
I understand. The debt is greater than your life alone. It includes your family.
TORMAR
You understand.
ENLING
Well that makes two people who understand, you want to tell me why I’m down here?
TORMAR
Ah, doctor, Six-five-one requested you.
T-651
Indeed, Doctor Shen. I am informed you are the main pilot of this skimmer.
ENLING
I doubt Tormar would make that admission.
TORMAR
I have let the facts speak for themselves, doctor.
T-651
We may need this vehicle to effect the rescue. I had hoped you would inform me of any… variables in its performance.
ENLING
The steering column’s a little loose and it can shift to the right if you don’t watch it. But are you sure you want me to touch it? Tormar probably told you of how I dinged it up last time.
TORMAR
I have let the facts speak for themselves.
ENLING
Fine. Well, I hope you wanted me to come along mainly in a medical capacity, Six-five-one. Even our engineer here will back me on that one.
T-651
Indeed. There is a high probability we will need your medical services.
ENLING
Do our vaunted diplomats have any ailments or allergies I should be aware of?
T-651
One is allergic to spectrazeen.
ENLING
Hmph. Well, I have other antibiotics if we need them.
SOUND: ALERT SOUND
REG MACORUM
(INTERCOM)
Enling, we’re about to to come up on our destination. I need you and our robot guide up here to figure out landfall.
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
ENLING
I understand why you need Six-five-one, but why do you need me?
GRAINNE
(INTERCOM)
We’ve picked up some unusual life readings.
REG MACORUM
(INTERCOM)
And you’re the closest we’ve got to a xenobiologist.
ENLING
I’m flattered and intrigued. We’ll be right there.
TORMAR
Captain, Doctor Shen was to aid me in preparing the skimmer.
REG MACORUM
(INTERCOM)
I’ll send Aidan down. Will that work?
TORMAR
Mechanic Vosky should be sufficient.
SOUND: SWITCH CLICK
ENLING
He says “sufficient” Six-five-one, but he’s really quite relieved.
T-651
As long as we are prepared for the rescue.
ENLING
Prepared? If you wanted us to be prepared, you’d have told us about this moon and its mysterious lifeforms.
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES IN
TYGER BRIDGE
(STANDARD BRIDGE AMBIENT)
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES OUT
T-651
Captain, as I explained to the Doctor on the way up here, the survey of this moon did not show any fauna.
ENLING
But what he’s not explaining is that the survey is decades old.
T-651
Organisms this size could not have evolved this quickly. There is also no reason animals would be transplanted to this moon. These probabilities were determined within five sigma.
ENLING
Yet the mysterious beasties are here.
T-651
This should be of secondary importance. Have you made contact with the Sihaya’s shuttle?
REG MACORUM
No.
GRAINNE
We have tried, with both the frequency you provided and the usual emergency bands.
T-651
I trust you to be thorough, Grainne Kochowa. This is unexpected.
ENLING
That’s two unexpected things in short order.
REG MACORUM
Well, while we’re on the topic of unexpected, we’re not scanning any humans or other known sentients down there.
T-651
That is to be expected. The diplomatic party are shielded, as I am.
ENLING
The people have personal shields!? What kind of budget does your diplomatic corps have?
T-651
The secrecy of this mission is paramount.
REG MACORUM
Evidently.
(BEAT)
Enling, you’ve seen what we’ve scanned on last few orbits. What can you tell us?
ENLING
Not enough to make conclusions, Captain. They’re about half the size of an average human and… see here? It looks like they always move in these small groups. But that’s all I have. They could be like slow-witted drundles from Xinwei Prime or they could be some sort of predator.
REG MACORUM
That’s what I’m concerned about.
T-651
I appreciate your thoroughness, captain, however our primary concern should be rescuing our diplomats. Even without a signal, you should have scanned the shuttle by now.
GRAINNE
We have, just on this last orbit.
REG MACORUM
That’s my concern, Six-Five-One: we have a ship, no signal, no people, and a lot of Enling’s mysterious beasts nearby.
MUSIC: CLIFFHANGER MUSIC CUE
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
You’ve been listening to Rogue Tyger, episode eighteen: “Lost and Found,” part three 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 Erin Goldstein, Brooks Tegler, Nick DePinto, William R. Coughlan, Phil Amico, and Yasmin Tuazon.
(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 incredible 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.