VOID PODCAST EPISODE 10

Episode 10: UNDERGROUND COLONY

During the last episode of Void, Jonas confronted the leader of the revolt Alton Fysk and was arrested by the council for conspiring with a terrorist organization.

Nova and Gerald Daniels discussed methods of trying to free Jonas but could not help him during the trial. The council passed along a death sentence through banishment to Alton Fysk while Jonas faces the same fate.

SOUND: WIND, WALKING, BREATHING

EARTH SURFACE

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(OUT OF BREATH)

Ok, gotta keep moving. I am so screwed...

SOUND: WIND INTENSIFYING, STRUGGLING WITH WALKING JONAS ALDRIDGE

Dammit! As if it isn’t bad enough the radiation is killing me, now I have a head wind! Do you hate me god? Is that it?

SOUND: WIND, WALKING, BREATHING JONAS ALDRIDGE

Wait, what is that? Why is that little flag there? I’ve

never seen that up here before. It looks like...a crate?

SOUND: WIND, RUNNING GETTING FASTER JONAS ALDRIDGE

What is this doing here?

SOUND: WIND, CRATE LID BEING OPENED JONAS ALDRIDGE

Daniels you beautiful son of a bitch, my suit! And a communicator. I need to get out of this wind. That shack should do.

SOUND: WIND, WALKING, DOOR BEING PRIED OPEN, DOOR CLOSING, WIND DIMINISHED IN BACKGROUND

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Whew.

SOUND: GETTING DRESSED IN A RADIATION SUIT, ZIPPER, HELMET BEING PLACED ON HEAD, PRESSURIZING SOUND

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(INSIDE HELMET)

Much better. Now, let’s get this communicator working.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, DRINK BEING POURED

JONAS ALDRIDGE RESIDENCE

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Do you have to drink ALL the time?

GERALD DANIELS

You’re starting to sound like Jonas.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Do you think he found it?

GERALD DANIELS

I have no idea. We’ll find out if he did on the communicator. As long as you placed it where I told you, it should be along the path he would travel to get to the caves.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

And what were you saying about the interference?

GERALD DANIELS

The surface radiation will cause a lot of static interference. He may not be able to get through to us.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

If he even finds the crate in the first place. The wind was really fierce when I was up there. I don’t know how he managed to do any work on the surface.

GERALD DANIELS

Jonas has been doing those surface excursions for quite some time. He is a master at maneuvering under extreme conditions.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I don’t know about this mission anymore Gerald. I’m worried about going through with it. It’s getting close.

GERALD DANIELS

We go forward as planned. You have to fly this mission no matter what. If you don’t, the council will not react in a favorable way.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

And the revolt?

GERALD DANIELS

With Alton executed, the revolt won’t be doing anything for awhile. They’re going to have to regroup and elect a new leader.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What about the virus? Your friend’s journal?

GERALD DANIELS

The mission comes first, one thing at a time.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

You heard the people’s reactions that were there for the trial. No doubt the word has spread across the colony by now. Things are going to escalate.

GERALD DANIELS

There’s nothing we can do about it now.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, INDUSTRIAL NOISES, METAL DRUMS BEING MOVED, MECHANICAL SOUNDS

COLONY MAINTENANCE FACILITY

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Yes Council Seat Harris. The drums are being moved in place as we speak.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS (OVER COMMUNICATOR)

Good. Are you by yourself? Is this a secure conversation?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Yes sir, it is.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Do you have enough for the tiers we wanted to target for the test execution?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

From what Dr. Daniels described, we should have plenty.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Once the task is complete. See to it that the workers you’re using are properly dealt with. No witnesses.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

They will be dispatched as we discussed.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Once the fans are turned on, how long will it take?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Approximately 5 to 10 minutes at most.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Excellent. You are to be commended for a job well done Colonel Harlow.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

It is my honor to carry out the will of the council.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

You may proceed.

SOUND: INDUSTRIAL SOUNDS, LARGE FANS POWERING UP, TRANSITION SOUND

COLONY CORRIDOR, LOWER TIERS

SOUND: CROWD MURMURS, PEOPLE COUGHING AND SOUNDING SICK, GAS HISS SOUND, COUGHING SOUNDS START TO MULTIPLY, GAS HISS GETTING LOUDER, CRIES OF SURPRISE, PEOPLE PANICKING, RUNNING, TRAMPLING, MORE COUGHING, PEOPLE CRYING AND BEGGING FOR HELP, TRANSITION SOUND, WIND, WALKING

EARTH SURFACE

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Ok, so if I stay on this heading, I should be able to get to that structure. If I go too far though, the communicator range won’t be able to...

SOUND: WIND, STUMBLING SOUND JONAS ALDRIDGE

Hey!! Whoa! Oh wow, Alton Fysk as I still live and

breathe, I’ve run into you again.

SOUND: WIND, JONAS BREATHING HEAVILY JONAS ALDRIDGE

You made it farther than I thought, with a broken leg too, you were a tough bastard. I guess the radiation got you though. You look terrible.

(PAUSE A BEAT)

I didn’t like you very much Fysk but I certainly wouldn’t have wished that fate on you. Rest in peace.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, WIND, WALKING, DOOR BEING FORCED OPEN, DOOR CLOSING, WALKING THEN STOPPING

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Looks like the walls should be thick enough here, they’re also concrete, that should do it.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND, SOMEONE DRINKING, WHEEL CHAIR MOVING, BEEPING SOUND OF COMMUNICATOR, WHEEL CHAIR STOPPING, MUSIC STOPPING, WHEEL CHAIR MOVING QUICKLY

JONAS ALDRIDGE RESIDENCE

GERALD DANIELS

(DRUNK)

Holy shit! Jonas??

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(CRACKLING, STATIC, OVER COMMUNICATOR)

-ald! Gerald!? Are you there?

GERALD DANIELS

You’re breaking up, but yes, I’ve got you!

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Finally!

GERALD DANIELS

Where are you? Are you ok?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I’m ok! Thank you for saving my life Gerald.

GERALD DANIELS

I’ll pass along your thanks to Nova too, she’s the one who put the crate on the surface for you to find.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Please do. I’m in an old building, it’s the first structure I could find where I could get through to you. The radiation was causing too much interference before to get a decent signal.

GERALD DANIELS

I’m just glad you’re alive.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I found Fysk, he’s dead.

GERALD DANIELS

Figured as much. Are you going for the caves?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I think that’s my only bet. I can’t stay out here too long, even with the suit. If I can get far enough underground, I should be able to survive longer, there might be water there too.

GERALD DANIELS

What about food? You can’t live out there forever.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I won’t have to. I’m going to try to sneak back in.

GERALD DANIELS

If you’re caught, they’ll kill you on the spot.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I’m not planning on staying, I want to try to sneak onto the shuttle before the takeoff like we discussed.

GERALD DANIELS

That was planned before you were banished Jonas. How will you get back in unnoticed?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

There’s a hatch everyone’s forgotten about that isn’t guarded. I’m going to need you to send Nova to that hatch to make sure it’s unlocked for me. It’s on tier 1, sector 32.

GERALD DANIELS

I can do that but you only have a few days Jonas.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I know, I have to find shelter long enough to not die from the radiation and make it back in time for the launch. Luckily, the caves aren’t that much farther from where I am.

GERALD DANIELS

This is a long shot, you know that.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

It’s that or I’m dead up here. This will most likely be the last time we talk Gerald, I’m almost out of range for the communicators.

GERALD DANIELS

I understand. Be careful. I’ll leave the communicator on in case you need to contact us on the way back.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

You be careful too, the council is out of control Gerald, they’re doing horrible things.

GERALD DANIELS

I know. Godspeed my friend.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Thanks, Jonas out.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, WHEEL CHAIR MOVING THEN STOPPING, DOOR KNOCK, DOOR OPENING

NOVA BAYFLOWER RESIDENCE

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Hi Gerald, come in.

SOUND: WHEEL CHAIR SOUND, DOOR CLOSING

GERALD DANIELS

(SOUNDS DRUNK)

I heard from Jonas.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

You did? Is he ok?

GERALD DANIELS

Yes, he found the crate obviously and everything is working fine. He’s out of communicator range now though. He’s on his way to the caves.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I’m glad he’s alive, but what’s he going to do? He can’t live out there, can he?

GERALD DANIELS

No, I’m afraid not but it doesn’t matter because he’s coming back.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

They’ll kill him!

GERALD DANIELS

Not if he gets on the shuttle with you. He’s planning on being your stowaway like we planned before.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

How?

GERALD DANIELS

He’s going to take refuge in the caves for the next day or so and then come back. That’s another reason I’m here, I need you to unlock a hatch for him on tier 1, sector 32.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

We’re going on as planned? That’s great news but I’m also freaked out now too.

GERALD DANIELS

I know, it’s high risk but it’s the only play he has now.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Gerald, are you drunk?

GERALD DANIELS

That’s hardly the concern at the moment.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

It is a concern, you’re part of this and if you’re impaired, you put us at risk too.

GERALD DANIELS

2 things - I can handle my booze and you’re not my mother.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What’s your problem? I see you drinking all the time, it’s getting worse.

GERALD DANIELS

I’m an alcoholic, we don’t all have the gift of willpower you have Nova.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

That’s not it, stop lying to me Gerald.

SOUND: WHEEL CHAIR SOUND, MOVING AWAY GERALD DANIELS

(BRIEF PAUSE)

I can’t...I don’t...Ok, look, I did something awful by order of the council. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What?

GERALD DANIELS

They asked me to engineer a gas that would eliminate the pest problem on the lower tiers.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

You mean like rat poison?

GERALD DANIELS

Essentially.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What’s so bad about that?

GERALD DANIELS

I don’t believe they’re using it on rats, I think they’re using it on the population.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Oh no.

GERALD DANIELS

I felt that way going into this damn project and I made the gas anyway. I feel I may have contributed to the death of many people Nova and I don’t know what to do about it.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Couldn’t you have just made a bad batch?

GERALD DANIELS

They’re testing it to make sure it works first. I was told if it didn’t work that I would be paying a steep price for failure.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I can’t believe they’re doing this. They always boast about how much they care about the colony and how our concerns and safety are so important. It’s all lies.

GERALD DANIELS

The council cares about the council, nothing more. If it doesn’t effect them directly they either don’t know about it, don’t care or just find people’s suffering inconvenient but not relevant.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I thought religious people were supposed to be about love and charity. But they’re not, it’s just a show to mask their hypocrisy and greed.

GERALD DANIELS

Pretty much. They’re really good a being hypocrites.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

And your drinking?

GERALD DANIELS

It’s the only way I can tolerate being me Nova, is to numb myself whenever possible. The guilt I feel weighs me down to the point where I just want to go to a hatch on the top tier, open it and roll out into oblivion.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Well, I guess you can continue to try to escape what you’ve done Gerald but maybe you should consider figuring out how you can make things right instead.

GERALD DANIELS

How do I make this right? There are probably hundreds of people that have been murdered because of my...

NOVA BAYFLOWER

(INTERRUPTING)

You can continue to pity and blame yourself all you want but it’s not going to change what you’ve done. Maybe the best you can do is to try and help as much as possible whenever you have a chance. Drowning yourself in booze won’t help anyone.

GERALD DANIELS

It doesn’t change what I’ve done.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

No, no it does not. But that won’t mean that you can’t do your best to do the right thing from here on out.

And maybe you can figure out a way to kick the council in the balls while you’re at it too.

GERALD DANIELS

I guess you’re right. I just feel the weight of all this now with Jonas gone and you getting ready to leave, I’ll be all alone here.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I’m sorry, I wish you could go with us. I was just starting to think you’re an ok guy.

GERALD DANIELS

Let’s not get carried away. But yeah, I wish I could go too, I guess it’s not very practical.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I’m worried Gerald, I have no idea what will happen when we reach the space station or if I’ll ever be coming back here.

GERALD DANIELS

The mission you’re undertaking is a far bigger thing than the council’s supply run, you know that, right?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I do.

GERALD DANIELS

You and Jonas are literally on a mission to save humanity and find us a new home.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I know, you don’t have to remind me. To think, I only signed on to take some stuff to the space station and here we are trying to save our species.

GERALD DANIELS

I guess we both have some weight on our shoulders.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING, WALKING AND THEN STOPPING

COUNCIL CHAMBERS

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Colonel Harlow, how lovely to see you. Please come forward and present your report.

SOUND: WALKING FORWARD COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Thank you Council Seat Harris. Upon initial testing,

we’re finding the gas very effective. By all accounts, the gas has a nearly 100% fatality rate. There were a few stragglers that managed to survive.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

And the stragglers?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Eliminated.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Very good! And the crew you had delivering the gas?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Also eliminated.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

No loose ends! That’s just one of the reasons why the council loves working with you Colonel, you are both fiercely loyal and efficient.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

It is my genuine pleasure Council Seat Harris. Dr. Daniel’s mixture seems to do the trick.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Glad to see that Daniels has proved his value, at least for now. I have to say that we’re disappointed in other areas of his work though.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

If it pleases the council, perhaps I could pay Dr. Daniels a visit and provide him some motivation.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

That would be very helpful! Just be sure not to do any permanent damage that would hinder his work. We’re running out scientists so we have to keep a few of them around.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

If I may be so bold, what is the point of entertaining these scientists theories at all? I would think we could use them just as effectively as we do now if we muzzled them and put them to work in a more structured forum. Allowing them their freedoms breeds dangerous behavior as evidenced by Mr. Aldridge.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Now, now, while we appreciate your vigor, we found scientists to be very delicate and fragile. If we put them through more rigorous duties, they may not be able to survive and perform as we need them to. And without them, we’d have no clean water, or air filters and who would test surface conditions for when we need to deploy our military force?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

I understand and support the council’s feelings of course.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Although that does raise the question of who will take Aldridge’s place as our surface scientist since God has punished Daniels by taking his legs away.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

A punishment befitting his kind of heretic.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Indeed. I wonder if that idiot pilot could be coerced into taking readings on the surface, how hard could it be?

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

It doesn’t have to be a choice Council Seat Harris.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Very true Colonel. We’ll take the more diplomatic approach for now and ask her, if she refuses then we can elevate the process.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

Should I arrange to meet with her?

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

No, wait until she’s back from her mission, I doubt we’ll use her again as a pilot anyway. She’s vastly more expendable than some of our other prospects.

She’ll be of use as our guinea pig for radiation levels. For now, put your efforts into encouraging Dr. Daniels on his work in the uranium project, our patience is beginning to grow thin.

COLONEL MERCY HARLOW

I will see to it.

COUNCIL SEAT HARRIS

Thank you Colonel Harlow, thoughts and prayers.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, DEBRIS BLOWING AROUND, HEAVY WIND, WALKING

SURFACE CAVES

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(WEARING A HELMET)

Finally. Thank god I can get out of these winds, I thought that last storm was going to kill me. Ok, Jonas, you’re in a cave. Let’s see how far back this thing goes.

SOUND: WIND SOUND DIMINISHING, WALKING JONAS ALDRIDGE

Battery power on the communicator is at 70%, so I can

risk a bit of light for a short time. That’s better. Wow, this goes back much farther than I realized. It looks like there’s moisture on the...

SOUND: SLIPPING, SLIDING DOWN JONAS ALDRIDGE

Whoooooaaaaaaa!!!

SOUND: SLIDING, STRUGGLING, FALLING AND LANDING WITH A THUD

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Ow, that hurt. The communicator! Whew, it’s still ok. Hey, there’s light in here, oh, coming from that opening, almost like a skylight. Maybe I should camp here instead of going deeper. I just need to figure out a way to get back up to...

SOUND: METAL BOOMERANG COMING TOWARDS JONAS JONAS ALDRIDGE

What the hell?

SOUND: THUK! SOUND AS THE BOOMERANG HITS THE WALL OF THE CAVE

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Who threw that? Show yourself!

SOUND: DART SOUND, IMPACT JONAS ALDRIDGE

Ow! What was, wait a minute, I feel...I feel, kind of woozy...

SOUND: JONAS FALLING OVER, FOOTSTEPS GRADUALLY APPROACHING, VOICES

CAVER #1

(ALL VOICES SOUND TRIPPY TO JONAS FROM EFFECT OF DRUGS)

Nice shot! Should we kill him?

CAVER #2

No, she’ll want to question him. Let’s take him back to Mother...

SOUND: DRAGGING SOUNDS, VOICE FADES OUT SOUND: THEME MUSIC

END OF EPISODE 10