Season One Episode Three - Yesterday’s War

SFX: Ominous music plays as we hear the doors of an alien spacecraft slide open, followed by heavy footsteps as a man walks down it’s metal ramp.

REVION CARRADIN: My Lord Inquisitor. Revion Jedrish Carradin, Welcome aboard the Cloak of Mercy. I must apologize for our lack of contact during your approach. Our communication systems were damaged in battle.

VADRIC: No apology necessary Revion. But I shall require a full debriefing and access to all of your ship’s logs since your last contact with Primaris.

REVION CARRADIN: Yes of course my lord. Please come with me.

-Scene Change-

SFX: A door slides open.

REVION CARRADIN: -The second vessel disappeared deeper into the Nimbus after the blast, we weren’t able to track them, but we brought the wreckage of the larger craft under tow and searched it.

VADRIC: You boarded the ship?

REVION CARRADIN: Yes, my Lord. The design was very different from anything I've seen before.

VADRIC: That much is clear.

REVION CARRADIN: There’s something else, my Lord. We were able to translate parts of their script. We examined their navigation logs. They seemed to confirm that the vessel had come from a place beyond the veil, outside The Sanctum.

VADRIC: Impossible. There is no life beyond The Sanctum, only darkness.

REVION CARRADIN: Of course, my Lord. Such was the word of Advar himself. It must be some manner of deception. But there’s more: we recovered several corpses.

VADRIC: Show me.

SFX: We hear strange technical noises as a machine extends from the bulkhead.

VADRIC: Strange. Not so very different from you or I.

REVION CARRADIN: Surely a trick, my Lord? Meant to draw us from the path.

VADRIC: Perhaps.

REVION CARRADIN: Their internal biology seems drastically different from ours. Before we ceased our examinations we detected several irregular organ structures.

VADRIC: You stopped the examinations? Why?

REVION CARRADIN: I gave the order when we learned of their origin, my Lord. If these creatures are truly from beyond The Sanctum, then they are cursed, sent to lead us astray. Their writings must be purged and their remains destroyed.

VADRIC: No. You will leave the records and remains intact.

REVION CARRADIN: My Lord, these Outsiders and their tools are unholy, they must be destroyed. The Faith demands it.

VADRIC: And so they shall be. But we must ensure no trace of their corruption survives. You will bring the wreck and any artifacts back beyond the Aegis to be properly eradicated.

REVION CARRADIN: My Lord, I believe that my crew and I are more than capable of resolving this ourselves.

VADRIC: What you believe is irrelevant, Revion. My words were a command.

REVION CARRADIN: Yes, my Lord. My apologies, we will begin charting a course immediately.

VADRIC: Very good. You and your charges have performed well Revion, you acted on your initiative and vanquished a grave threat to The Faith. The Empress shall know of your courage.

REVION CARRADIN: I live to serve, My Lord.

SFX: Intro music starts - “Wilderness” by Taylor Davis. 

NARRATOR: The Sojourn, Season One Episode Three: Yesterday’s War by Daniel Orrett. Starring Larissa Thompson as Captain Cassandra Farren, Emily Serdahl as Director Elizabeth Ancelet, Laura Faye Smith as Tamara Melari, Ben Prendergast as Mathias Croft, and Stephen Trafford as Inquisitor Castian Vadric. Also featuring Matthew Kaufmen as Lieutenant Jasper Ravi, Lelia Symington as Empress Valendra the Sixth, Aaron Jones as Revion Jedrish Carradin, and Special Guest Star Tori Danner as Captain Tamika Jinn.

SFX: Theme music continues. 

SFX: Footsteps as two people walk between vast cargo bays.

CROFT: ...I really don’t know what you’re embarrassed about, you have a beautiful voice.

MEDS: I am not embarrassed. And this is the last time I drink anything that you “made in the machine shop”.

CROFT: Still though, wouldn’t have pegged you for a Travis Lock fan. I think my cousin has all of his albums. Of course she’s fifteen...

MEDS: There’s a lot of storage bays down here, they’d never find your body.

CROFT: (laughs). You know it kinda sounded like you’ve had a lot of practice.

MEDS: If you must know, it’s always helped me to relax. In the war we used to spend hours on standby just waiting for the shooting to start. You’ve got to fill that time with something other than staring into the mirror, or you’ll drive yourself mad.

CROFT: Well don’t stop singing on my account. But if you ever drop an album, I’ll be wanting royalties.

SFX: The sounds of mumbling and shifting crates can be heard from a nearby bay. 

MEDS: Wait, listen. In there.

SFX: A door opens and sounds of shuffling and shifting of crates can be heard.

CROFT: What are you fellas up to then?

UNIONER #1: Clear off Yadja, this don’t concern you.

CROFT: Well that’s just rude.

MEDS: Get away from there. This food is being held back for settlement use.

UNIONER #1: You gonna stop us, traitor?

MEDS: Call me that again.

CROFT: Woah, woah. There’s no need for anyone to get hurt here. You boys are Frontier Union Militia right? From the Abigail?

UNIONER #2: That’s right. You think we’re gonna sit back and let you starve us out?

MEDS: You get the same rations as the rest of us. Put down the bag or we’ll have one less mouth to feed.

SFX: Meds draws her sidearm and loudly disengages the safety. 

CROFT: Ah shit.

UNIONER #1: Go on then, you’ve killed plenty of your own people already. What’s one more?

SFX: The bay door slides open, followed by quick footsteps.

JINN: What’s the meaning of this.

UNIONER #2: Captain Jinn! We-

JINN (angry): You have been given clear orders to stay within the public concourses.

UNIONER #1: But they’re hoarding the food Captai-

JINN: Enough! Return to the ship at once and remain in your quarters until disciplinary actions are arranged.

UNIONER #1: Aye Captain.

UNIONER #2: Aye Captain.

SFX: Footfalls as the two Unioners walk away.

JINN: I apologize for the actions of my men, please assure Director Ancelet that they will be dealt with accordingly. If anything is found missing from these bays I would be happy to assist in a full investigation.

MEDS: I think that-

CROFT: Thanks, we’ll let her know.

SFX: The door opens and closes.

CROFT: Well that could have been a lot worse.

SFX: Meds holsters her weapon.

MEDS: Militia bastards. We should have left them in Tantalus.

CROFT: Hey, Captain Jinn just saved us from a shitstorm right there.

MEDS: For all we know, she sent them in here to steal supplies in the first place.

CROFT: Oh come on, that’s crazy.

MEDS: You don’t know them like I do.

-Scene Change-

SFX: We hear rapid keystrokes. The door chimes.

CASS: Come in.

SFX: The door wooshes open.

ELIZABETH: I bring joyous news. The bar on deck four is finally open. Extra half-rations on drinks for the first day. 

CASS: Oh no no, I do not have time for that. 

ELIZABETH: Why, what’re you doing? You look awful.

CASS: Thanks very much. I’m working: Reviewing perimeter reports, optimizing the duty shifts, and scheduling inventory checks.

ELIZABETH (flatly): Whoa slow down there, there’s only so much excitement I can take.

CASS: It's important. I'm responsible for protecting this fleet now, and if we run into another one of those ships we should be as ready as possible.

ELIZABETH: And may I say, you've been doing a fantastic job. In fact you deserve a drink, so let's go.

CASS: I'll catch up with you later. I just need another hour or so.

ELIZABETH: I was afraid you'd say that. That's why I brought this. Captain Cassandra Farren, may I draw your attention to Article 14 Section B of the Centrum Defence Force Personnel manual. 

SFX: Cass sighs.

ELIZABETH: ‘Should a supervising officer in command of a vessel or facility conclude that a member of his or her staff is suffering from extreme stress or physical exhaustion, they are both permitted and encouraged to remove the individual in question from active duty for a period of mandatory rest and recreation.’ You’ll thank me for it later, tired people make mistakes.

CASS: ...Yeah, they do. Okay, fine you’ve convinced me. Only a couple of drinks though, no more than that.

ELIZABETH: Eh, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

CASS: You realize of course that neither of us are actually in the CDF? Legally, if I really wanted to keep working you couldn’t have stopped me.

ELIZABETH: You keep telling yourself that.

-Scene Change-

SFX: Lively fiddle music plays over the bustling of patrons in a busy bar.

RAVI: Mind if I join you guys?

CROFT: By all means man, take a seat. What are you drinking?

RAVI: Capstan Ale, thanks.

MEDS: You’re looking good Lieutenant. How you been holding up?

RAVI: Much better thanks to your captain. I want a couple more stripes before they put me in charge of fighting aliens.

MEDS: Glad to hear it.

SFX: Footsteps as Cass and Elizabeth approach.

CROFT: Speak of the devil. See you managed to drag yourself away from work, skip?

CASS: I had help.

ELIZABETH: She told me she wants to get as drunk as possible.

CASS: Now hang on-

CROFT: Say no more. Another round please!

ELIZABETH: I’m thinking of moving the senior staff meetings into here, it’s more my speed.

CROFT: Can I be on the senior staff?

ELIZABETH: Yeah sure, why not.

CROFT: Whoo! All this place needs now is to start serving food and it’d be perfect.

MEDS: I think you might have just run into a problem faced by more than just this bar.

SFX: Drinks are placed down on the bar.

ELIZABETH: Here we are.

CASS: What exactly is this?

MEDS: Glycosynthetic Colloidal Ethanol Solution.

CASS: What?

ELIZABETH: Whiskey. Or a close approximation.

MEDS: Structurally it’s basically the same thing I use as antiseptic.

CASS (sarcastic): Wow, sounds great.

ELIZABETH: To close approximations. Fair winds.

ALL: Fair winds!

-Scene Change-

SFX: A different fiddle song plays in the background.

MEDS: If I didn’t know better I’d say you look like you’re enjoying yourself.

CASS: You know, I think I might be.

MEDS: I’m glad the boss managed to drag you down here. You know, I don’t think I've ever seen you drunk before.

CASS: I’m not drunk. But yeah, I’m glad too. 

MEDS: I’ll have to ask Elizabeth for some tips. I’ve been trying to get you to do something like this for four years.

CASS (laughs): You did your best.

-Scene Change-

SFX: Another fiddle song plays. 

RAVI (laughs): You threw your drink at him?

CROFT: Well, just a little bit.

SFX: A chair scrapes the ground.

MEDS: Oh, it was more than a little bit.

CROFT: It was reflex! Nobody calls the Guin ‘overdesigned’. How was I supposed to know he was a planetary governor?

MEDS: And that was the last time we ever refuelled there.

SFX: Footsteps as someone approaches.

JINN: May I join you?

MEDS: I don’t-

RAVI: Of course Captain, take a seat.

JINN: Thank you Lieutenant. And you’re Captain Farren’s friend aren’t you? Tamara, isn’t it?

MEDS: Just Meds.

JINN: Ah, of course. I believe we share a common homeworld. I’ve lived on Teldrin most of my life but I was born on Maiala’s Rest, Crestin Peninsula.

MEDS: Is that so.

JINN: I hope to go back there one day, when this is over. See the deserts again. Do you have the chance to visit home much? 

MEDS: That isn't my home. I'm not welcome there.

JINN: I'm sorry, I didn't know. I knew about what you did in the war but- I'm sorry. That's not why I'm here. To new horizons. Fair winds.

CROFT: Fair winds.

RAVI: Fair winds.

MEDS: Excuse me.

SFX: A chair scrapes the floor.

CROFT: You're leaving?

MEDS: Yep.

-Scene Change-

SFX: A door slides open.

RAVI: Okay Bravo Shift, clear it out. Alpha Shift, to your stations.

SFX: Talking and bustling as the shift changes.

ELIZABETH: Morning, Lieutenant! I see everything is running smoothly.

RAVI: Yes ma’am, barring a few headaches.

ELIZABETH (laughs): Badges of endurance Lieutenant, you’ve earned them. How are we doing up here, anything I should know about?

RAVI: The Gate Component is looking better than it did. Seems like it’ll work just fine if we can figure out what happened to the other segments. Til then we’re holding it just off the service ring. The Guinevere has been loaded with our new navigation data for the next reconnaissance sortie and the Belladonna is working on processing some of the local ice to bolster our drinking water supply. Low strength LIDAR still reads no new vessel sightings, hostile or otherwise. Also your coffee is on your desk.

ELIZABETH: You definitely should have opened with that.

SFX: The door slides open.

CASS: Morning all.

ELIZABETH: Captain Farren you are almost 90 seconds late, I was about to dispatch Search and Rescue.

CASS: I’ll make it up at the end of my shift.

ELIZABETH: I wish I could tell if you were joking.

RAVI: Perimeter report just came in ma’am, no change in-

SFX: A distant explosion reverberates through the deck. Warnings on the consoles begin beeping.

ELIZABETH: What the hell was that?

RAVI: Explosion on the lower Service Ring. Minor casualties and we’re venting atmosphere. Fires reported in the loading bay, auto-suppression is dealing with it.

CASS: Set Condition Two Lieutenant, get Damage Control and the medics down there.

SFX: Alert klaxons begin to sound and a boatswain’s whistle is blown nearby.

RAVI (into PA): All hands, Condition Two. Corpsman and DC Teams to Service Bay C-14. I say again, Corpsman and DC Teams to Service Bay C-14.

CASS: Ops to Guinevere, you guys get down to the lower ring and see what you can do to help.

MEDS (over comms): Already on our way, Cass.

ELIZABETH: Some kind of malfunction?

RAVI: Can’t say for sure just yet, ma’am.

ELIZABETH: Get me a full damage report as soon as you can.

RAVI: Yes, ma’am.

-Scene Change-

JINN: I fail to see why I have been summoned here, Director.

SFX: The door slides open.

ELIZABETH: Please sit down Captain, we’ll be able to answer all your questions.

SFX: A bag is unzipped and a heavy object slams on the table with a loud metallic sound.

MEDS: I found this while we were searching the wreckage. It’s the casing from an explosive device. I’m sure you recognize it Captain, it’s a Union design.

JINN: I hope you’re not accusing me of planting a bomb on this platform.

CASS: Nobody is accusing anyone yet. We’ve seen plenty of criminal groups in Tantalus using devices with this design. There’s not enough evidence to cast blame.

MEDS: Reckon there’s enough for a pretty safe guess.

CASS: Meds.

ELIZABETH: Captain Farren is right, we’re not ready to make any accusations yet. But I didn’t spend years putting all this together to let some lunatic screw it up. We’ll find this guy.

JINN: In that case, allow me to assist in your investigation. You may search my vessel first, I'll make sure my crew cooperates fully. You’ll find that no one from the Abigail was involved in this.

ELIZABETH: Thanks Captain, that’s what I needed to hear. Lieutenant Ravi will accompany you back to your ship with a full search party. Lieutenant?

JINN: Alright. Let’s get this done with.

RAVI: Captain, if you could follow me please.

SFX: The door cycles as Ravi and Jinn leave.

ELIZABETH: What’s the latest damage report?

CASS: No fatalities, but C-14 is trashed. That was our stock of remote resupply drones for fuel and cargo. It’ll be a few weeks before we can fabricate more, until we do this is gonna slow down our mining and recon schedules.

ELIZABETH: Fantastic. Aren’t we supposed to be explorers? I’d really appreciate it if things would stay intact around here long enough for us to actually do some exploring.

CASS: Meds and I can handle this. The Guin has a high-fidelity sensor suite; We’ll run an exterior scan on the blast site while Ravi’s team is searching the Abigail.

ELIZABETH: Fine, sounds good. Let me know if you find anything. I need a cigarette.

-Scene Change-

SFX: The Guin’s consoles beep ambiently as the ship scans.

MEDS: Hull breach is six meters in diameter. Blast pattern indicates the device was planted inside the compartment.

CASS: I don’t get it, why target a bay full of automated supply drones?

MEDS: Half those drones were loaded with fuel and ammo, probably trying to cause secondary explosions. And there aren’t too many places you could plant a device like that without tripping the internal sensors.

CASS: Still, what’s the endgame here? Does this person think they can blow up the whole platform a piece at a time? 

MEDS: Union Militia have never had any problem with random violence in the past.

CASS: We don’t know it was them. The Union joined this expedition by choice like the rest of us, and they’re just as reliant on the Avalon as we are.

MEDS: The situation has changed. You’re Defence Adjutant now so don’t tell me you can’t see how the deck is stacked here. The Guin and the Abigail are the only armed vessels we’ve got, and she might be an antique but that frigate out there could get the drop on us whenever she wanted. And if we’re out of the way, Jinn and her thugs can make off with every ounce of food and supplies in the Avalon’s bays and there’s not a damn thing anyone could do to stop her.

CASS: They’re our allies now.

MEDS: You can’t believe that. Cass, we fought the Union for ten years. You know who these people are. The moment they’re sure they have the upper hand, they’ll turn on us.

CASS: I fought them because I was a soldier and they were the enemy, and when I did, I contributed to a war that brought Tantalus to the brink of collapse. I’m not proud of it.

MEDS: They started that war! They turned my birthplace into a fortress and murdered thousands. And when I stood against them they turned me into a pariah.

CASS: That war left its marks on everyone. But it’s long over now.

-Scene Change-

SFX: Elizabeth’s wall monitor chimes, signalling a call.

ELIZABETH: What’s the word, Lieutenant?

RAVI (over comms): We’ve finished our sweep ma’am, doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary here. There’s no ordnance missing from the ship’s armory and she’s not carrying any explosive materials in storage. It’s possible someone may have brought the device with them from Tantalus, but the crew have solid alibis for the time of the blast. Could have been detonated remotely or on a timer.

ELIZABETH: Did you have any trouble with the command staff?

RAVI (over comms): No ma’am, Captain Jinn gave us full access as promised, they’ve done everything they can to cooperate with our investigation.

ELIZABETH: Fine, guess you’d better keep moving then. Leave a couple of observers behind to keep an eye on the place for another day or so and head over to the Sunbeam for the next search.

RAVI (over comms): Copy that ma’am.

SFX: The call disengages with a chime just as the office door slides open.

CASS: What did we miss?

ELIZABETH: Sounds like the Abigail’s clean. No missing ordnance.

MEDS: It has to have been a custom job. You know they’ve been at our colony supplies, I saw some of them trying to loot the place myself. There are plenty of compounds in there that could be used to make a device like this.

CASS: The supply bays are already being inventoried, but it’ll be a long process.

MEDS: We don’t have time for that. Listen, I realize I have no authority here but I’ve seen how this can play out. We have to keep the Unioners away from the Avalon until the investigation is over.

ELIZABETH: What? Why?

MEDS: Listen, I know the war never made it to Firewatch so maybe you don’t understand what you’re dealing with here, but if you let the Union Militia stay aboard this platform, it won’t be long before you’re looking at a bomb in the medical bay, or in your office.

ELIZABETH: Trust me, I fully understand the severity of having bombs planted on my platform. But I’m not about to start throwing people off this station for no reason.

CASS: Let’s think about this rationally. Whether we like it or not, there are already people on this platform looking for someone to blame, I don’t much like the idea of separating out the Unioners either, but I have to admit it would help prevent rioting.

MEDS: All this would be is a safety measure. We transfer all Union Militia personnel aboard the platform back to the Abigail, and tell Jinn to stay clear of the Avalon until we’ve finished the investigation.

ELIZABETH: Captain Jinn is not gonna like that. no matter how this plays out we’ll have a diplomatic shitstorm to deal with. Or rather I will.

CASS: It’s your call, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH: Oh, thanks. Why is it that the one thing stopping us from reaching the future, is always the past? Fine, we’ll do it. Let’s get this over with.

-Scene Change-

SFX: We hear the sounds of a vast shuttlebay, filled with queuing personnel and the sounds of spacecraft being loaded.

RAVI (over PA): I say again, all Expedition personnel with a registered birthplace within the Frontier Union are to report to the main shuttlebay to be transferred aboard the Union Warship Abigail. This reassignment is temporary; you will be returned to your original postings as soon as the current investigation is concluded. Please cooperate with security and board your assigned transports in an orderly fashion.

JINN: Group one, your transport’s waiting, go on through.

UNION TECHNICIAN: Excuse me Captain, do you know how long this will be? I’m not Militia, just a technician. My belongings are here, and my quarters-

JINN: I’m sorry, I don’t know. They tell me it’s only for a short time. I promise you’ll be provided with good quarters aboard my ship.

UNION TECHNICIAN: Thank you Captain.

SFX: Footsteps approach.

MEDS: Captain Jinn.

JINN: I suppose you’re here to make sure that I leave? Don’t worry, I'm sure you’ll all feel much safer soon enough.

MEDS: I know I will.

JINN: I guess the Director never really meant any of those horseshit speeches about putting aside our differences.

MEDS: Oh no, she wanted to trust you. I talked her out of that.

JINN: Is that right? These are your people being herded away here, not terrorists. They left their homes and joined this expedition for the same reasons you did.

MEDS: You have no idea why I left. You see, they think we’re the same, you and me. And there’s nothing I can ever do to change that. No matter how far I run, or how hard I fight, I’ll always be ‘one of them’. The people who made this expedition necessary. 

I've seen it every day for fourteen years. When they look at me they see you. Just another murderer. Just another Unioner.

JINN: If I’m a murderer then so are you. Do you think fighting for the Assembly made you any different?

MEDS: The Assembly never slaughtered defenceless supply crews. They never tried to use weapons of mass destruction in a pointless act of vengeance. And they never started an unprovoked war because they'd decided they deserved to live more than the people who were trying to save them.

JINN: They were starving us! We would never have lived through the season if we hadn't acted. We deserved our freedom!

MEDS: You had your freedom! You've always had it! The Assembly was never oppressing the Frontier, they were feeding it. We were facing a common threat and they were just as scared and desperate as we were. But you didn’t see a famine, you didn't see a humanitarian crisis that threatened everyone, you just saw a chance for the great Frontier Union to finally have it’s glorious revolution. We can never trust you. You and everyone else who wears that flag made a choice to put themselves before the rest of humanity.

JINN: And you’re doing the same right now, but you don’t even realize it. I feel sorry for you Tamara. I came here to help all of us, regardless of the past. But you’re still fighting yesterday’s war.

-Scene Change-

SFX: Ops Deck ambiance. The door cycles.

CASS: How are we looking?

ELIZABETH: Most of them are loaded up.

CASS: The supply decks are now completely sealed off, and security is covering all critical areas.

ELIZABETH: So much for the spirit of cooperation.

CASS: I still don’t get it. Whoever this bomber is, they had to have known this would be our reaction. They had one good chance to hit us before we locked this place down, why waste it on an empty service bay?

RAVI: Abigail reports that personnel transfer is 60% complete. Fuel pipelines now connected.

ELIZABETH: Got it.

CASS: Wait, pipelines? What for?

RAVI: Abigail will be running her reactors low for several days during the investigation, Captain. We’re resupplying her with fuel and coolant for the duration.

CASS: No I mean, why are we refueling manually?

RAVI: Oh, fuel drones are still down after the bombing ma’am, most of them were in the blast area.

CASS: Oh shit.

SFX: Tense music slowly begins to build.

RAVI: Captain?

CASS: Sweep those pipelines for anomalous metallics and life-signs, fast!

ELIZABETH: What is it Cass?

CASS: We were never the target.

RAVI: One life-sign, inside the main cavity. There shouldn’t be anyone in there.

ELIZABETH: Security to supply gantry 4, now!

CASS: Ravi, put me through to the Abigail.

RAVI: You’re on.

CASS (into comms): Abigail, decouple and wave off! Clear the loading area!

SFX: The deck shakes from a distant blast, followed by a much larger one, resounding through the hull. The music builds

ELIZABETH: Ravi!

RAVI: They blew the fuel lines! Detonation in the primary tender cavity, we’ve got significant structural damage.

CASS: Where’s the Abigail? Did they get clear?

RAVI: No Captain, she’s listing, critical damag- Wait, message coming from Captain Jinn ma’am, text only. “Magnetic Bottle Failure, Reactor Breached, attempting to reach safe distance”.

CASS: Oh God…

ELIZABETH: Ravi, get the connection back!

RAVI: Their comm system is gone ma’am. The Abigail has fired main engines. Now at 300 Meters. … 1200 Meters, … 2200 Meters.

CASS (into PA): All hands, brace for impact!

SFX: We hear a warped and frightening blast as the Abigail’s Drift Drive explodes, followed by loud sparks and the grunts of crew, electrical systems sparking.

-Scene Change-

MICHAEL FAVARA (recording): -Can’t let them do it again. Not again. They say we’re meant to trust them now, but they weren’t there, they don’t know. If we give them the chance they’ll kill us all and take this platform for themselves. I have to stop them. Stop them before they make their move, whatever it takes. It’s the only way. One day they’ll understand, and they’ll know I was right.

SFX: over the recording a switch is flicked, the beginning of an explosion sounds before it is abruptly cut off by static, then silence.

CASS: Inventory Officer Michael Favara, Centrum Defence Force. Service record says he was an ordnance tech on the Swiftsure during the war. His sister was killed in action at Atamara. We think he used fertilizer from the colony supplies to make the explosives. The first bombing was only meant to force us to manually refuel the Abigail. Once he had his chance he blew the fuel lines. He never made it out.

MEDS: He was Centran. It was us.

CASS: He should never have been cleared for the expedition. His doctors reported him stable, but this man was a danger. He shouldn’t have been here.

MEDS: I told you to isolate them on that ship. If they hadn’t been there-

CASS: Elizabeth and I gave the orders.

MEDS: You wanted to trust them, both of you. But you trusted me instead, and now they’re gone.

CASS: It’s done. Michael Favara died for no reason. Fighting a war that had been over for years. It’s too late to save him or his victims. But we’re still here. We don’t have to think like he did, we can be better. That’s why we’re out here.

MEDS: Captain Jinn. Did she have any family?

CASS: A son. Living on Dalstaff II. If we manage to get back to Tantalus I’ll contact him. Captain Jinn saved this platform when she got her ship clear. None of us would be here without her.

MEDS: Yeah.

-Scene Change-

SFX: We hear an alien computer console hum.

FEMALE AIDE: Your eminence.

VALENDRA: I gave instructions that I was not to be disturbed.

FEMALE AIDE: I’m sorry my Lady. But we detected something in the region you specified. An explosion from some kind of primitive fusion device.

VALENDRA: Who knows about this?

FEMALE AIDE: Only the household staff, my Lady.

VALENDRA: Good. Leave me. And signal Inquisitor Vadric to contact me as soon as he is able.

FEMALE AIDE: At once, Empress.

SFX: The door cycles and footsteps retreat.

VALENDRA:And the faithful shall endure only by the grace of Holy Advar. For beyond his Sanctum, no life can exist.”

SFX: Dramatic end credits music plays.

NARRATOR: You’ve been listening to The Sojourn, Season One - Episode Three: Yesterday’s War, written by Daniel Orrett, produced by Daniel Orrett, Larissa Thompson and Gabriel Fonseca, Creative Consultation by Larissa Thompson, Scientific Consultation by Gabriel Fonseca, Sound Design and Audio Editing by Kennedy Phillips, with additional voices by Jonah Scott, Connor Louie, Kenneth Tynan and Trevor Roberts, Music by Sam Redfern, including a rearrangement of ‘Wilderness’ by Taylor Davis, which is used with the given permission of Taylor Davis representatives. This was The Sojourn Season One Volume One, please visit www.thesojournaudiodrama.com for more information on the series and upcoming volumes.Thank you for listening.

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