Episode 9: Final Call

Frank discussions are had in the wake of the revelations about the roguemaker. As everyone tries to get some sleep, Kuzha slips away…

CONTENT WARNINGS: Death, gun, medical talk, peril, emotional distress, manipulation, entrapment, existential fear.

This episode, “Final Call”, 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, with additional translations by Laura Uronen. 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

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

Additional transmissions were lent by Elena Asencio, Clara Brasseur, Gemma, Jerry Harris, Katerina Klos, Giacomo Mantovan, Nikko, Camilo Penaloza, Lucas Puranen, Timo Puranen, and Lauren Tucker.

Our vibe checker was Bruce the cat.

ROGUEMAKER Episode 9: Final Call

JAWN

I'm… not comfortable with this.

MALACHI

I'm not super happy with it either.

JAWN

Is there no other way?

MALACHI

Not unless you want to waste a bunch of oxygen, as you said.

JAWN

I hate when I'm right.

PASCAL

Some urgency, please?

MALACHI

Okay. Here we go… connecting Ship, the AI that has been our lifeline, to a network named skipperihardlyknowher69.

[A click. Something mechanical whirrs to life and air starts flowing.]

JAWN

What, dude? I was born in '69!

MALACHI

Is it at least an encrypted network?

LOWKEY

Malachi, stop kink-shaming Jawn.

WOH́́

We've got bigger problems than making sure your AI doesn't get hacked.

MALACHI

Oxygen flowing.

PASCAL

Chasma, how long until it the oxygen treatment has done its job?

CHASMA

Uh… I'm not sure? I think, like, a few hours? I don't think there's any speedier way to do it… Uh, I'm… really sorry, Pascal, Trip…

SHIP

(up-chime)

[A] Transfer of core processes and memory to the Titan complete. Initiating Hospitality Mode.

(up-chime)

[H] Hello there, everyone! It's good to see you again. I've missed you all very much.

MALACHI

Ship! Good to have you back, bud.

[Cheerful music starts playing.]

SHIP

[H] Trip's pod is all good to go. Internal atmosphere is 100% oxygen. [H] It's nice to be out of the pods. You all look a little different than when I last saw you. Or maybe it's just the new perspective - where is my -

[The Titan's alarm begins blaring, causing a few yelps of panic.]

WOH́́

Oh not again…

MALACHI

Ummm, Ship?

SHIP

[H] Oh dear, I'm sorry, I thought that pathway was for the aft airlock camera… my apologi-

(down-chime)

[A] You have 3049 unopened messages. Opening message one.

[H] Hello Jawn, Apologies for being the bearer of bad news, but if you are receiving this message, the end of the universe is nigh. The vampires are all around you, and they have already entered your house. Luckily, you still have a chance. If you don't forward this message to thirteen friends within fi-

(down-chime)

[H] Unexpected pop up appears on device with anti-virus! You'll never believe what happens next (NOT CLICKBAIT). Opening provirus3000.ex ERROR - ERROR -

[A] Kieliasetus: Suomi -

[H] Kuumia sinkkuja lähellä sinua - nolla yksi yksi—

[Malachi sighs. Jawn gives a frustrated grumble. Ship continues under their conversation.]

MALACHI

Ship!

SHIP

-nolla yksi yksi nolla yksi nolla yksi yksi nolla yksi yksi yksi yksi nolla yksi yksi yksi nolla nolla yksi nolla nolla yksi yksi nolla nolla yksi-

JAWN

This is why I didn't want an AI, Malachi!

MALACHI

If you'd just secured your network, none of this would be happening!

JAWN

The Titan was getting along just fine before any of you came on board!

MALACHI

I'm sorry, Jawn… I know we've been demanding a lot of you. And the Titan.

SHIP

(up-chime)

[A] (continues in English) -zero one zero zero one zero zero-

(down-chime)

JAWN

I'm… sorry too. I know you care about it. Ship, I mean.

[Finally, Ship stops the binary.]

MALACHI

Ship? Are you okay?

SHIP

[A] Virus identified. Hospitality Mode switched off.

(down-chime)

Rebooting. Rebooting. Initiating Hospitality Mode.

(up-chime)

MALACHI

Thank the stars. And the oxygen meter in the pod still looks good.

SHIP

[H] Goodness! Excuse me. Jawn, were you aware that the Titan had several viruses loaded into memory and running in the background? There is also some unauthorised code I'm patching up as we speak. When did you last run an update?

JAWN

There goes my bootleg of Zolt season 7…

[A toilet flushes.]

What?

SHIP

[H] Oh, that wasn't supposed to happen… excuse me as I remap my pathways. Perhaps you should all leave the airlock for the main ship, just in case I open the wrong door by accident.

[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 9: Final Call

[The door opens. We hear footsteps and a quick "knock knock" on the side of a pod.]

MALACHI

Hey, there.

[Malachi leans against the pod and slumps to the floor.]

MALACHI

Ship, can you do the honours of opening comms?

SHIP

[H] Of course, Malachi. A beep as the channel is opened.

MALACHI

It seems you just can't stay away from these pods, Captain.

[A pause. No response.]

MALACHI

It feels wrong to not be face-to-face for this conversation.

TARSUL

Hrmf.

MALACHI

You've spent so much time in escape pods you're going in willingly, now.

[Another pause.]

TARSUL

It puts everyone at ease for me to be in here, and I don't mind it. They all think I'm going to murder them.

MALACHI

And are you? Going to murder us all?

TARSUL

Malachi!

MALACHI

Because you can't blame them for thinking that!

Fuck! Fifty people.

TARSUL

Fifty people.

MALACHI

See, this is the trouble with utilitarians! You claim to be acting for the greater good, the needs of the many, but so often utilitarian actions result in… in… in snap judgements and violence! Those people all had lives and hopes and dreams. They called their parents and hugged their friends and - and - held the door for each other! They were people.

TARSUL

I'm… not a utilitarian.

MALACHI

Then… then, who are you, Captain? I've been your flight attendant for over a year now, and I thought I knew you. Oh, Tarsul - they're a bit… mercurial, but they know what they're doing. Not the best with customer service, but that's ok, that's what Ship and I are for — they're a damn good pilot. They use post-it notes for reminders, which I can get behind, because I'm a paper-books man myself, and I need to knock on their cabin twice because they'll often miss the alarm. Oh, and they really, really like butterscotch. They're the strong, silent type. They're someone I can work with!

I thought I was a good judge of character, Captain. Now… now… stars, just, just say something, will you? Tell me anything! Make this make sense to me!

TARSUL

Malachi, how much do you know about Groups?

MALACHI

Don't dodge my question!

TARSUL

How much?

MALACHI

Explain it to me. Explain it to me, Tarsul, I just want to know why.

TARSUL

Long, long ago, before lightflight, before even sublightflight, Lamth, before there was a tunnel system the whole way across Tand — Groups would travel along the Terminator, keeping Night to one side and Day to the other. They always moved in the same direction, around and around the planet.

They'd rarely see other Groups, even though the next Group was walking not too far ahead — they'd just find the notes, the campfires, the broken tools, the leftovers, signs letting them know where to find good tunnels or water sources. And, in turn, when they were done somewhere, they'd leave things behind for the Group behind them. This is why it was so important to stay on good terms. You only saw the other Groups when it was time for your Wander — for your Wander, you simply turned around and started walking the other way. To meet new people.

When a Group ran into an obstacle — like a wildfire, or a cave-in, or a blight in the fields — no matter what it was, they stopped. They stopped and did whatever they needed to do to fix it. Usually, they could fix it pretty quickly and move on. But if it wasn't quick, they kept at it. Because they understood there was no turning back. They understood that everyone else depended on them. And the whole chain of Groups, walking the Terminator, couldn't go on if they didn't fix the problem. Groups did this, they fixed the problem for everyone, even if it meant they didn't survive.

Of course, that was very long ago. Most ǵnonw don't understand that, anymore. And I know human history was quite different. I don't expect you to understand.

MALACHI

But you hid the helpful thing from people and you lived. And you didn't exactly ask the rest of your 'Group' if they were okay with being blown up.

TARSUL

The fact that it looks helpful and enticing just makes it more dangerous.

MALACHI

You still decided to play the hero and all of that, didn't you?

TARSUL

I'm not a hero!

MALACHI

Right, yes, you've said you regret, but you still see yourself as —

TARSUL

This isn't one of the books you and Ship read, Malachi — I am not a hero. That's a very human concept anyway. You asked me to explain. I explained.

MALACHI

Uh! Nonono no, okay, no! You can't just give me some wise-guy metaphor and call that an explanation. You. The Phalanx. Three years ago. How do you feel about it?

(beat)

Well, I'll tell you how I feel, and maybe that'll get you acting like a person again. Stars, I'm trying to help you here, believe it or not, but I… I am angry, I am so angry with you. I thought I could trust you and it turns out I can't, and that makes me feel like an idiot.

[A pause.]

TARSUL

I… have bad dreams.

MALACHI

There we go. Tell me about your dreams.

TARSUL

I have them nearly every Sleep. I'm walking down that corridor again, on the Phalanx, on my way to the engine room. Sometimes someone stops me. Sometimes no one does. I always wake up when there's the explosion.

MALACHI

I always… I thought you just talked in your sleep.

TARSUL

I never used to. I know I did the right thing. I know it.

MALACHI

But the dreams just keep coming.

TARSUL

Yes. When the rogue started speaking to me, over the radio… it… it reminded me of the dreams. Warnings. Warnings, but for something I'm too late for.

When I lived on the surface in Day —

MALACHI

Wait, the surface?

TARSUL

Yes. Right after the Phalanx, I lived with one of those experimental surface farming communities for a while.

MALACHI

No wonder you hardly talked about your past.

TARSUL

It was a strange place full of strange people, but they were exactly the kind of people I needed just then. They left me alone when I wanted it. You were always good at that, too. But I, I could never get used to the sunlight outside all the time. I blamed the poor sleeps on that when I lived on the surface. But now I'm the farthest place from Day, and I still have the dreams. At this point I… I think they'll be with me forever.

MALACHI

Captain…

TARSUL

You don't have to call me that.

MALACHI

Yes I do. You, me, and Ship. We're still the crew of the 999, whether we like it or not… and I will be honest, I don't like it, not right now. But our job isn't done yet. We still need to get these people to safety, and until then, you're Captain.

TARSUL

Fine.

MALACHI

I've been thinking about what you did on the Phalanx. Turning it over in my head. I know no one can predict the future, or what would have happened if Eccentric had got the roguemaker, but… I, I really can't think of anything else you could have done. Other than a scenario in which you died, too. I'm glad you didn't. I'm glad you were able to warn us about the roguemaker. I think what you did was… horrible… but there was nothing else that could be done. It's… it's… uh, Stars, Ship, what was that quote?

SHIP

[H] 'Knowledge is a prison, for it ties you to duty.' Aisha Idowu, Flowers of Ink.

MALACHI

No, no- well, yeah actually, that could work too. But I meant the ǵnonw one.

SHIP

[H] 'Once you've seen the next hill, it's already too late to stop.' Ashd, A Life's Wander.

MALACHI

That's the one.

SHIP

[H] It rhymes in ǵnonw.

MALACHI

As soon as you knew… your hand was forced.

TARSUL

Well, Malachi… I don't think you'll have to imagine my situation any longer. It's all of ours, now. You've all seen the next hill.

[Scene change. Slow, soft music begins to play.]

PASCAL

How's it going in there, hon?

TRIP

Good. It doesn't feel like I'm being stabbed anymore, and I can feel my left leg again.

PASCAL

That's good. Let me know if you want me to leave or be quiet so you can rest, okay?

TRIP

You're fine, hon.

PASCAL

Are you good on Spacerade?

TRIP

Yeah.

[A small silence.]

PASCAL

Trip… I… I'm so sorry.

TRIP

Pascal. Stop. I'm so sorry.

PASCAL

What? You have nothing to be sorry for!

TRIP

Neither do you!

PASCAL

Yes! I do! I'm the one who kept dropping hints about going on holiday, all these years, making it seem like I wasn't completely happy to stay on the station with you, making you feel like you weren't enough, pressuring you into leaving, when I knew the station is home for you and basically always has been, when I knew how - how - apprehensive you were about leaving it - and then. This flight… stars, I should never have even… mentioned-

TRIP

Pascal… I wanted to come. I was excited to. I still… I don't think I'd change my mind. Does that sound crazy? It felt like the right time.

To be honest, there was a while just after we'd gotten together when I did worry. I thought you'd want to move on, elsewhere, and that I'd be holding you back. But do you know what I've realised, out here?

PASCAL

What?

TRIP

I wasn't holding you back. I was holding me back.

PASCAL

Oh, Trip…

TRIP

There's so much universe out there.

PASCAL

And it's terrifying.

TRIP

It is. But it's also beautiful. When we were outside, looking for the iridium? Even in the chaos of that, looking up and seeing the stars hanging above, the way they reflected in the ice or shone through gaps in the ruins… it was almost peaceful.

PASCAL

You're right. I feel like that when I look at Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities on Aegir. It's easy to forget they're actually massive storms… I'm so proud of you, hon. You were fearless out there.

TRIP

I just… I did what needed doing. It's easier when you look at it one step at a time.

PASCAL

One step at a time…

TRIP

It's the only way to handle the enormity.

PASCAL

I tend to fall into the yawning chasm of the future instead.

TRIP

I know. And yet, you're the one who actually found the iridium!

PASCAL

I did, but I panicked so many times before I got to it! I couldn't have done it without you on the line. I panicked the same way getting into the pods, back on the flight… stars, that feels like forever ago, now…

TRIP

(laughs)

Pascal?

PASCAL

Hm?

TRIP

Do you know what this reminds me of? Being separated by the pod?

PASCAL

What?

TRIP

I'm holding your hand!

PASCAL

(laughs)

Oh, like when I was away on field work—

PASCAL

Do you feel it?

PASCAL

I feel it. I've got a steaming mug of tea, in your favourite blue mug, for you.

TRIP

Smells delicious. And we're sitting on that bench, in the plant room.

PASCAL

And you're holding my hand.

TRIP

And I love you.

PASCAL

I love you too.

TRIP

And I want to move to Earth with you.

PASCAL

What?!

TRIP

I do!

PASCAL

You do?

TRIP

Yes.

PASCAL

I - oh, Trip - are you sure?

TRIP

I am. What Alyss said, about Canary's whole philosophy — it makes sense. I don't think… I think space is nice to visit, nice to see. But I don't think I want it to be home anymore. It hasn't been a great one, for me. And… well, this is silly…

PASCAL

I don't mind silly.

TRIP

I want to know what weather feels like?

PASCAL

(laughs)

Oh, you'll hate the wind.

TRIP

I'm ready to hate the wind!

PASCAL

The wind where my parents live, at least, it's- it's so strong. Some days it hurts your face. And you have to consider it in how you dress! I know back when I had long hair I would always check the weather report in the morning before I left the house…

[Pascal's last line fades out as we move to the next scene.]

[A door opens and someone walks in.]

ALYSS

How's Trip?

MALACHI

He's doing much better.

WOH́́

Can we leave soon?

LOWKEY

Woh́́-

WOH́́

I'm sorry, I don't care at this point if that sounds callous.

MALACHI

We're all way too tired to be flying off—

CHASMA

We can't take off with a patient with the bends on board. Every spacer knows that.

MALACHI

Chasma's right.

ALYSS

Not to mention, we haven't come to an agreement about what to do about the roguemaker and the device.

CHASMA

Honestly, I'm like, still confused on whether it was Alyss or Tarsul who blew up the 999?

ALYSS

I didn't lie to you, kid, it wasn't me-

MALACHI

Alyss. If we start this up again, we'll never rest.

ALYSS

Fine. That doesn't really matter right now, anyway.

MALACHI

Okay, one thing that we all can agree on is that we're tired as hell. How about a few hours of sleep?

CHASMA

I call one of the beds! I was, like, cramped in the crawlspace the entire flight so I haven't slept in one in days…

MALACHI

No one gets the beds. We should sleep all together, ǵnonw-style. That's… probably for the best, anyway, given our current trust levels. Ship can keep a lookout, just to make sure everyone stays safe.

SHIP

[H] Certainly, Malachi.

WOH́́

Ship can't even tell where the toilet is-

MALACHI

Look. We either stare at each other until Trip gets better, or we sleep until Trip gets better. And frankly, I am tired. Who's with me?

CHASMA

Alright, fine.

[General murmured assent from the group.]

MALACHI

Alyss?

ALYSS

Yeah, yeah.

MALACHI

Kuzha?

KUZHA

Deal. We sleep, then we figure this out.

[Time passes, and we hear the snores of the 999 fast asleep. There are a few sharp bursts of static, which wake Alyss up.]

ALYSS

Huh? Did someone… say… something?

(a pause)

Must be imagining things.

[Slightly spooky atmospheric music begins playing.]

TRANSMISSION

Alyss - Alyss - Alyss

ALYSS

Aha! It was you!

[She gets up, slowly and carefully, making her way towards the cockpit.]

TRANSMISSION

Alyss

ALYSS

Shh - let the others sleep - I'm coming.

[Alyss carefully closes the door between the cockpit and the sleepers.]

ALYSS

Ok. Cockpit door's closed. You can be louder now, rogue.

TRANSMISSION

Alyss

ALYSS

You're finally talking to me.

TRANSMISSION

Alyss

ALYSS

I… I'm not gonna lie, it's eerie, you using everyone's voices like that.

TRANSMISSION

Alyss

ALYSS

Have you used my voice to talk to the others? You… sound… all over the place. I can't even tell if what you're saying is going through my lingchip or not.

TRANSMISSION

Alyss

ALYSS

Are you going to say anything besides my name?

TRANSMISSION

Alyss - Kuzha

ALYSS

Great! You know two names. What did Kuzha do?

TRANSMISSION

Kuzha - gas giant - gone - use it - hide it - go - go - go - go

ALYSS

Kuzha left?

TRANSMISSION

Kuzha - use it - hide it - go

ALYSS

What does that mean?

TRANSMISSION

Go - go - go - go -

[The transmission continues to repeat the word "go" as Alyss talks.]

ALYSS

Maybe you don't grasp our languages as well as you think you do.

TRANSMISSION

Wrong.

ALYSS

Hm. If you're gonna be attitude-y about it. Touchy.

TRANSMISSION

Go!

ALYSS

I have a nasty feeling you mean outside…

TRANSMISSION

Go - outside - outside - outside

ALYSS

Great.

Hang on, I don't need to bring you with me, do I? You'll follow on the nearest comms?

TRANSMISSION

Follow - follow - follow -

[Transmission starts repeating "go" again.]

ALYSS

Okay okay. You're going to need to quiet down, rogue. You don't seem like you want anyone else to hear you.

[The transmission stops its repetitions, and Alyss sneaks past the sleepers.]

ALYSS

(whispering)

Good. Trip must have convinced Pascal to sleep with the others. Otherwise - Yeah, otherwise I don't see how Kuzha could have depressurised to leave, either.

[She enters the airlock.]

ALYSS

Bingo. A suit's missing. What is that asshole up to? (she breathes in and out, then:) The last suit's for me, then.

[Alyss suits up. As the faceplate seals, the airlock doors open and the rush of atmosphere escapes into the vacuum. Alyss pauses on the threshold.]

ALYSS

Ship?

SHIP

[H] Yes, Ms. Obelus?

ALYSS

Just verifying you're connected to these suits now.

SHIP

[H] I am indeed! They are linked to the Titan. Although, if you want to disable the connection, you can turn it on and off manually via your wristpad. That's what Kuzha did. Given the unstable radio environment here, I also cannot guarantee the connection if you venture very far from the Titan. Though I will certainly try my best!

ALYSS

Mhm, mhm, so tell me — why did you let Kuzha out?

SHIP

[H] Oh dear, I'm sorry — does it upset you that Kuzha left?

ALYSS

It's definitely worrying.

SHIP

[H] I'm sorry. I was instructed to raise an alarm if any violence was attempted — redundantly, I might add, as this was already part of my programming. I can only override a sapient's commands if their actions would cause harm to another sapient. This does not include emotional harm, which you seem to be experiencing. I am still researching why that is the case. Oh dear, I am rambling! Is there anything else I can assist you with, Ms. Obelus?

ALYSS

The jury's still out, Ship, on whether or not Kuzha's actions are going to harm the rest of us sapients. Not that I'd expect you to realise that. Can you at least tell me which way they went?

SHIP

(up-chime)

[H] Certainly. I've inputted the bearing on your wrist display.

ALYSS

Copy.

SHIP

[H] And Alyss?

ALYSS

Mm?

SHIP

[H] 'Someone has a great fire in his soul and nobody ever comes to warm themselves at it, and passersby see nothing but a little smoke at the top of the chimney and then go on their way.' Vincent Van Gogh.

ALYSS

Who the hell is that?

SHIP

[H] He was an artist.

ALYSS

I don't trust artists.

I can't believe I am arguing with a machine. Ship? Be quiet. But… stay on the line.

SHIP

[H] Understood.

(down-chime)

[Alyss finally steps outside the airlock, and for a moment there is nothing but the eerie silence of the vacuum and Alyss's footsteps reverberating in her suit. Then, the music starts back up.]

ALYSS

What's this, on the ground? …Kuzha's gun… wow, was this blown pretty far away from the Titan. They must have been in some hurry if they didn't see this and take it… Ughhh…

[She picks it up. A burst of static.]

ALYSS

Ship, I told you to —

TRANSMISSION

Hurry up.

ALYSS

Oh, it's you.

TRANSMISSION

Hurry - hurry! - take off - soon - go right - go right - hurry.

ALYSS

'Take-off?'

[She starts to run - to the extent this is possible in a spacesuit.]

[The scene shifts, the music is more upbeat and urgent.]

TRANSMISSION

Up - up - left. Press it.

KUZHA

Okay.

TRANSMISSION

Yes.

KUZHA

What's next?

TRANSMISSION

Four blinks.

KUZHA

Do you mean… is a light going to blink?

TRANSMISSION

Your - eyes. Four - blinks.

KUZHA

What is that supposed to- Okay… I am blinking my eyes four times…

[There is a faint whir as something goes into motion.]

KUZHA

That worked…? I suppose I should just be thankful I can even use any of this stuff. I could never get this to launch without you helping. It's only thanks to you that I found the first launch silo.

TRANSMISSION

Not - made for you - but - for you.

KUZHA

What does that -

[A pause as Kuzha observes… something.]

KUZHA

Is - um - is that door supposed to be appearing out of nothing in the wall right -

(beat. Someone has walked in.)

Alyss.

ALYSS

(over the suit's comms)

Kuzha. What are you doing?

KUZHA

Something I should have done earlier.

ALYSS

Are you - this place you've found - it's just like the ship we saw go into the roguemaker earlier. Are you trying to go there?

KUZHA

Are you going to stop me?

ALYSS

I'm going to think before I act.

KUZHA

Good.

You are not a fool, Alyss. I see that now.

ALYSS

And you're far, far from the scared kid on their wander I thought you were. It was you, wasn't it? Who kept fighting my course corrections towards the rogues, back on the 999. Stars, you almost had me convinced there that it actually WAS just a Plutonic engine malfunction that blew us up!

KUZHA

Ha! It took you long enough to figure it out. You and Tarsul and your antics and grandiose revelations provided the perfect cover. I can act, you know.

ALYSS

I'll give you that much. Most undercover cops are terrible actors, but I didn't know you were J-Gov until you revealed yourself.

KUZHA

I'm not a cop. I'm an intelligence officer.

ALYSS

Same difference.

KUZHA

I had you pegged wrong, too. I thought you were just a pirate and an assassin. It turns out you have a great new career opportunity in your middle age as a hippie hypocrite!

ALYSS

People change. I've put my old life behind me.

KUZHA

Have you? You have no room to talk, Alyss. It's your fault that all of us are in this mess. You gave me no choice BUT to resort to drastic action to get us all into the pods. I didn't want to blow up the 999.

ALYSS

And you have the nerve to look down on Tarsul.

KUZHA

I did not kill anyone!

ALYSS

You don't yet know that you haven't.

KUZHA

It would have been fine. The ship would have exploded and the Joint-Government would have picked us up from the pods, safe and sound. We all could have gotten on with our lives. But no. Thanks to you messing with the 999's course to make your little delivery, we were too close to the rogues already.

ALYSS

You knew about this place too.

KUZHA

Of COURSE I did! Nugh!

You talk as if we are the enemy, or something, Alyss. The Joint-Government. In reality, we are all that is stopping the cos from completely controlling everything between Earth and Tand, and all the spacers that live there. An Earth and Tand which, by the way, are utterly dependent on the cos to maintain their current lifestyles, as well you know. Who passed AAA into law? Who holds the line to prevent cos from stripping living worlds bare? Who grants the permits that allow for groups like your very own Canary to do peaceful protests? If you think somehow that the cos like us… you are dead wrong. And yet, you keep trying to get in the way of me doing my job. Enemy of my enemy, right? You should be on my side. It is not too late to help me out.

People need the technology here, Alyss. Keeping it from them is wrong. But I agree it should not go to the cos — it would be too much, too fast. The chance it would damage our hard-maintained peace is too high. But in the Joint-Government's control, we can slowly, carefully, share what the Tracers have to offer, at a manageable pace. This world can help people.

ALYSS

Kuzha, you may not really be on your Wander, but you are pretty young, aren't you?

KUZHA

Are you really going to patronise me?

ALYSS

No. But… there is something to be said for the experience of age. J-Gov's aim may not be profit, but it is… power. What you suggest couldn't actually work. J-Gov is too bogged down in bureaucracy to do anything quickly enough to help people, and for every person working there who is genuinely trying to help, there's another who can be bribed. You know Zhugg pays for the minister's vacations?

KUZHA

Oh, that is rich, coming from someone like you who used to take all sorts of money from cos to do contract killing for them.

ALYSS

Minister Zhang once hired me, you know.

KUZHA

What?! No, that, that was not —

ALYSS

Of course it wasn't in my file! They don't want you to know these things.

[There's a pause. Kuzha makes noises as if they are listening to something, but we cannot hear it. Neither can Alyss.]

ALYSS

(no longer over comms)

Kuzha— Kuzha!

KUZHA

(over Alyss's suit's comms)

Shhh! (beat) None of it matters. We are taking off, Alyss. We are going to the roguemaker, and we are going to drive it to the safe custody of the Joint-Government.

ALYSS

You're not listening!

[Tense music begins to play.]

KUZHA

I am. J-Gov is the best place for this awful thing to be. With us, it is least likely to drastically change the status quo — or end life as we know it.

ALYSS

It should be destroyed.

KUZHA

If we decide to destroy it, it will be destroyed.

ALYSS

You won't.

KUZHA

It is not my decision alone.

ALYSS

The status quo is not such a good thing.

KUZHA

Compared to the alternatives, it is. If there is one thing that I have learned, it's that if you want to win, you have to act fast. I am not waiting any longer for someone with bad intentions to come along and scoop up this weapon. You said it yourself — we shoot ourselves in the foot with bureaucracy. We're too slow. Too unwieldy. Well, not this time.

ALYSS

Kuzha, think. You don't know what you're messing with here. Can you even control the roguemaker?

KUZHA

I can! The rogue has been giving me instructions.

ALYSS

Hm. It's been talking to me, too — that's how I found you — but it can't be helping us both. We want different things.

KUZHA

Maybe it knows that we should not be enemies.

ALYSS

Or maybe it's a big giant relic of an unthinkably advanced civilisation and we shouldn't be assuming it has our interests in mind!

(beat)

What are you doing?

[There is a hiss of air in the room. Kuzha takes off their helmet.]

ALYSS

Kuzha, don't — there's no atmosphere!

[Kuzha's voice is no longer coming in through comms, but we hear it slightly muffled through Alyss's helmet.]

KUZHA

(breathes in deeply) Yes there is. You forget how advanced these people were. They told me how to generate one. You can take your helmet off, too. It's safe.

ALYSS

I'll keep my helmet on, thanks.

KUZHA

If you want to suffocate in a few hours, be my guest.

Alyss, I have spent my whole life wanting to fight back against the cos, but not having the tools, the clout, to do it. Ever since I was a kid. I watched my Group get the short end of contract after contract, bullied and never given enough benefits. And we knew we just had to take it, because if we refused a contract on those grounds, we would never see another one. And the worst part of that story is how boring it is! How common it is!

But that experience is what drove me to join J-Gov in the first place. I wanted to help make laws that would stop cos from being able to take advantage of people like my Birthgroup.

When I signed up, it turned out intelligence had the intern slot, not legal, and here we are. Funny how things work out.

Now I have the chance to do what I set out to do — to actually change something for once. And I am going to do it. I am taking it. The roguemaker is my chance.

ALYSS

Kuzha… I get it. Believe me, I understand. You want a button you can push that will fix everything. I do, too! Stars, I wish such a thing existed, but it doesn't. And this roguemaker? Certainly isn't it. Searching for that button will make you mad. The only way to actually make things better is hard work. Hard work on a personal level.

KUZHA

You are a murderer. I do not have to listen to you.

ALYSS

Because I've made mistakes, nothing I have to say is worthwhile?

KUZHA

Shhh, Alyss. Nothing you have to say is worthwhile compared to what they have to say.

ALYSS

Kuzha, your… they're changing… your eyes…

KUZHA

Oh, do I have those?

I can see them, Alyss. I can see the founders of this world. I can see how they built this place. The fiery wounds of war, first cauterised and then iced over when the planet was torn into the depths of space. All memories, all times, all… oh. Oh, that is what that is for. You wish to not be forgotten. To not be wasted. I will make sure you are not.

ALYSS

K-Kuzha… can you hear me?

KUZHA

(laughs, but it's not just one laugh) Alyss, I hear everything. I hear your memories, too. You are not as changed as you pretend you are. If you were, you would not have picked up that gun you're hiding and brought it here with you.

ALYSS

H-how did you know I—

KUZHA

Alyss, take off your helmet.

ALYSS

No.

[Kuzha advances. Alyss backs away.]

ALYSS

Take off your helmet.

TRANSMISSION

Keep - helmet - on.

ALYSS

Why don't you let her join us — your Group? You're part of the rogue, too. Why aren't you helping your Group?

TRANSMISSION

Dissent - do not suffer - dissent.

KUZHA

Silly, the only one suffering is Alyss. Clearly not all the Tracers were in agreement… but we do not have to end like they did. Take off your helmet, Alyss.

ALYSS

No. Kuzha, stop this, right now.

KUZHA

It is too late. We are taking off.

[The rocket rumbles.]

ALYSS

Don't come a step closer to me, Kuzha.

KUZHA

You cannot make anything easy, can you?

ALYSS

Don't make me do this —

KUZHA

What a hypocrite.

ALYSS

I don't want to hurt you

KUZHA

Take your helmet off.

[Kuzha reaches forward, manually releasing Alyss's faceplate.]

ALYSS

Get off me - I won't let you—

KUZHA

Once a killer, always a —

[With one ragged breath, Alyss shoots. The rocket takes off. Alyss closes her faceplate, having inhaled just the one breath of the Tracer atmosphere. She breaks down into sobs and screams into space.]

[Scene shift. We are back in the airlock on the Titan. Pascal knocks on Trip's pod.]

PASCAL

Good morning, hon! Well…

MALACHI

Sure, we can call it morning.

PASCAL

How are you feeling, Trip?

TRIP

Better, thanks. I'm just a bit tired. The pain's gone.

MALACHI

You're looking good to go, judging from these pod med-scans. Are you ready to come out?

TRIP

Am I ever!

MALACHI

Ship, open the pod door!

SHIP

[A] Opening pod door.

[The pod door opens, and Pascal rushes Trip with a hug, burying their face in his shirt.]

PASCAL

Oh, Trip, I was so worried.

TRIP

Let's never have a pod between us again.

[We hear Chasma yell in the distance.]

PASCAL

Oh stars, what is it this time…

TRIP

Hey now, Chasma did successfully diagnose me and prescribe treatment, we can cut them some slack…

["Oh god is there another emergency" music starts playing.]

WOH́́

WHAT are you YELLING FOR, Chasma? We just woke up, stars!

CHASMA

It's- it's- it's- it's J-Jawn! Jawn's not waking up! No Go and I found him —

MALACHI

Good grief…

PASCAL

Jawn's dead?

[The music fades out.]

CHASMA

He's just unconscious, he has a pulse—

PASCAL

Oh thank the stars!

You need to lead with that, Chasma, given how jumpy this bunch is right now. Jawn will be perfectly alright. Their tongue is a funny colour, see? There's a plant I know from Teegarden b that causes these symptoms. Nice easy way to knock someone out for a while. No pain, no struggle. Just a longer Sleep.

MALACHI

So… someone poisoned Jawn?

WOH́́

Or he took something himself.

CHASMA

Hey, just because he's a skipper doesn't mean they —

WOH́́

Hey, it's a possibility.

MALACHI

Jawn would be unlikely to do that in our current situation. Dr. Go, do you know if there's a way to counter the plant's effects?

Sure, if I had access to my full glasshouse. Out here? Our only healer is time. We have to wait.

PASCAL

Without a pilot?

CHASMA

Well, there's Tarsul.

PASCAL

No.

WOH́́

Absolutely not.

CHASMA

Yeesh, okay then, we wait…

MALACHI

It doesn't matter anyway. Tarsul can't fly skip shift, and Ship's autopilot can't integrate with such an analog system either. Hmmm. Okay. Well, who would have wanted to temporarily incapacitate Jawn?

WOH́́

(gasps)

We're missing Kuzha and Alyss!

TRIP

Is this a bad time to mention that the suits that were in the airlock when I went into the pod were gone when I came out?

[The Titan's alarm begins to blare.]

CHASMA

Oh stars not again —

SHIP

[A] This is an emergency announcement. [H] Hello everyone, may I have your attention? Alyss and Kuzha are in trouble! All hands to the cockpit.

[A door opens.]

MALACHI

Ship, you just opened the galley door, not the cockpit!

SHIP

[H] Oh, I'm sorry! Here.

[Another door opens, presumably to the cockpit. Everyone crowds in.]

SHIP

[H] This is the video feed from Alyss's head cam.

MALACHI

So she did take a suit.

CHASMA

Where are they?

PASCAL

It… looks like they're inside a Tracer construction.

WOH́́

Wherever they are, we can't help them if we can't take off!

[There is a rumbling.]

LOWKEY

aaaAAAaaaa is anyone else feeling like the ground is shaking? Like we're about to have eruption part 2? Or did I just have too much orange soda…

WOH́́

You're right, Lowkey, the ground is shaking.

PASCAL

I don't think it was an eruption, actually, yesterday. I think it was a launch.

TRIP

What?

PASCAL

I… well, it, it's just a theory, but…

CHASMA

What's the theory, Pascal?

PASCAL

So, this rogue doesn't show any signs of geologic activity — not even cryovolcanoes. I know the radio mentioned them, but I think that was just a comparison… the rogue is tidally locked to the gas giant, so there wouldn't be any major tidal stressors to cause any eruptions and its internal heat of formation would've faded long ago for it to cause any kind of-

WOH́́

In layperson, maybe?

PASCAL

Sorry. Um. Well, on Tand spaceships launch from underground silos, right? And, and, humans used to launch missiles that way on Earth. But, if either of those worlds were to, say, become a rogue, and a bunch of ice froze on its surface, and then you tried to launch from underground — all that firepower? It'd cause rumbles, and plumes, and basically everything we saw.

WOH́́

So whatever flew into the gas giant was…

PASCAL

It was going crazy fast. That was a very high-powered launch. My working theory is that somehow… some old Tracer ship or something launched from underground and flew into the gas giant.

MALACHI

But… why?

WOH́́

Maybe the Tracers live in there now!

MALACHI

In the gas giant?

WOH́́

Oh come on, of everything we've heard here, that's far from the most out-there suggestion!

PASCAL

(sighs) I have no idea what could have caused it. Maybe we set something off somehow? We don't know what any of this tech does.

CHASMA

So, is that where Alyss and Kuzha are now? In one of those… launch silos? They're definitely, like, indoors somewhere.

TRIP

I think they're just… talking.

WOH́́

Kuzha just took their helmet off!

MALACHI

Ship, can we get sound to accompany this video?

SHIP

(up-chime)

[H] I'm working on it. Here we are.

[Awful static as Ship struggles to connect to Alyss's comms. Suspenseful music plays. Finally, finally:]

KUZHA

Now I have the chance to do what I set out to do — to actually change something for once. And I'm going to do it. I'm taking it. The roguemaker is my chance.

[A corrupted version of the theme song plays, repeating the line "Are you there?"]

EMMA

Thank you for listening to ROGUEMAKER. This episode, “Final Call”, 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, with additional translations by Laura Uronen. 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:

SAM L

Sam LaPorte as Jawn Batalha

ALASDAIR

Alasdair Stuart as Malachi Tessera

BONNIE

Bonnie Calderwood Aspinwall as Pascal Almagest

OMAR

Omar Camps-Kamrin as Lowkey Madigan

ALEX

Alexandra Rose DeAngelis as Woh Ollum

ROOK

Rook Mogavero as Chasma Jump Cannon

EMMA

Emma Johanna Puranen as Ship

STEPHEN

Stephen Indrisano as Tarsul

AXANDRE

Axandre Oge as Valencio “Trip” Triptych

NHEA

Nhea Durousseau as Alyss Obelus

LIZ

Liz Morey as Kuzha Tvask

EMMA

And:

SAM Y

Sam Yeow as No Go

EMMA

Additional transmissions were lent by Elena Asencio, Clara Brasseur, Gemma, Jerry Harris, Katerina Klos, Giacomo Mantovan, Nikko, Camilo Penaloza, Lucas Puranen, Timo Puranen, and Lauren Tucker.

Last but not least, our vibe checker was:

BRUCE THE CAT

Mrow!

EMMA

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

You have the chance to do what you set out to do – to actually change something for once. And you’re going to do it. You’re taking it. Rating and reviewing ROGUEMAKER is your chance…to win our hearts! (SerYou 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.

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

ROGUEMAKER: A Science Fiction Podcast

Episode 9: Final Call

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