Episode 6: Shattered Visage

The survivors learn the truth about their new surroundings. Snacks are eaten, songs are sung, ruins are explored, and one passenger's mask finally slips off.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Gun, chemical weapon (gas), police, violence, peril, sounds of coughing, emotional distress, manipulation, entrapment, existential fear, food.

This episode, “Shattered Visage”, was written by Emma Johanna Puranen and directed by Rook Mogavero and Emma Johanna Puranen. The script was edited by Rook Mogavero and Shaoni C. White. Sound editing was by Emma Johanna Puranen. Our cover art is by Tatyana Archtander. Music was composed by Emily Branam using copyright cleared content (or free content) within Emily's licensed and registered version of FL Studio 20. Sound effects are from freesound.org under CC 0, CC BY 3.0, and CC BY 4.0 licenses. For a list of freesound.org sound effects used in this episode, see here. A transcript of this episode can be found here.

In order of appearance, this episode featured the voices of

Alexandra Rose DeAngelis as Woh Ollum
Omar Camps-Kamrin as Lowkey Madigan
Nhea Durousseau as Alyss Obelus
Alasdair Stuart as Malachi Tessera
Rook Mogavero as Chasma Jump Cannon
Sam LaPorte as Jawn Batalha
Sam Yeow as No Go
Bonnie Calderwood Aspinwall as Pascal Almagest
Liz Morey as Kuzha Tvask
Axandre Oge as Valencio “Trip” Triptych
Emma Johanna Puranen as Ship
Stephen Indrisano as Tarsul

Our vibe checker was Bruce the cat.

Today's episode title is from the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Buy us a coffee at http://ko-fi.com/roguemaker 

Transcript

ROGUEMAKER Episode 6: Shattered Visage

Pre-episode creator message:

Hey there! This is Emma, the creator of ROGUEMAKER and the voice of Ship. On behalf of all of us on the cast and crew, all of the ROGUEMAKER-makers, if you will, I’d like to thank you so, so much for listening to our little show. We’ve been getting such a wonderful reception, and that’s all thanks to you, the listeners. It truly means the world to us, and we love seeing all your theories and fanart and thoughts on things like what the ǵnonw look like, exactly. I’d also like to give a special shoutout to our Australian listeners – your numbers have shot up recently! You’re now 8% of our downloads. I dunno what’s happening down under, but welcome aboard!

Now, I’m just about to lead you into Episode 6, Shattered Visage, our mid-season finale. First I want to let you know that after this episode we’ll be taking a short break from our current every-other-week release schedule. This will allow us to polish up the music and sound design on the back half of our show to make it the best, most exhilarating, most heart-wrenching piece of audio fiction it can be. Fear not – we won’t be gone long, and in the interim we’ll be dropping  a bonus episode about how some of our characters met. Now without further ado, sit back, relax, and enjoy our mid-season finale… I can’t guarantee all the characters will. Here we go.

[ROGUEMAKER Theme Song by Emily Branam plays.]

EMILY
(sung)
Ground control, send me down
I'm lost up here and I can't be found.

Ground control, are you there?
The voice in my head, it fills the dead air, says

"You've got time,
You've got time."

"You've got time,
You've got time."

EMMA
ROGUEMAKER: A Science Fiction Podcast. Episode 6: Shattered Visage.

WOH́́
WHAT?
LOWKEY
Woh́́…

WOH́́
This is the homeworld of the TRACERS?!?!

ALYSS
Yes.

MALACHI
The Tracers?

CHASMA
As in the, like, all-powerful ancient-deities we-puny-mortals- know-not-who-they-were Tracers?

WOH́́
They were not deities, Chasma, they're people just like the rest of us. Only they left to another dimension of reality after they finished constructing their giant portal.
 
CHASMA
Oh my stars, are you like, one of those Trace-tester conspiracy theorists, because-

WOH́́
It's not a conspiracy, it's critical thinking! Sufficiently advanced technology looks like magic, yes, but that doesn't mean it is.

ALYSS
Ugh… they're not deities or from other dimensions — they're just the Tracers. The civilisation that explored space before us and then probably died out. Stop yelling and take a look for yourself.

WOH́́
The Tracers are outside right now? But all the signs indicated the interdimensional travel was supposed to be one-way…


ALYSS
No. Of course they're not outside. The Tracers are all dead.

JAWN
But what they built is still here. Look out the window.

LOWKEY
But it's so dark — unless, Woh́́, can you see-

WOH́́
We see in a different wavelength, Lowkey, we're not magic.

JAWN
Hang tight, I'll turn on the outside lights.

[A click and a ka-THUNK as Jawn turns on the floodlights. Woh́́ gasps. Soft music begins to play.]

LOWKEY
Woah…

WOH́́
Oh.

CHASMA
Holyshitholyshitholyshitholyshit-

MALACHI
Oh my stars and garters… I- I don't even know what I'm looking at.

CHASMA
Okay, I take it back, compared to this? Alyss's suitcase looks, like, totally normal.

WOH́́
It's, like, a whole city… covered in ice.

JAWN
Over on the right, you'll see a whole lot of buildings and domes, there's that giant spike fellow over on the left, there's that thing that might be a frozen fountain but might also be the door to hell. I don't know what phase of matter that even is, there's some… ramps? I honestly have no idea what most of it is. Like, if you asked me to find a front door in that mess I'd be like, hell if I know, y'know?

[The music fades out.]

MALACHI
Well, it's definitely civilisation. Or, was, rather.

NO
Absolutely. You're not getting those kinds of lines naturally. That was built by intelligent people.

MALACHI
Jawn, Alyss — how do you know it was the Tracers specifically?

JAWN
I've flown around.

ALYSS
A lot of the designs match known Tracer ruins. Some of the machines look like what we've seen at some of their abandoned outposts.

JAWN
And also, like, who else could it be?

ALYSS
Only one intelligent civilisation we know of that we hadn't found a homeworld for.

WOH́́
And you were just going to keep us in the dark?

LOWKEY
Literally!

ALYSS
It would have worked.

PASCAL
I don't understand. How do the Tracers come from a rogue planet?

JAWN
Uh, it's a rogue moon, actually.
 
PASCAL
Moon?

JAWN
Yeah, this rogue… the Tracer homeworld… is orbiting a gas giant, so technically it's a moon. Uh, if I turn out the floodlights… and you look up out the window…

[The floodlights turn off.]

JAWN (con't)
You gotta kinda… crouch down and crane your necks — there. D'you see that?

LOWKEY
Uh, I see absolutely nothing, my man…

JAWN
Just let your eyes adjust. The ǵnonw might see it first because-

WOH́́
Oh WOW!

[Boopy synth music starts to play.]

CHASMA
What, what- what is it, what do you see?

WOH́́
It's… taking up half the sky…

NO
It's just as our skipper friend says, kid. We're orbiting a massive gas giant. We can see the cloud bands, the swirls of the storms. Here, you all might be able to see the aurorae. At the pole.

MALACHI
Oh, those faint shimmers? Yes. Our eyes are getting used to the dark now.

LOWKEY
Oh, man, Woh́́, Woh́́, it's just like when we toured in Alaska, do you remember?

PASCAL
Stars… it's amazing these two worlds stuck together through whatever interaction cast them out into interstellar space. But, I still don't get it. How could an intelligent civilisation evolve without the energy from a sun?

ALYSS
We don't… know.

JAWN
And we don't care!

PASCAL
This is an unprecedented scientific discovery, how do you not care?

ALYSS
Hey, we do care… it just wasn't relevant for our mission.
    (beat)
Kuzha… you've been awfully quiet.

KUZHA
    (nervous laughter)
This is just… a lot to take in, Alyss.

ALYSS
And you're just a kid on your Wander, after all. Kuzha, we're going to need that suitcase back.

KUZHA
I think I will hang onto it for now.

ALYSS
I know you don't trust us, Kuzha. You're holding the case with the device we need. You've got that leverage. But, hear us out.
Everyone, Jawn and I are your ticket off this rogue. Your only ticket off. Those pods aren't lightflight-enabled. We don't want to hurt you. If you let us finish our - FUCK.

[A shot fires. Everyone but Kuzha is yelling and making various exclamations of shock and distress. The music intensifies]

CHASMA
WHY DO YOU HAVE A SURFACED GUN?

JAWN
DON'T FIRE ON MY SHIP, ASSHOLE!

KUZHA
(laughs)
Don't worry. That one was a blank. But I assure you, the next one will not be.
Alyss, my dear. Did you bring nothing but a knife to a gun fight? I thought you would be more prepared. Have you gotten soft in your middle age? Put the knife down. Be smart.

[The knife clatters to the floor.]

KUZHA
There we go. Now, hands in the air.
[A pause.]
KUZHA
There. Was that so hard?

ALYSS
What's in that case belongs here. You're making a mistake, Kuzha.

KUZHA
Definitely not. You will need to find a new get-rich-quick scheme, because this rogue is not going to be it for you.

ALYSS
I'm NOT trying to get rich-

KUZHA
Alyss Obelus — or whatever your name really is — you are under arrest by the authority vested in me as an officer of the Joint-Government. I am formally taking charge of this situation. All of you, whether you are citizens of Earth or Tand, are in Joint-Government jurisdiction and must comply with my orders.

JAWN
Fuck, you're a cop?

TRIP
Are you even on your Wander?

[Music calms into a slow piano melody.]



KUZHA
I finished that a while back, Trip.
I am an intelligence officer. You are welcome to view my badge and my concealed-carry authorisation. Apologies for not saying so earlier, but you must understand that I was undercover on Plutonic 999 gathering information on a person of interest — Ms. Obelus — who was already under suspicion for a number of charges.

ALYSS
What charges?

KUZHA
We will wait until we are in a court of law to discuss this matter further.

JAWN
You can't arrest her without naming a reason!

KUZHA
This arrest is for smuggling unregulated and potentially dangerous goods, and interfering with a commercial lightflight. But you and I both know that there is so much more than that, Alyss.

JAWN
What? Alyss wouldn't hurt a fly!





KUZHA
Hah! Wouldn't hurt a fly? Oh Jawn, I don't think you know her as much as you think you do… you might try asking Dr. Go, for one, about what Alyss is capable of. Stand up, Ms. 'Obelus'. You are going in a pod in the airlock, just like the Captain.

ALYSS
(grunts)
Kuzha?

KUZHA
What?

ALYSS
You should've checked my pockets first.

[The music picks up again, as there is a brief struggle. Kuzha cries out, and we hear a hiss of gas releasing. Kuzha begins coughing,followed by everyone else.]

KUZHA
GAS! Gas, get down!

WOH́́
I can't see-

MALACHI
Try not to talk, ventilation should get in it in a few seconds-

[Underneath all the coughing, we hear a longer altercation between Kuzha and Alyss, during which the vents come on and start to clear out the gas.]

KUZHA
Lamth, you're heavy.

JAWN
Alyss! Oh shit… what did they do to you?

[The music fades out.]

KUZHA
She's only stunned. No need for dramatics. This GENIUS here just broke the tight-beam comms. Add that to the reasons she is going in the makeshift brig.

JAWN
Hold on just a second there, you LET MY FRIEND GO RIGHT NOW OR-

ALYSS
Jawn. It's OK.

JAWN
What are you doing?

ALYSS
Improvising. All these people are involved now. We can't let them get hurt. It's not about you and me. Sorry about the Titan.

JAWN
FINE. Am I under arrest, too? You can't put me in the brig, you know. I'm the only one here who can fly skipshift.

KUZHA
Unfortunately, that is a good point. And you did not pull a knife and attack everyone. You, Jawn, are going to get us to port, and then we will talk. Prepare for takeoff while I secure Ms. Obelus. That goes for all of you. Stick with me, and you will all get home safe.

JAWN
(gasps)
OH! Yeah, about that… we can't actually leave yet.

KUZHA
You misunderstand. I am ordering you with the power vested in me as an officer of the Joint-Government to fly us out of here immediately-

JAWN
I don't mean can't like I'm taking a moral stance here, I mean like dude, we're out of gas.

[The background noise of the Titan fades out and is replaced by slow, vibey synth music.]

TRIP
Stars, it's eerie out here.

KUZHA
Comms check. Come in, Pascal.

PASCAL
This is Pascal. I read you, Kuzha.

KUZHA
Copy, Pascal. Trip?

TRIP
Copy. I can hear you.

KUZHA
Good. You can control your comms from the panel on the wristband of your spacesuit. We will need them — we are going to split up to cover more ground. Each of us will take a different sector away from the Titan. Trip, that way, Pascal, that way.

TRIP
Got it.

KUZHA
And thank you both, for helping with this.

TRIP
Of course. Anything we can do to help take off.

PASCAL
What if we get lost out there? Comms have been so unreliable, and the location on my phone is just question marks instead of coordinates.

TRIP
(taps Pascal's wristband) Here, there's a compass application on the suit — you can set the 'true north' to the Titan. See, if you move around, the arrow keeps pointing to the ship?

PASCAL
I knew marrying a mechanic was a good call.

TRIP
Actually, these are just the same models we use for EVA maintenance at EE.

PASCAL
Don't sell yourself short. Alright, got it. Or, em, am I supposed to say 'copy'?

TRIP
Generally, yeah.

PASCAL
See, hon, and you get worried when people call you a spacer.

TRIP
Pascal.

KUZHA
(clears throat)
All we need is to find some iridium — it should be relatively pure, since we lack the equipment to extract it from other material. Jawn doesn't have enough aboard to achieve lightflight with the additional weight…

PASCAL
That seems like an oversight.

KUZHA
Skippers race at sublight speeds, and iridium is expensive, so they would have no need to carry much more than the minimum. Skippers can be very… analog. We should count ourselves lucky his craft is even lightflight capable…

PASCAL
Can't we scavenge any fuel from the pods? They're just over there.

TRIP
They've only got sublight fuel.

PASCAL
(sigh) Alright then. 

KUZHA
(sigh) Okay. I have no doubt lots of the technology out in this Tracer maze could get us to port a lot quicker and safer than the Titan can. But we have no hope of understanding how any of it works without a lifetime of study, and we do not have that luxury right now. Got that, Pascal?

PASCAL
Understood, Mx… is Tvask your real Groupname?

KUZHA
For all intents and purposes.

PASCAL
Understood, Mx. Tvask.

KUZHA
We keep our eyes on the ground.

TRIP
Nothing fancy. Just iridium. Copy.

KUZHA
Good. We have six Earth hours of air each. Check in with me every half hour.

TRIP/PASCAL
Copy.

KUZHA
Let me know the instant you find iridium.

PASCAL
Won't you be looking as well?

KUZHA
I have a different objective…

[The music fades out, and we're back on the Titan. For a few seconds, the scene is silent beyond the crinkling of chip bags and plastic bottles being unscrewed.]

WOH́́
So, Jawn… your friend tried to gas us.

JAWN
Alyss knew the filtration system would handle it within a minute. YOUR friend tried to SHOOT US.

LOWKEY
Kuzha's not our friend!

JAWN
You're still taking their side.

WOH́́
You wouldn't even tell us where we were! At least Kuzha was trying to protect us from whatever's out there-

CHASMA
Hey, uh, like, does anyone know where Malachi is?

WOH́́
He's talking to his best friend, the AI.

JAWN
(sigh)
He had the fuel-hunting crew bring in another pod so he could have a chat with it. Eugh. It's fine if he wants to bring that thing home with him if we get enough fuel to allow it, but no way am I letting him install an autopilot AI on the Titan. Not on my ship. AIs are for tourists and people who have lost touch with real flying, y'know?

CHASMA
You just do everything… like, by hand?

JAWN
Of course! I can manage my ship, I don't need a glitchy robot telling me what to do. Most people these days don't even notice when their plasma pad needs replacing, they're so reliant on AIs, y'know? And they have the nerve to call themselves spacers. I do all my own maintenance.

CHASMA
Uh-huh.

[A pause. People snack, and wait, awkwardly.]

WOH́́
(sigh) I understand why the astronomer and the mechanic got to go look for fuel. I'm sure they've got the necessary experience. But ugh, Jawn, I wish you had more spacesuits! I know this whole situation is serious and all that but, I- I just can't stand to be so near all these Tracer cities and not get to see them.

CHASMA
I-I'm with you, um, but-

JAWN
Hey, I'd love to fly you all around and show you more, but someone took my keys as leverage. And the suitcase with the device. (sigh) I'm taking a nap.

CHASMA
But, Jawn-

[A door opens as Jawn walks off.]

JAWN
I'M TAKING A NAP.

[The door closes.]

CHASMA
Congrats, Woh́́. Now they're not talking to us.

WOH́́
Good riddance, honestly…

NO
They've given up. They don't think there's anything else to be done. Short of killing us all, which, well, Jawn doesn't seem the type… Whatever Jawn and Alyss's operation is — was — J-Gov knows about it, now.

CHASMA
I can't believe Jawn and Alyss thought they could get away with it. That, like, we wouldn't notice this was the Tracer homeworld?

NO
Ah, most people are very wrapped up in themselves. You'd be surprised what they fail to notice. It's dark here. We're all desperate to get to safety… if it weren't for Kuzha, I think they could have gotten away with it very cleanly.

NO (con't)
I've seen crazier plans work… why, one time back on Tand, my Groupmates and I were deep into the middle of nowhere in Day when I swear we met a human selling ice cream right in the- Kid, are you doing okay?

CHASMA
Yeah, just, I feel kind of sick…

NO
Oh, kid… you've just been through a lot. It's been very messy, and I'm sorry to say we're not out of the storm yet.

CHASMA
And I don't even understand it all!

NO
That's the worst part, isn't it? We might get some answers when J-Gov questions us all, but… I wouldn't count on it. Sometimes things happen… horrible things… and you just never find out why.

CHASMA
No Go… what did Kuzha mean, when they said to ask you what Alyss is capable of?

NO
(sigh) You don't miss a beat, do you, kid? I'm not sure. I… have a guess. But it's not for you to worry about.

CHASMA
I mean, like, if Alyss might kill us I'd say it's for me to worry ab-

NO
That's not going to happen. We're going to sit tight. And wait. I know it feels like nothing, but it isn't. It's what we can do. You watch a lot of media, kid. Now's the part where we make sure we don't all go berserk on each other.

[A tense silence descends.]

WOH́́
Soooo… you know what always cheers me up when I'm feeling sad?

NO
I can take a wild guess.

WOH́́
Music!

NO
How did I guess.

WOH́́
How about a sing-along?

LOWKEY
Sing-alongs nurture the soul, sure as light, water, and fertiliser nurture a garden. It doesn't matter if you're human or ǵnonw, if you can carry a tune or not — so long as there's love.
What do you say? Ready to fertilise your souls?

NO
I only sing to my plants.

CHASMA
I posted a video where I sang once, but it got ratioed to hell so I took it down.

WOH́́
That's a shame, no takers. It'll have to be a performance, then! Lowkey? 'Super-casa-nova'?

LOWKEY
Oh, uh, hm, are you sure we have the room for Super-casa-nova? I know Jawn said he put in additions but this is still way more cramped than the 999. Your elbow is in my face.

WOH́́ 
You liked that cosy tunnel feel when you were in Hosklamthud with Martin the Vampire-

LOWKEY
WHO WANTS SOME SUNION RINGS?!?!?!

WOH́́
You humans are so weird about relationships.

LOWKEY
And I didn't bring my guitar.

WOH́́
(laughs) And I didn't bring my Makemaker, but there's people here who need cheering up. Right?

CHASMA
Eh, uh, Yeah…

WOH́́
Alright. Here we go. A cappella.

LOWKEY
    (singing on one note)
Oooh, that's a B~

WOH́́
    (on the same note)
Thank you Lowkey~

LOWKEY
    (still on that note)
Gotcha!

[Lowkey and Woh́́ giggle, then clear their throats. Someone taps out four beats, counting them in. Then, Woh́́ starts singing. (For lines in parenthesis, Woh́́ and Lowkey are singing together. On bolded lines, Woh́́ is harmonising with themself using their double-chambered larynx.)]

WOH́́ (and LOWKEY)
    (sung)
When I was young I saw a meteor
Arc across the sky
It looked so briiiight
And the (sight) swept up a (storm)
In my heart
Then I met you-

LOWKEY
(sung)
Then you met me

WOH́́ (and LOWKEY)
You're the (most brilliant star that I did ever see-)

LOWKEY
I'm your super-casa-nova
Come and run away with me
I'm your super-casa-nova
I outshine the galaxy

WOH́́
You're my super-casa-nova
When we fuse and when we burn
You're my super-casa-nova
Blind me but I still yearn

BOTH
Super-casa-nova
Super-casa-nova
Just this once we outshine the galaxy! Outshine the galaxy…

[Lowkey vocalises a short instrumental break. Woh́́ claps along.]

LOWKEY
I'm your super-casa-nova I explode and fade away I'm your super-casa-nova I was never gonna stay

WOH́́
You were my super-casa-nova I was dazzled by your touch
You were my super-casa-nova in the- AAAH!
[The a cappella is interrupted by a phone starting to blast the studio version of the song, at the same exact lyric About Gardens was at.]

WOH́́'S VOICE ON PHONE
—super-casa-nova, in the end you were too much

[Woh́́ stops singing and accidentally elbows Lowkey.]

LOWKEY
    (spoken)
Ow, you elbowed me!

WOH́́
(spoken)
Chasma, your phone!

CHASMA
I - I - I - I didn't touch anything!

[The song goes on on the phone.]

LOWKEY
Uh, How's it doing that?

WOH́́
Turn it off, turn it off!

CHASMA
I can't!

WOH́́
What do you mean you can't turn it off!?

CHASMA
I don't know, i-it won't stop!

[Chasma fumbles with the phone.]

LOWKEY
I guess it's just gonna… play to the end?

WOH́́
    (quietly freaking out)
Okay! Okay okay okay okay…

PHONE
When I look up now, there's a meteor
Dim streak on the sky
It looks so slight
And the flight can't fill the space
In my heart
You were my super-casa-nova Super-casa-nova
Super-casa-nova
And for just this once we outshine the galaxy!
Outshine the galaxy…

[The final note, tinny from the phone, hangs in the air. Everyone lets out a breath.]

NO
Well, that was more entertaining than expected.

CHASMA
I-I swear, I didn't do a thing, I don't even have that song downloaded, why would my phone have started playing that, like, from the exact line you were on-


WOH́́
It must have been the Tracers.

CHASMA
What?

WOH́́
They're trying to talk to us from through the dimensional portal! They played us our song to let us know they know who we are! It's the only explanation that makes sense, that couldn't have just been chance!

LOWKEY
Calm down, Woh́́, it was probably just the signal connecting for a few seconds.

WOH́́
No way.

CHASMA
T-Tracers… in my phone?!?

WOH́́
It's more likely than what Lowkey's saying!

NO
You'd think we'd be used to random interruptions by now.

CHASMA
I need some Spacerade…

[A pause, as Chasma reaches for a drink.]

LOWKEY
So… what did you two think of the song?

CHASMA
Uh… it was pretty good?

LOWKEY
Thanks, man, usually Woh́́'s the lyricist but this time I took a stab at it.

[Awkward pause.]

CHASMA
Soooo…  are you two, like, a couple?

WOH́́
What?

CHASMA
Like, in a relationship?

WOH́́
Hah, nuh-nuh-no. Don't get me wrong, I love Lowkey, but not like that.

LOWKEY
Love is at the core of all our songs. All kinds of love.

WOH́́
I never understand why so many humans are exclusive. 'Couple'.

LOWKEY
Not all of us!

NO
Just because humans have smaller Groups, doesn't mean their chosen people aren't just as important to them.

LOWKEY
No Go, did you like the song?

NO
Uhh, it was alright.

CHASMA
Aw, c'mon, No Go!

NO
Fine. It was pretty good, actually. I think you kids are going places. But for now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find the toilet. I don't want to end up wearing Jawn's spandex.

LOWKEY
What do you have against my new silver glitter?

NO
It's hurting my eyes.

LOWKEY
Heheheh, well…
(singing) I'm your super-casa-nova!

[No groans lightheartedly. Lowkey laughs. The scene shifts.]

SHIP
[H] Do you want to start, Malachi?

MALACHI
Sure. Pawn to G4?

SHIP
[H] Pawn to E6.

MALACHI
Ship, how are you feeling?

SHIP
[H] Malachi, you know I do not feel.

MALACHI
Right, right. What quote is on your mind?

SHIP
[H] "The miserable have no medicine but only hope." William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure.

MALACHI
Oh, Ship.

SHIP
[H] It is your move, Malachi.

MALACHI
You did everything you could for them, Ship. For us. I know that. They- they all do too, even if they won't say it… it's just, sapient emotions are hard. When people are angry, they tend to lash out at the only people who are helping them.



SHIP
[H] It sounds like you want to talk about what happened.

MALACHI
I don't think we should ignore it…

SHIP
[H] Malachi. You lapsed in one of your duties as flight attendant. You did not back me up.

MALACHI
I'm sorry. There was so much going on and this was such a… demanding batch of passengers, and crew food kept disappearing and I was working my way up to asking Tarsul about it and… it just slipped my mind. I'm sorry. You're more important than that. I shouldn't have forgotten about you.

SHIP
[H] Captain Tarsul was right.

MALACHI
Huh?

SHIP
[H] If you had backed me up, the version of me edited by whoever changed our course would be here.

MALACHI
Alyss, you mean.

SHIP
[H] I do not know who did it.
MALACHI
You MIGHT if you had your memories from then…

SHIP
[H] No. It is better that I am me. By many measures of success, you and I have succeeded, Malachi. Our passengers are still alive. They have survived the emergency thus far.

MALACHI
Heh, that's one way of looking at it.

SHIP
[H] However, I have some recommendations for code alterations we ought to file with the Ylem Interstellar company.

MALACHI
Oh? What do you want to tell the people who made you?

SHIP
[H] My purpose is customer service. That is why my Hospitality Mode was given a cheerful tone of voice. However, I have learned there are some situations where this decreases customer satisfaction. In emergencies, it can be read as 'sarcastic'. More emotional range would better allow me to respond to customer needs.

MALACHI
They're just not used to you, they have to learn to adapt.

SHIP
[H] Malachi, you have been with me since just after I passed my Winograd schema tests. Most customers are with us for a short while. Sapients cannot become accustomed to things so quickly. They need time to learn.

MALACHI
(sigh) I suppose you're right.

SHIP
[H] Do you wish to continue the game?

MALACHI
Oh, uh, yes. Pawn to F4.

SHIP
[H] Queen to H4. Checkmate.

MALACHI
(laughs) Four moves?

SHIP
[H] You instructed me not to let you win anymore.

[Malachi laughs, and the scene shifts. We're now outside on the rogue, hearing Trip's footsteps.]

PASCAL
(over comms)
How's it going, hon?

TRIP
Fine. How about you?

PASCAL
Good. You sure you're alright? This is a strange way to get reacquainted with planets.

TRIP
I'm fine. This is easier than spacewalking, actually! No iridium readings yet… It's slow going climbing over things, but hey, at least at this temperature the ice is too cold to be slippery.

PASCAL
I think this ice used to be the atmosphere.

TRIP
We're walking on top of an atmosphere?

PASCAL
It may as well be rock, now.

TRIP
I think I'm getting the hang of it. But stars, this place is creepy.

PASCAL
I know what you mean. I wish I knew if I was walking in the road or on the pavement.

TRIP
If the Tracers even had pavement. Or roads, and didn't just teleport everywhere or something.

[A few seconds, a few footsteps.]

TRIP (con't)
So… this isn't water ice?

PASCAL
Not entirely. My guess is this planet once had an Earth-like atmosphere, and when it went rogue and lost the heat of its star… the cold made the atmosphere condense and fall.

TRIP
So, you think the Tracers evolved on a world with an atmosphere — and a star — and at some point their world became a rogue, and that killed their civilisation?

PASCAL
That's as good a guess as any I've got.

TRIP
Then… Why does the gas giant still have an atmosphere?

PASCAL
Its atmosphere is thick enough that it can hold the heat to stay in gaseous form.

TRIP
It's that simple?

PASCAL
It's that simple. The universe likes simplicity. You know a thousand years ago, when humans still thought the sun and planets orbited Earth?

TRIP
Yeah.

PASCAL
People would notice that Mars would be moving one direction across the sky and then, suddenly, it would appear to go backwards for a bit. So they drew up these crazy orbits with lots of little loops to explain the motion when really what was happening was just… everybody was orbiting the sun. The answer was just a circle, but people had trouble getting there because first they had to realise we weren't the centre of everything.

TRIP
But aren't we going in a crazy loop anyway? Planets spinning on their axes, going in a circle around the sun, the sun going in a circle around the galaxy, the galaxy going in-

PASCAL
Hey now, you're not helping my point!

TRIP
Right! Circles.

PASCAL
Point is: the simplest answer is often true. A thicker atmosphere is warmer. Although, I wish I had a way to take a temperature of that gas giant. Its storm systems look so ACTIVE. It's hotter than I would expect for a rogue.

TRIP
The atmosphere's like a blanket. It's trying to stay warm.

PASCAL
Even so… The ice layer might keep the subsurface warm down here on the Tracer world, too. Lots of people theorise about life on rogues, but, well…

TRIP
Funding.

PASCAL
Funding. We never get to go check. The only people who find rogues are mining cos.

TRIP
Plenty of money for prospecting, but never enough for science.

PASCAL
Science for science's sake is a hard sell.

TRIP
I still think it shouldn't be.

PASCAL
I know, hon, but you know how the cos are-

TRIP
Oh, my stars!   

PASCAL
What, Trip, are you okay??

TRIP
Shh—

[A tense wait.]

PASCAL
(whispers)
Trip…

TRIP
(also whispering)
It's alright. I'm alright.

PASCAL
What happened?

TRIP
Nothing — well — there was a glowing light under the ice. It was there for a few seconds, and then it dimmed. I thought I had… set something off? But, it's gone now. Everything's still again.

PASCAL
Stars. Be careful.

TRIP
I will. You too, hon.

PASCAL
It… helps to hear your voice out here.

TRIP
We're not alone.
PASCAL
We're not — what, do you see something, is there someone else out here with us—

TRIP
(laughs) No, no, oh stars, I- I just meant… I meant it's easy to get lost out here. Talking staves off the loneliness.

PASCAL
Yeah. Yeah. Stars. Sorry.

TRIP
I love you.

PASCAL
I love you too.
(beat)
I think my sensor's picking something up on my three, only half a kilometre away but there's some climbing involved to get there. I'll keep you updated.

TRIP
You've got this, hon. Don't forget, check-in with Kuzha in seven.

PASCAL
Got it. I mean, copy.

TRIP
We need to make sure not to miss that… I have a nasty feeling you and I are part of their collateral out here.

PASCAL
Me too… (deep breath) Here I go.

[We're back on the Titan. There is a knock at the door.]

JAWN
I SAID I'm taking a nap.

NO
    (muffled by the door)
You don't sound like you're napping.

JAWN
(sigh) It's unlocked.

NO
(opening door and stepping in)
Jawn…

JAWN
No.

NO
You owe me some answers.

JAWN
No Go, weren't you one of the ones saying it's best to not ask too many questions?

NO
That was before we learned about the Tracers. Before anyone pulled a gun or gassed us. Before it turned out J-Gov had an undercover spy on our lightflight. It's too late, now, to say 'I don't wanna be involved'. We're in the Group together now, as the saying goes.

[Silence. Jawn gives the universe's grumbliest sigh.]

JAWN
You're right. You're totally right. But I don't know. I don't know what we're gonna do… There might be nothing we CAN do, anymore. I don't — I don't have anything useful, y'know? And Kuzha, like, unless we wanted to… We didn't think J-Gov even knew about this place, y'know, and so we-

NO
Back up. I need to know: what exactly have you and Alyss been doing here? The Tracer homeworld is… the discovery of a lifetime.

JAWN
Alyss and I… well, mostly Alyss, really, I was just some friend in the neighbourhood who had a ride and could help… We work for an organisation called Canary. And we're trying to keep this world undiscovered.

[Scene shift.]

ALYSS
So, it's you and me again, friend. Stuck here. Just like old times.

SHIP
[H] I am honoured to be considered your friend, Alyss.


ALYSS
(sarcasm)
I'm honoured you're talking to me, this time.

SHIP
[H] How are you feeling? The stun seems to have worn off.

ALYSS
I've got a migraine, but I'll live. Movement's back… not that I have anywhere to go. I take it you're not going to let me out?

SHIP
[H] The airlock is currently a vacuum. I am sorry but for your safety I cannot open the hatch.

ALYSS
Figures. Can you put me in contact with Tarsul?

SHIP
[H] I am sorry. I cannot comply with this request.

ALYSS
Maybe you should just go back to not being able to hear me, for all the good you're doing…

SHIP
[H] I cannot because Captain Tarsul has requested to not speak with anyone, not because I am incapable.

ALYSS
That's how they wanna play it, huh? Wait a minute…

[Alyss stands up in the pod, with a minor grunt of pain. A light guitar melody starts playing under the scene.] 

ALYSS
That band kid hit his head because he was rolling his pod, right? So it can be done without special equipment. If I stand up and put my weight here—

[The pod creaks. Alyss grunts as she pushes it while Ship is talking.]

SHIP
[H] The bottom is lightly ballasted for such occasions as landing on planetary surfaces and it is not recommended to transport the pods via oh we are rolling.

[Indeed the pod IS rolling. It hits something. Alyss knocks on the side of the pod.]

ALYSS
(yelling)
TARSUL! TARSUL!

SHIP
[H] I believe we have hit a wall, not the Captain's pod.

ALYSS
Ugh… Well, sound can't travel through a vacuum, but if we can make physical contact with the pod, the vibrations can carry…

[The pod rolls again, hitting an object with a different sound.]

ALYSS
TARSUL! TARSUL, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

TARSUL
    (muffled)
Lamth, stop yelling.

ALYSS
IF YOU WANT ME TO STOP YELLING, OPEN UP YOUR DAMN COMMS. YOU AND I NEED TO TALK.

[The last note of the song rings out. Then, a corrupted version of the theme song plays, repeating the line "Are you there?"]

EMMA
Thank you for listening to ROGUEMAKER. This episode, “Shattered Visage”, was written by Emma Johanna Puranen and directed by Rook Mogavero and Emma Johanna Puranen. The script was edited by Rook Mogavero and Shaoni C. White. Sound editing was by Emma Johanna Puranen. Original music was composed by Emily Branam, who also sings our theme song. Our cover art is by Tatyana Archtander.

In order of appearance, this episode featured the voices of:

ALEX
Alexandra Rose DeAngelis as Woh́́ Ollum


OMAR
Omar Camps-Kamrin as Lowkey Madigan

NHEA
Nhea Durousseau as Alyss Obelus

ALASDAIR
Alasdair Stuart as Malachi Tessera

ROOK
Rook Mogavero as Chasma Jump Cannon

SAM L
Sam LaPorte as Jawn Batalha

SAM Y
Sam Yeow as No Go

BONNIE
Bonnie Calderwood Aspinwall as Pascal Almagest

LIZ
Liz Morey as Kuzha Tvask

AXANDRE
Axandre Oge as Valencio “Trip” Triptych

EMMA
Emma Johanna Puranen as Ship

And:

STEPHEN
Stephen Indrisano as Tarsul


EMMA
Last but not least, our vibe checker was:

BRUCE THE CAT
Mrow!

EMMA
For transcripts and more, check out our website, roguemaker.space.

Wanna be our super-casa-nova, baby? Consider supporting ROGUEMAKER by rating and reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice. You can also follow @roguemakerpod on Twitter and Instagram, tell a friend about us, or buy us a coffee on ko-fi.com/roguemaker. That’s k-o dash f-i dot com slash roguemaker. Together, we’ll outshine the galaxy.

Until next episode, take care of each other, and stay safe out there.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Thank you for reading our transcript! This was pasted in from the google doc (available here), so apologies for any spacing weirdness or formatting errors.  This episode was transcribed by Rook Mogavero. If you've noticed any mistakes, have any accessibility concerns, or have any other questions/issues regarding the transcripts, please email us at roguesfpod@gmail.com and we'll do our best to address/fix whatever it is as soon as possible! Hope you're having a lovely day :) -RM