Terra Novus, ep. 4 - Reunions

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

Sfx: intro theme

dj: last week on terra novous...

Sfx: Pat-mok and Durkal talk amongst themselves.

Graham: Why didn’t you kill me? He what are you doing with that? Are you taking a picture of me.

Pat-mok: The alien starts speaking and slowly his voice changes from the alien into Graham’s voice.

Pat-mok: Not a picture, but a full body scan. So that I could use this bio-modulator to change my appearance to look like you, it even changes my vocal chords to sound like you.

Graham: But why?

Pat-mok: We need a mole, someone on the inside. To make sure this “expedition” does not succeed.

Graham: Why don’t you just blow us all up like you said.

Pat-mok: We can learn from you, learn of the humans’ plans. We can learn much from the one you call Liam, he is a doctor is he not? He can tell us how you work... and how you die.

(Cut to)
Isaac: Allright so were about 30 keks from Neb-kinar which would make that one Lankemp 22, the furthest of Neb-kinar’s moons. And given the time of year and their position in orbit we need to be headed toward, about where that bright star is over there in the Lantijj nebula.

Aurora: Wait... that’s no star, its getting bigger. it’s a…

Morris: A ship. And not just any ship.

Sfx: Ominous music starts.

Issac: Yeah, I know that ship.
Aurorra: The bounty hunter.

Sfx: His ship gets closer and closer.

(Cut to)
Sfx: The engine reaches maximum charge and trys to complete the jump, but then fails and sputters to a halt.

(Cut to)
bob: if I may, that’s what I was trying to explain. The ship has informed me that we are unable to complete the jump into hyperspace because one of the nuclear cores, required to fold space, is either malfunctioning or missing.

(Cut to)
Morris: Aurora take over, Isaac help me man the guns. Battle stations!

(Cut to)
Sfx: They turn on the screens, load the guns, swivel and rotate into position and then fire. The shots whiz by with no hits as the bounty hunter dodges them. Then he fires back, which should be a distinctly different sounding laser.

(Cut to)
Sfx: The bounty hunter fires and destroys Isaac’s turret causing his screen to go to static.

(Cut to)
Morris: We got no more guns, we got no more options, we either do what he says or were dead.

(Cut to)
Bounty hunter: This is your final warning, I am maneuvering my ship to dock with yours if you decline to let me aboard I will be forced to destroy your ship and everyone aboard.

Dylan: If you could have killed us you would have done it already. We have someone you need don’t we. you cant kill us, isn’t that right.

Aurora: Dylan?!

Bounty hunter: (Laughs) You are clever, but wrong.

Gail: Dylan?! Now he’s going to kill us, you idiot.

Bounty hunter: I don’t need someone but something. You must know you are carrying a stolen 808 unit aboard your ship.

Aurora: That’s how he’s been finding us.

Dylan: You mean bob?
Isaac: I knew they weren’t after me.

Aurora: he’s about to dock with our ship.

Bounty hunter: now hand over the stolen property.

Sfx: A third ship’s guns fire and hit the bounty hunter’s ship sending him spiraling.

Bounty hunter: Arg!

Sfx: bounty hunters signal gets statically. The third ship gets closer and fires a few more shots, which should also be distinct from the other two ships.

Bounty hunter: This isn’t over, the 808 unit cannot hide from me.

Sfx: The bounty hunter’s ship speeds away damaged.

(Cut to)
SFX: The radio comes on and shifts through static before tuning in on the signal.

Third ship: This is the NSS Vanguard, of earth do you read us.

(Cut to)
Isaac: That’s my father’s ship.

Dj: And now for the continuation of terra novus. Episode four.

Morris: (Laughing) We read you loud and clear captain. This is the NSS Exodus of earth, (curiously inviting) lets us dock so we can speak.

Aurora: Initiating docking sequence.

Sfx: The two ships dock and a door opens between the ships. The new crew walk onto the Exodus.

Morris: Greetings, my name is Morris I am the captain of the Exodus. You’ve got a strong grip.

Sfx: Shake hands.

Captain Whitaker: And you too Captain. I am Captain Whitaker of the NSS Vanguard.

Morris: Come, let us talk.

Sfx: They walk and sit down.

Morris: We’ve come to find the same planet you are looking for. As far as we knew, you were all lost in space or had been killed by aliens.

CAPT. WHITAKER: That’s not far from it. (Pause) we landed on what we thought was the planet we were searching for, the answer to all our problems including repairs. We had been damaged when we had a run in with a Kreigal battle cruiser.

MORRIS: Really, I didn’t know they trolled that close to our galaxy.

Sfx: Start eerie reminiscent music.

Capt. Whitaker: Well they injured our ship and we narrowly escaped, only to come out of hyperspace hurdling towards Zudam, the planet we thought was inhabitable. With the damages to our ship we couldn’t pull up in time, and crash landed. We started the repairs and investigated the planet. But if we knew what we were about to learn, we would have known that we had a better chance staying and fighting the Kreigal.

MORRIS: What was it?

Sound fx: Very quietly and in his memory (increase reverb) you can here the scene take place, screams, burning flesh, scratching at the hull etc.

CAPT. WHITAKER: The planet, it seems, was orbited by a some sort of radioactive sun, which mutated the plants and poisoned almost everything on the planet every time it orbited. By the time we found out, we had just finished the repairs, but dawn was upon us and the sun started infecting the crew one by one. Those of us that made it back to the ship had to seal the others out, those poor souls. They were clawing at the hatch begging for us to let them in, clawing at themselves to stop the burning. (Sighs) It was not a peaceful death.

Morris: I’m sorry.

Sfx: end eerie reminiscent theme.

CAPT. WHITAKER: We later found out that one of them that had made it back, it was Burgos.

Sfx: Start point of interest theme.

ISAAC: Gunther Burgos?

CAPT. WHITAKER: Yes. The one who started our mission, he was infected.

ISAAC: Dad? Where is he, is he still alive, I have to talk to him.

CAPT. WHITAKER: No. I’m sorry. We tried to treat him but our doctor was killed on the planet and we had neither the knowhow nor the manpower to keep him alive.

ISAAC: So he really is gone.

Dylan: I’m sorry Isaac.

CAPT. WHITAKER: If its any conciliation we still have many of his space logs in our computer system if you would like to come aboard and see them for yourself.

ISAAC: You mean there’s more?

Sfx: Discovery/point of interest theme.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Ah yes, I suppose you’ve read the ones he sent home to his SPSU on earth to back up, but he wrote many logs after we reached the limit of our transmitting distance to earth.

MORRIS: That would be most helpful.

ISAAC: Greatly appreciated.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Good then I’ll escort you aboard our ship.

MORRIS: Ah, Captain Whitaker, if I accompany Isaac onboard is there anything I can have my crew do for you in return?

CAPT. WHITAKER: No thank you Captain morris we are not in need of any of your help at the moment, but let our crews talk amongst one another. I’m sure they are anxious to hear of what has happened on earth in the some 10-years I calculate we’ve been gone.

MORRIS: Yes, you have been gone a very long time.

Sfx: (transition music) Walk aboard new ship, it has a different sound ambient. They sit down and typing can be heard.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Well here you go, I’ve pulled up all his space logs since we were out of range to transmit to earth.

MORRIS: Isaac why don’t you look over that and see if you cant pick up anything that would help us pin point the planet were looking for.

Isaac: Yes sir.

Sfx: Starts typing. Transition music.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Your crew is very lucky we came along and found you, or you would have been at the mercy of that Bounty Hunter.

MORRIS: Yes we are very thankful. He destroyed our ship’s turrets, leaving us defenseless. We tried escaped into hyperspace like we had done before to avoid him, and it would have worked save for the fact that one of our nuclear cores was stolen by a Kodukai when we landed on Neb-kinar.
CAPT. WHITAKER: It is a dangerous planet.

MORRIS: Yes indeed. I fear he may be tracking us using some sort of homing beacon hidden inside our 808 android. He believes the robot has been stolen.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Hmm, it seems like a lot of work to get an outdated status android back.

MORRIS: Yes I know, I have a feeling he is carrying something they need.

Sfx: Thoughtful theme.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Or don’t want you to see.

MORRIS: Do you think while we our docked you could give my crew a hand removing it. I wouldn’t want to put your crew in danger.

CAPT. WHITAKER: Yes, of course. I’ll send a few of my men over to help immediately.

SFX: (Transition music) start eerie double crossing theme.

Bob: Before I am shut down, might I ask why your crew are working in the ventilation area out side the ship rather than the turrets. I can assure you my uplink with the ship’s computers show no damage to the ventilation units.

EXODUS CREW TECH (uninterested): Hmm. I’ll get someone to take care of it, he must have made a mistake.

BOB: Thank you si--

Sfx: Shuts android down.

EXODUS CREW TECH: All right lets open this bad boy up.

SFX: Opens squeaky panel to sparking wires and beeping circuitry.

GAIL: What are you doing?

GRAHAM: What does it look like were doing Gail, were looking for the homing beacon we think that Bounty Hunter’s using to track our location and destroy it.

GAIL: Destroy it? That’s IGSTA property. You should have just done what he wanted and given it back. And you’ve made us all accomplices, they’ll assume that because we’re on the same ship that I had something to do with him being stolen.

GRAHAM: So what.

Sfx: start nostalgic theme.

GAIL: So what? You might not have a home on earth to go back to, but I do.

GRAHAM: You have no idea.

GAIL: And I know I can’t be the only one.

Sfx: (Transition music)

LIAM: Stolen? Stolen?! How could he be stolen? Do you know what that means?!

Aurora: Whoa, whoa, slow down. Look, I know its bad, I’m scared too, don’t you think I want to have a family, a home with my husband (pause) with my baby?

LIAM: Yeah, it’s just that I have a… previous engagement. Or arrangement is more like it.

AURORA: Is there something you’re not telling me?

Sfx: start sad reminiscent theme.

LIAM: Morris said six months, six months max! I go on this mission and I’d be home in half a year and that’s what I told them.

AURORA: Who?

LIAM: The Drunken Butchers.

AURORA: You owe money to the mob?!

Sfx: slumps to the ground.

Liam: (Despairingly choked up) Yeah. (Pause) and if I don’t get back in time, or get back at all - like our new found friends - they said they’re going to take it out of my family. We were desperate, I couldn’t hold a job… my family needed the money or we’d have been on the streets

AURORA: But at least they would have been alive. Now they could die.

LIAM: (Starts crying) I know.

AURORA: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that. Don’t think that. Here stand up, let me help you.

Sfx: she helps him up. Sad theme ends.

LIAM: I…

AURORA: What? What is it?

LIAM: When I married her I took a vow, till death do us part; forever. Now I wonder if I’ll ever see her again. If I’ll ever love again, and then…

sfx: music starts getting out of tune.

Liam: and then I see you and there’s hope.

AURORA: (Awkward silence) I…

LIAM: Your so nice to me. You’re helping me read, helping me write. You’re the only one who treats me as an equal, even though I’m not on the main deck. You know my secrets and you still except me.

Sfx: music builds.

AURORA: (Sigh’s) Liam, i…

LIAM: Look I’ve had kids, I’m good with kids. Please just.. Aurora (pause) will you m…

sfx: music peaks and then cuts off.

AURORA: Wait a second! (trying to convince him) Look I know you’re feeling desperate, confused even about your feelings. But you’re getting home, were getting home. Well be redefining what home is once we find the new planet, but you’ll see her again, you’ll see your family. And the Drunken Butchers won’t lay a finger on them, I promise you.

Sfx: start sad remorseful optimistic happy theme.

LIAM: Starts crying optimistically.

AURORA: I need to believe that, to keep my hopes alive. I need to stay faithful to my husband so that I can convince myself I’ll see him again. And I couldn’t do that.. I mean really believe that, If I was with you.

LIAM: Ah huh. (Sulking)

AURORA: I like you, I… understand you (sigh and pause trying to chose her words) and if you ever need anyone to talk to… I’m here for you. I’m lonely too, but keep you’re hopes up; we may be home even sooner than you think if Isaac can find anything useful in those remaining space logs.

SFX: Transition music

MORRIS: Have you found anything yet Isaac?
ISAAC: I don’t know, I mean they never actually found the planet. Here my father thinks he’s narrowed it down a bit since his last estimate and comparing it with some of the new data he had been collecting - but surprisingly most of his journal is about the crew not the planet.

MORRIS: What do you mean?

Sfx: Start reminiscent tricky double crossing theme.

ISAAC: Well he says he made suggestions as to where they should go, but that the crew seem to ignore him. He says he is treated as an outsider, and even suspected that IGSTA never even wanted them to find the planet.

Sfx: Add point of interest theme.

MORRIS: You mean almost like they were just going up there to make it look like they were searching?

ISAAC: I guess so.

MORRIS: But why?

ISAAC: I… I don’t know yet.

Sfx: A big man walks up behind them. The music gets darker and more dangerous, a little tension in the air.

MYSTERIOUS VANGUARD CREW MEMBER: You two.

Morris: Ah yes, greetings I am Morris, captain of the Exodus. Your Captain, where did he sneak off to, was just allowing us to look over Mr. Burgos’ star logs. Isaac here happens to me his s…

MYSTERIOUS VANGUARD CREW MEMBER: I don’t care who he is. Or you either..

ISAAC: Well you’re not very nice.

MYSTERIOUS VANGUARD CREW MEMBER: You must go back to your ship. You’re not welcome here any longer.

ISAAC: Now wait just a second…

MORRIS: Yeah give us a break, this must all be just a misunderstanding. If I could speak with the captain you’d see…

MYSTERIOUS VANGUARD CREW MEMBER: It is captain’s orders.

MORRIS: Well were not done yet so why don’t you tell your Captain, if that really is who sent the orders to have us go back to our ship, if he wants us to leave, he can tell us himself!

MYSTERIOUS VANGUARD CREW MEMBER: I’m afraid you have to leave now.

Sfx: the music gets dangerous as the man grabs Isaac by the collar and lifts him up.

ISAAC: Unghh. Hey, let go of me!

MORRIS: Get your hands off him, don’t you lay a finger on a member of my crew!

sfx: Morris tries to fight him off.

MYSTERIOUS VANGUARD CREW MEMBER and MORRIS (Together): Men struggle.

ISAAC: Morris, Watch out he’s going for his laser.

Sfx: A laser gun charges up and then fires a few times ricocheting inside the ship. Then a few punches and the man falls to the floor. The music ends heroically.

MORRIS: There I got him. Get his gun from him Isaac.

Sfx: Isaac takes his gun from him.

ISAAC: Got it.

MORRIS: Where’s the captain?

ISAAC: I don’t know. Com’on we’ve got to get back to the ship and warn the others. Something’s not right here.

Sfx: They run off. Transition music.

GAIL: So what’s the word on the engines?

GRAHAM: Our worst fears are confirmed, one of the engines is completely gone. At least I could have repaired it if it was damaged, but I can’t do a thing if I don’t even have an engine to work on.

GAIL: But what would you do with a nuclear core from a NSS.

Sfx: Start nostalgic depressing theme. This is all happening while we hear the Crew Tech working on Bob.

EXODUS CREW TECH: Before they discovered how to harness the power of a nuclear explosion as a means of propelling a space craft into hyperspeed, humans used its raw materials, such as uranium and plutonium for war.

GAIL: You mean building bombs?

GRAHAM: Yes, the likes of which you’ve never seen. Humans killing humans, it’s all their history is, isn’t it?

GAIL: You mean our? Our history.

Sfx: music changes to get darker and sadder.

GRAHAM: Ah… yes. I suppose it is. (pause) Anyway please continue.

EXODUS CREW TECH: Alright, so there was so much was being created that by the time they were globally outlawed and all countries were simultaneously ordered to dismantle the bombs, they were still left with the dangerous raw materials. Nuclear power was still a relatively discovery so scientists turned their efforts in a less destructive route and started experimenting with it as a source of power and propulsion. IGSTA, then known as NASA in the U.S. took a particular interest. The long distances between planets dwarfed any measure of distance traveled on earth, this new propulsion system would give them the speed they needed to cut the traveling time dramatically.

GAIL: So what happened?

EXODUS CREW TECH: Well eventually, like I said, the same kind of ban that happened on the bombs happened on the space craft and they became practically extinct. The ever growing war on terror forced extremist groups to be more inventive, and especially in third world counties where regulations were not a strictly enforced, many terrorists found most of the work had been done for them. They just needed to look in the carcasses of retired space craft.

Sfx: end reminiscent theme.

GAIL: So you think the Kodukai are making a nuclear bomb with our ships engine?

EXODUS CREW TECH: They could be.

GRAHAM: They may also not know what they have their hands on and could have just done it as a safety precaution to try and stop you from escaping.

GAIL: Which we obviously did. But isn’t it true the Kodukai have yet to master space travel?

GRAHAM: Space ships maybe, but space travel – no. They are much more advanced than that.

EXODUS CREW TECH: Hey, I think I got it, (grunts) yep, here it is.
Sfx: Spark fly as he breaks the chip off and pulls it out.

GRAHAM: That’s it hungh? That’s what he’s been using to track us?

GAIL: Hey what are you doing? Don’t break it.

EXODUS CREW TECH: What do you mean “what am I doing?” You want that bounty hunter coming after you again? After us?

GRAHAM: Yeah, they wont always be here to bail us out and come to the rescue just in the nick of time twice, you know?

GAIL: Yeah, I guess. But you can’t break it, that’s IGSTA property. Cant you just deactivate it or something?

EXODUS CREW TECH: I guess so… but its not as fun.

GAIL: Give it here.

GRAHAM: Hey!

sfx: Gail snatches the part away from him.

GAIL: Now tell me what to do with it?

EXODUS CREW TECH: Press that red button there… no not that one, the other one.

GAIL: This one?

EXODUS CREW TECH: Yeah that’s it. Here, hold it up to your ear.

Sfx: A pulsating beeping noise gets louder, like we the audience are putting the locator closer to our ear.

GAIL: Hey I hear it, does that mean its still on?

EXODUS CREW TECH: Yes, that’s the signal the Bounty Hunter’s been using to track your ship. Now press that button I told you about.

Sfx: Presses button and beeping ends.

GAIL: It stopped.

EXODUS CREW TECH: Well then its harmless. Just don’t press that other button or it will start sending the signal again.

GAIL: Hugh, so much trouble in such a small little thing.

EXODUS CREW TECH: You think that’s bad? You don’t know the half of it.

Sfx: The hissing of smoke starts coming into the room. The music becomes eerie and sinister.

GAIL: What’s that noise?

GRAHAM: There! Its some kind of smoke (cough) coming in through the vents.

GAIL: (cough, cough) What do we do?

EXODUS CREW TECH (as puts gas mask on): Speak for yourselves, that’s your problem.

GAIL: Why does he have a gas mask Graham? Its almost like he… was… ex-pec—ting…

Sfx: Dylan and graham fall to the ground unconscious. Music makes them seem doomed. Then two people come running in.

ISAAC: Oh no, were too late. They’ve filled the entire ship with some sort of gas.

MORRIS: Quick Isaac, (cough) cover your face and try… not to (cough).. breath.. in – the smmm….

Sfx: Morris falls to the floor.

ISAAC (muffled): Not you too. (sighs) What can I do? I can already feeling it affecting me, even though I’m trying to cover my face. (breathing heavily) It’s… (cough) no… use.

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): ________
Music and Sound FX by: __________
Mixed by:_______
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