Terra Novus, Ep. 1 - Exodus

DJ: And now for our feature presentation of TERRA NOVUS: Created and presented by SCAD Radio Dramas (Scattered).


SFX: Intro theme.

SFX: Static shifting through channels, it is eventually tunes in on a News crew report.
Her voice should go from sound like it is being watched over a tv.

NEWS REPORTER: We’re here live at the Inter-galactic Space Travel Association known as IGSTA, where a council including IGSTA vice-president Briggs and Chief robotics engineer Quinn have agreed to hear Isaac’s Burgos’ plea for the creation of another inter-galactic search mission. Like the other’s before it, the mission’s goal would be to find a new planet for the human race - call it a new earth, Terra Novus, call it what you want, but the longer it takes, people are simply ready to call whatever they find home.

ISAAC: We have to send another team to the uncharted quadrant.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: No. No, no no no - It’s a suicide mission, and a slow death at that, not fast like those fighter pilots in the historic world wars. And we could never fund something like that - it would be like throwing money away, everyone would pull out from under us and our stocks would crash.

ISAAC: Its not about the money, the future of the human race is at stake - if we don’t find a planet in the next six months were all going to die! (Pause) Most of the plants and animals are already dead; and gentlemen, the population of this earth is rapidly becoming extinct. And we’ll just be the next species on that list. We’ve only lived this long because of our ability to synthesize so much of what we naturally need to survive.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: And I know that sounds vain and materialistic but from an ethical point of view, from a humanist point of view, from all logical points of view - We’d be sending those men to their graves from the get go - no one would even have the guts take the mission.

ISAAC: I would. This is the world we’re talking about saving, and everything thing living on it – not just the humans, not just the dozen of men that would have to bravely volunteer their lives for the mission, but everyone. The earth’s resources have become so depleted it cannot sustain life, or itself for much longer. And that’s why we must go now!

COUNCIL MEMBER 2: I’m sorry Mr. Mr., what did you say your name was again? Isaac – something, was it?

INDISTINCT BOARD MEMBERS (whispering and then laughing quietly together): Asimov.

COUNCIL MEMBER 2: …but even if we did want to fund your little search mission we don’t have any proof we would find anything.

ISAAC: If my calculations are correct then I do have proof there is an inhabitable planet in the uncharted quadrant. It has oxygen created by the plants, vast oceans, just like earth almost the same ratio of land to water as we do. It is relatively the same distance from its sun as we are from ours, I mean, it’s farther away but its galaxy’s sun is bigger so it produces more heat. So the planet should be inside the optimum temperature zone to sustain life similar to earth. It also…

COUNCIL MEMBER 2: I…I have to cut you off Mr. Isaac, as you so openly dodged the question of your name, or your credentials as a credible astrologist. But where are you getting these “calculations,”

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: What are your sources and where is your proof.

ISAAC: My father’s space log. He used a remote data transmitter, or a DTU to periodically send them back to his Secure Personal Storage Unit back on earth - to back it up incase anything happened to him or the ship.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: I’m sorry what did you say, Ship? (Chuckles) And where is your father now?

COUNCIL MEMBER 2: More importantly, I’d like to know Who is he?

ISAAC: I... I don’t know where he is, if anyone would know that, it would be you since he was last seen on one of your spacecraft.

Sfx: Short plot thickens theme.

INDISTINCT BOARD MEMBERS: (gasp) (whispering) Burgos? Well who else could it be? He had a son? I heard he had to leave his wife when she was five months pregnant to go on the mission. Burgos did that?

ISAAC: Yes.

INDISTINCT BOARD MEMBERS: (they all get silent).

Sfx: Music abruptly cuts off. Slowly fade in a nostalgic heroic theme, almost like a military bugle.

ISAAC: My father is Gunther Burgos, and I am his son, Isaac Burgos. And he was one of the seven astronauts aboard the NSS Vanguard – the very search ship you gentlemen sent into the uncharted quadrant.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: Why were we not notified that he kept such documents! They should have been property of IGSTA. You should have turned them over to us immediately. You should turn them over to us now!

SFX: Two men step up to Isaac and grab Isaac.

ISAAC: Hey, oww. Let go of me. Take it easy.

COUNCIL MEMBER 2: The space log, Mr. Burgos. Where is it?

Sfx: replay plot thickens theme.

ISAAC: It’s encrypted; I dedicated my life to decoding its secrets. I know everything he wrote in that star log from basic astro-science to the location of that planet. And you’ll never decode it without me.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: And whys that? As we speak there is a team who has been sent to your house, tossing the place, going through everything from your personal computer to the food in your chrio-fridge. Your only in your what - early 20’s. We have the best code-breaking super-computers in the world. What makes you think we can’t obtain and discover the secrets of this document ourselves?

ISAAC: Because I destroyed them.

INDISTINCT COUNCIL MEMBERS: (gasp) Why!?

ISAAC: For the same reason my father encrypted the messages. He knew they had to be kept safe and in the right hands (pause). I am the only record of those logs, I read and memorized every word in that log. I am the only one who knows the location of the planet. I am the only one who can save the world.

Sfx: replay plot thickens theme.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: This is ludicrous? How do we know the star logs ever existed at all?

ISAAC: You don’t. You’ll just have to trust me.

Sfx: start tension theme.

COUNCIL MEMBER 2 (increasingly irritated, louder and faster): You could just be making this all up, a desperate kid trying to find his long lost father and you want us to help you. You’d use any excuse to get us to give you what you want. You come here with no evidence and hand us this story – expect us to believe you and expect us to just hand you a multi-million dollar spaceship and an elite crew of our astronauts who have dedicated their lives to space travel?

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: You’re searching in the dark without a light, the deepest dark you or I have ever seen. Its space, and it goes on forever in every direction. You and the men you ask for could spend the rest of your lives on that wild goose chase, and I for one will not allow it.

ISAAC: But you don’t understand, please just let me explain….

SFX: abruptly cut off tension theme. Door blows open and slams against the wall. Isaac is thrown out of the building and onto the bare ground where he scuffs against the dirt.

ISAAC: Whow- oof.

COUNCIL MEMBER 1: And stay out. Don’t come back unless you have some proof. We’re scientists Mr. Burgos, if you’re looking for men of faith the nearest church is two blocks down on the left. Good day!

SFX: start hopeless theme. The door slams shot and locks. Isaac scrambles over and bangs on the door.

ISAAC (Becoming increasingly distraught.): You’re making a big mistake. You have to trust me. You’re killing all of us, we have to go back to the uncharted quadrant or were all going to die.

SFX: He pauses and then turns and slides to the ground, slumping against the door.

SFX: A car pulls up. And a window rolls down.

MORRIS: Mr. Burgos? Isaac Burgos?

ISAAC (stammering and surprised): Yeah… that, that’s me.

MORRIS: I knew your father, can we talk.

ISAAC: Wait, your not….

MORRIS: No, I’m not with IGSTA. But I do have a spaceship.

SFX: Car door opens. (Dramatic pause)

SFX: Start hopeful theme. Isaac gets in and shuts the door.

MORRIS: Forgive me for being so secretive, but if IGSTA were to discover my launch hanger they would shut it down and put me in jail.

SFX: Starts driving.

MORRIS: You can call me Morris. I saw your proposal on the news.

ISAAC: Oh that, yeah it didn’t go as well as I…

sfx: start adventure theme, like a call to battle, optimistic, challenging.

MORRIS: It’s okay, I believe you. Well, we believe you - me and my crew that is. That’s why we want you to join us, as a navigator. (Pause) We want to search in the uncharted quadrant.

ISAAC: Your crew? Navigator? You have a spaceship, you want to use to search the uncharted quadrant?

MORRIS: Spaceship, launch hanger, you name it.

ISAAC: How did you…

MORRIS: Let’s just say I have friends in high places. Well, all sorts of places, (clears his throat) but that’s not important. You are, and what you know is crucial to the success of this mission and to the continued life of everyone on earth.

TOGETHER (MORRIS AND ISSAC): And everything.

ISAAC: I know, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell them. (Pause) Wow. Well, I mean… its sounds like you’re a cool bunch of guys, and wealthy at that.

MORRIS (correcting him): “Wealthy friends.”

ISAAC: Okay. Well I think I’m in, but I need some time to think this whole thing over. (Pause) How long do I have? When would we leave?

MORRIS: We must leave now.

ISAAC: Now?!

MORRIS: We need you, and yes. We must leave - well, to put it better “you” must leave.

ISAAC: Leave, now, today? Why?!

MORRIS: Like you said, we have to find the planet soon, while there is still a population to save. Species are becoming extinct by the day, people are dying. And you will too if you stay much longer.

ISAAC: Yeah but I mean today, wow. I thought maybe a week at least, a month maybe. But today?

Sfx: start dark nostalgic/reminiscent theme.

MORRIS: They’d kill you Isaac. Make it look like an accident. Or stick you in the nut house, either way get you out of their hair and somewhere where you cant damage their reputation. I’ve seen it done before.

ISAAC: What do you mean?

MORRIS: IGSTA doesn’t like to look bad in front of the public eye, that was a smart move bringing the news crews with you like that. They probably would have killed you right there if you hadn’t done that.

ISSAC: What?

SFX: (Car starts speeding up.) Music starts to fade to a dangerous-adventure theme.

MORRIS: They have enough connections to make it look legitimate, whatever they would have decided to do.

ISAAC: Whoa. Slow down. How do I know you’re not one of them, how do I know “you’re” not going to kill me?

SFX: (another car pulls up to match their speed).

MORRIS: “You’re just going to have to trust me,” as you so eloquently put it. They know you know too much and that you would stop at nothing to be heard, which is exactly why they can’t find out….

SFX: (Swerves and slams into another car.)

MORRIS: About my launch hanger!

ISAAC: Hey, what are you doing?

MORRIS: Convincing you (pause). They’ve been tailing us.

ISAAC: Who?

MORRIS: IGSTA.
SFX: Slams into the car again. It swerves and they speed past it.

MORRIS: You see, a car chase is like a lizard.

SFX: the car comes back up beside them and matches their speed.

ISAAC: There’s another one, it’s right beside us - you see it?

MORRIS: …the tail always seems to comes back.

ISAAC: What is he pulling out? Is that a…?

MORRIS: Get down!

SFX: A automatic-lazer gun fires, littering that side of the car and breaking the windows. The car swerves.

MORRIS: That’s why you have to nip it off at the root.

SFX: Big swerve, cranks the wheel .

ISAAC: Whoooaaa!

SFX: the music peaks as they slam into the other car, causing it to fly into the median and explode. Morris speeds away.

ISAAC: Okay, you convinced me. Where do I sign up?

SFX: Transition music to the next scene. The car pulls up to the launch station, the radiator steaming and hubcaps rolling off etc. Various crew members are loading materials into the ship.

GRAHAM: What happened to you?

SFX: Morris turns off the car. Isaac and Morris open their doors and step out, then close them.

MORRIS: Lizards.

GRAHAM: Huh?

ISAAC: Don’t ask.

MORRIS: Is the ship ready?

GRAHAM: As ready as I could get it by the time you got here, thanks for the “early warning.”

MORRIS: And the 808 unit?

GRAHAM: Yes it’s onboard and is up-linked to the ship’s computer.

MORRIS: He. “He” has been up-linked. It’s a male.

GRAHAM: Yeah, that’s what I said. (Pause) So this is the guy? This is Gunther’s kid.

ISAAC: I’m 25.

GRAHAM: So is the communications expert, but that doesn’t mean she can do her job.

DYLAN: I do my job just fine, thank you very much. See I just intercepted the secret messages you’re trying to send to Morris and that boy, about me “not doing my job,” and now I’m sending you a big one right back.

GRAHAM: Ah, (chuckles awkwardly) the finger, classic. That’s nice. Real mature.

DYLAN: (mockingly) Are you receiving me okay “Graham”?

GRAHAM: Loud and clear “Dylan.” Did I mention Dylan is a boy’s name. (Short Pause) Ah, the same answer as before. Classic.

Sfx: start tension-adventure theme, fast moving but fun still.

MORRIS: If you two are done bickering, we need to speed this along. I was being followed on the way here. I believe the condition of my car can probably give you a pretty good ideas of how serious these guys are.

GRAHAM: I see what you mean. Well, just want to make sure you can do your job kid.

SFX: Slaps him on the back as if he is his “pal.”

ISAAC: I won’t let you down sir.

GRAHAM: That’s a good boy, now get aboard, find yourself a seat, and strap in. .

SFX: transition music, we can hear the hum of the ship now in the background. Isaac trips over the other astronauts banging into them, stepping on toes etc.

ISAAC: Excuse me, pardon me. Sorry.

MORRIS: My apologies, I’ll have to introduce you once we exit the stratosphere and clear earths gravitational pull.

SFX: Isaac sits down and sighs. He clicks his seatbelt on and fastens the straps.

ISAAC: I think I’ve got this seat-harness on right.

SFX: Morris buckles in and clicks the intercom on.

MORRIS: Take her away Aurora.

AURORA (Over the intercom): You got it. Everyone locked in back there?

SFX: Switches flipping, computers coming online.

GRAHAM: If you thought the drive here was rough you’re in for a surprise. This things got “a li-ttle” more kick then the hover car.

ISAAC: As long as Morris isn’t driving.

SFX: Engines start whirring and getting louder.

AURORA (under her breath): I’ll take that as a yes.

SFX: start adventure theme. She eases the throttle up inside the space ship. Outside the Rockets fire and the spaceship lifts off. Everything inside the ship is rattling.

AURORA: And were off.

ISAAC (shaking): I taaakke iit bbaackk.

SFX: The music really kicks in and peaks.

AURORA (over intercom): Brace yourselves, were approaching the atmosphere.

GRAHAM: Hold on to your lunch kid, things are about to get a little bumpy.

SFX: The ship starts to catch on fire and the thrusters push even harder. The interior is shaking violently. Everything is so loud and rattling it seems as if the whole space ship will fall apart and then… silence. Even the sound of the music and thrusters fade out. The hum of the ships interior slowly fades back in.

DYLAN: You can open your eyes now. And breathe.

ISAAC: (Coughs and starts gasping for air.)

DYLAN: …that’s good.

ISAAC: A little bumpy? I’ve been in hover car accidents better than that.

DYLAN: This your first time on a space mission?

ISAAC: Yeah.

Sfx: Start nostalgic-beautiful theme.

DYLAN: Take a look out the window, isn’t it great? Bet you’ve never seen that kind of a view before.

ISAAC: Yeah.

DYLAN:...and you wont get to see it too many times more if what you say is right, I mean about the new planet and all.

ISAAC: Yeah, you’re probably right. Hey look, there’s the Californian island. (pause) Huh, weird.

DYLAN: What?

ISAAC: I don’t know. I guess I always expected the states to be outlined, I knew they weren’t, I guess I just always expected them to be because that’s how I saw them on maps and stuff.

Dylan: (sighs unimpressed) and they got you to lead us to the planet, great.

Isaac: I’ve never been high enough to be able to see a whole state before, let alone continents. I can see all of North America now, South America... Wow, were getting farther and farther away now. Its like a blue and white bowling ball, no, not even. Now it’s just a blue marble.

DYLAN: I know what you’re saying to yourself right now. How can something so big seem so small, right?

ISAAC: (chuckles delicately) Yeah.

DYLAN: Being in space changes your perception of big, of size. And time... you start thinking in light-years up here.

ISAAC: Yeah?

DYLAN: I’m Dylan, by the way.

ISAAC: Isaac burg...

DYLAN: Isaac Burgos I know.

ISAAC: Oh.

SFX: starts tension music. There’s a short pause, then slowly the sound of another ship gets louder and louder.

ISAAC: Does anyone else hear that?

DYLAN: Yeah. It sounds like another…

AURORA: (over the intercom): Incoming!

SFX: Adventure music begins. The bounty hunter’s ship fires multiple times from its laser cannons. The crew’s ship gets hit, it shakes and rattles throwing the crew around.
Starts a trouble /tension music or the dangerous-adventure theme from before.

AURORA (over the intercom): Hold on.

SFX: The space ship swoops and spirals to evade the attack and the dog fight continues.

DYLAN: Whooooa-oof!

GRAHAM: Don’t worry baby, I caught you.

DYLAN: Get your slimy mitts offa’ me and wipe that smirk off your face before I add the minor keys to that baby grand white smile of yours.

GRAHAM: (sarcastically) You’re welcome.

ISAAC: What do we do?

DYLAN: What can we do? I gotta’ get to the communications chair and try to find out.

ISAAC: What do they want?

Dylan: Their hailing us!

MORRIS: Put them on.

SFX: The radio comes on and shifts through static before tuning in on the signal. Start tension music.

BOUNTY HUNTER (over the radio): This is the bounty hunter known as Osotica. By order of IGSTA, lower your speed and land your ship immediately or I will be forced to destroy you.

ISAAC: Is that who I think it is, are they after me?

GRAHAM (irritated): No, it’s a skiptracer? A merc?

ISAAC: A what?

MORRIS: It’s a bounty hunter who has come for your head!

SFX: Cliffhanger ending theme.



DJ: Join us next week for the exciting continuation of Terra Novus every week at (show time) every (show day of the week) night here on SCAD RADIO.

This episode featured the talents of
Writer: _________
And featuring the voices of (actors say their name): ________
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