Season One Episode Four - Dust and Shadow

SFX: footsteps echo as ethereal string instruments play.

LANTRIS: In the time before memory, we knew only the Great Nothing. It enveloped us from all sides, and within its darkness we did wither and starve.

ASSEMBLED CLERICS: So sayeth the Faith Eternal.

LANTRIS: Then came the light of salvation. When Advar, The Divine Illuminator, did forge his Holy Sanctum, to stem the tide of the Great Nothing, and to shield the faithful from the endless midnight. It is in his deference that we call ourselves Advari.

ASSEMBLED CLERICS: Praise be to Advar. Truth without Exception.

LANTRIS: As High Cleric, and in the sight of our Sovereign Empress, Valendra the Sixth, I proclaim your initiation as Clerics of the Faith Eternal. You will each travel to priories across the many hundreds of worlds of our holy empire. There you will grant guidance to the faithful, lead them in their worship, and accept from them their final sacrifices, in preservation of the Sanctum of Advar.

ASSEMBLED CLERICS: Only through sacrifice does his Sanctum endure.

SFX: gentle creaking of wood. Quiet whispers in the background.

CINDRA: I’m certain our newest clerics will serve the Faith dutifully, my lady.

VALENDRA: Where is Lord Arvannis? And Factotum Rimad? Has my entire court seen fit to abandon their duties today?

CINDRA: I’m sorry my lady, no one has seen them. Their duties must be urgent.

VALENDRA: Their duties are here, as I have commanded. Find them at once.

CINDRA: Of course, my lady.

SFX: footsteps approach.

LANTRIS: Your grace.

VALENDRA: High Cleric Lantris. You spoke well.

LANTRIS: I merely spoke the truth, your eminence. As always. The words have meaning not because they are spoken, but only because they are listened to.

VALENDRA: A surprising perspective for a High Cleric. Surely the truth remains a worthy cause, whether it is spoken to a million followers, or to none at all.

LANTRIS: The truth, unheeded, can be indistinguishable from a lie, your majesty. And a lie, unabated, can become indistinguishable from the truth.

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

NARRATOR: The Sojourn, Season One Episode Four: Dust and Shadow by Daniel Orrett. Starring Larissa Thompson as Captain Cassandra Farren, Emily Serdahl as Director Elizabeth Ancelet, Laura Faye Smith as Tamara Melari, and Ben Prendergast as Mathias Croft, also featuring Lelia Symington as Empress Valendra the Sixth, Amy Kay as Cindra Tacira, and Marta da Silva as High Cleric Darsellia Lantris.

SFX: Theme music continues.

SFX: a solo cello plays a bright classic tune. A low rumble starts, as the cello reaches the end of the phrase. A menacing note plays, as echoing dialogue overlaps each other.

MARIANA CAPTAIN: That’s done it Guinevere! We’re free!

RAVI: They blew the fuel lines!

WOUNDED MAN: …we were the only ones left alive…

SFX: bursts of static start as the cello continues playing, getting drowned out by the voices.

WOUNDED MAN: She could have saved herself...

WOUNDED MAN (overlapping): …We were both hurt…

ELIZABETH (overlapping): …Across these coming months we will live and work in places no human has ever seen…

WOUNDED MAN (overlapping): …She sealed up the bulkhead and got the air back online…

RAVI (overlapping): …Reactor breached, attempting to reach safe distance…

SFX: alarms echo.

WOUNDED MAN (overlapping): I don’t-, I- I-...

SFX: panicked breathing.

WOUNDED MAN: It was so sudden

ELIZABETH: we will build a common future for humanity.

SFX: a surreal shriek builds.

MEDS: Cass?

SFX: a thud as the cello hits the floor, a startled gasp, and the voices and sounds fade out. Cass breathes heavily.

MEDS: Oh, sorry; didn’t know you were practicing, I should have buzzed.

SFX: sounds of containers being grabbed as tea is made.

MEDS: You ok?

CASS: I’m fine. Just having a “What the hell are we doing here” kind of moment.

MEDS: Yeah, I'm averaging five or six moments like that a day.

SFX: Cass sighs.

CASS: I don’t feel good about dragging you guys out here, putting you in danger. We had a good thing back in Tantalus. A ship and a crew. No one’s problems but our own. A Privateer’s life is better than most.

MEDS: You couldn’t have known how things would turn out. I am a little worried about you taking this adjutant job though. You’ve come a long way in the last few years but-

CASS: I know, I know. It’s only until we find some CDF Captain or something out here to take over. Right now we’ve only got each other to rely on, and if I can help keep these people safe then I have to try. Trust me, I’ll be just as happy as you when it’s over.

MEDS: Alright, but I’ll hold you to that.

CASS: I’m sure you will.

- Scene Change -

SFX: a ships engine approaches. Music plays a hopeful version of Cass’ theme.

CASS: Ship’s log, Guinevere. 98th of Solstice, 304 PCU. We set out from the Avalon just over a week ago, and are coming to the end of a long burn toward a destination deeper within the nebula. The system we’re headed for doesn't seem to be connected to the strange network of Lauralyn Conduits we’ve been discovering, so we’ve had to travel here under our own power. We’re here because the star at the centre of this system is a Pulsar, the first ever to become reachable by human spacecraft. The chances of finding useable resources seem minimal, but Director Ancelet… Elizabeth, was naturally far too excited to stay away.

SFX: Music fades.

- Scene Change -

SFX: Clattering plastic. Beeping and a gentle hum starts. Footsteps approach.

ELIZABETH: Ooh. Captain on deck.

CASS: Please stop saying that.

ELIZABETH: Nah, I like watching you roll your eyes. You know what’s going on with this microwave? The whole thing was disconnected, I had to-

CASS: Oh shit, no no put it back, put it back!

CROFT (shouting down the ladder pit): Hey, who’s using the microwave?!

CASS: Oh now you’ve done it. Sorry, I tried to save you.

SFX: metallic sliding as Croft slides down the ladder.

CROFT: Oh no Boss what are you doing.

SFX: beeping, then the hum stops.

CROFT: Come on, you’re better than this.

ELIZABETH: Erm… heating up my lunch.

SFX: soft click as the microwave door opens. Food sizzles & steams in an unappetizing way.

CROFT: Ah no no no, what have you got in here?

ELIZABETH: Well I was considering steamed white asparagus and coconut saffron risotto but then I remembered there was a species-wide mass famine so I went for a Protein Brick instead.

SFX: clattering.

CROFT: Mass-famine is no excuse for sloppy preparation. Not even a protein brick deserves the microwave. Look at it!

SFX: gross squelching sound. Footsteps.

CROFT: But, I think we still have some synthetic garlic, and I can finally break out that Axian Flaky Sea Salt I’ve been saving.

ELIZABETH: This really isn’t necessary.

SFX: clattering and rustling.

CROFT: You will not be saying that in a minute.

ELIZABETH: If you never use the microwave why haven’t you guys removed it?

CROFT: Trust me I've tried, the damn thing is built right into the bulkhead.

SFX: banging, spice shaker being used.

CROFT: You know, skipper, I really think we could-

CASS: We are not removing the bulkhead. I’ve told you before.

SFX: beep.

MEDS (through comms): Hey Director, thought you might want to know, the close range images from the probes came back a little early, I’m about to-

SFX: a gentle beep.

ELIZABETH: Oh my god! What’s the clarity like? 

SFX: clattering and footsteps.

MEDS (through comms): Well I’m still resolving the-

ELIZABETH: Never mind I’ll be right up there!

MEDS (through comms): Oh I can bring them down for you when-

ELIZABETH: No no, don’t worry I'm halfway there!

SFX: palms rubbing together.

CROFT: Ok, ok, are you thinking sautéed or braised?

SFX: muffled footsteps.

CROFT: Where’d she go?

- Scene Change -

SFX: gentle beeping of the Guinevere’s bridge. A door whooshes open. A jaunty, exploratory tune plays.

CASS: So is it worth the wait?

ELIZABETH: Cass, this is incredible. I must have seen hundreds of X-Ray readouts and artists' impressions of pulsars, but to be this close. You can actually SEE the equatorial winds around the corona. The arms are producing gamma rays in excess of 100 teraelectronvolts!

CASS: Ok, I'm going to take that as a yes.

MEDS: You know, I think I have some mild tranquillizers around here somewhere.

SFX: Cass laughs. A small beep. Footsteps.

ELIZABETH: How long until we’re close enough to get wide-spectrum scans?

MEDS: A few days yet.

SFX: quiet, pulsing static.

MEDS: All this radiation is interfering with the sensors, and we’ll have to be careful with our trajectory to stay clear of the Pulsar’s magnetic fields.

SFX: static is turned off

There’s a significant ore belt in the inner system where we could hold up to conduct our scans, maybe check the rocks for useful materials while we’re here.

CASS: Sounds good to me.

SFX: a quiet alarm sounds.

MEDS: Hold up, I’ve got a new contact.

SFX: a click as the alarm is turned off

MEDS: Looks like a small terrestrial planet on the edge of the system, close to our current position.

ELIZABETH: Wait, what? Let me see that.

SFX: footsteps.

MEDS: I’m reading a thin atmosphere. Largely breathable, but I wouldn’t want to live there.

CASS: How the hell is that even possible?

ELIZABETH: It shouldn’t be.

SFX: a seatbelt zips.

MEDS: The surface is extremely smooth. Can’t make out the composition, looks like ice, or some kind of crystalline material.

SFX: a beep. Music swells excitedly.

ELIZABETH: Oh shit no way. No wayyyy.

CASS: What?

ELIZABETH: Look at the composition, it’s glass!

MEDS: Glass?

ELIZABETH: I think the surface has been vitrified by extreme heat. Probably from the supernova that created the pulsar. A few billion years ago this planet must have been covered in desert!

CASS: Woah. That’s… pretty awesome.

ELIZABETH: RIGHT?! We’ve totally gotta go down there.

CASS: Now hang on. Stopping for a planetary survey is going to extend this by-

ELIZABETH: I know, I know, we need to be back at the platform.

SFX: hydraulic hissing as a chair is spun.

MEDS: We don’t necessarily have to stop. If you’re up for it, we could drop you guys here in the Rover with some supplies, then Croft and I could carry on to get the Pulsar readings and pick you two up on our way back out. Would give you about a week to investigate the planet.

CASS: Oh, I'm really not sure...

ELIZABETH: I like this plan!

SFX: Cass sighs.

ELIZABETH: Oh don’t start. This’ll be great! It’ll be a bonding experience! Braving the mysteries of a strange alien planet, walking beneath a sky no human has ever seen…

CASS: Sleeping in a nylon bag, sitting in a cramped rover for days, drinking cold tea out of a flask…

ELIZABETH: You can’t fool me. This is an ancient desert, turned to glass by a dying star in a mysterious alien nebula. You want to see what’s down there just as much as I do.

CASS: Fine. But only if you’ll contain your excitement for five minutes.

ELIZABETH: I’ll do no such thing. I’m going to go and pack.

SFX: footsteps recede and Elizabeth’s voice fades.

ELIZABETH: We’ll need full spectrum scanning gear and sampling equipment, oh and spare power cells for the heaters cos it’s seriously cold down there…

CASS: Wonderful suggestion there Meds, thanks.

MEDS: Oh I thought so.

- Scene Change -

SFX: engines fire in atmosphere, getting closer to the ground. Eerie music starts. The ship lands and a cargo bay door opens. A car engine starts.

CASS (through comms): Guinevere, Wildcat. Clear of engine wash. You’re good to dust off.

CROFT (through comms): Copy that skip, we’ll be back before you know it. You guys have fun. Guinevere out.

SFX: engines fire and fade out. Eerie music continues.

ELIZABETH: God look at that horizon, it’s like it stretches on forever.

SFX: a beep.

CASS: I’m picking up some kind of crevasse, 200 meters on our eleven-o-clock. Is this our first waypoint?

ELIZABETH: Yeah, I picked up a heat signature from orbit, think we could be looking at some kind of geothermal activity. There are cracks like this all across the surface.

CASS: So we’re climbing down into a mysterious canyon that might be a volcano?

ELIZABETH: You bet we are.

SFX: cranking sounds, the Wildcat’s engine revs.

- Scene Change -

SFX: outside, the Wildcat’s engine approaches, then brakes. A quiet buzzer sounds and a door opens. Footsteps.

CASS: Woah.

ELIZABETH: You alright?

CASS: Yeah I'm good. Haven’t been in a low-pressure atmosphere for a while.

SFX: hydraulic doors opening and closing as gear is removed.

ELIZABETH: Take it slow, we’ll exert ourselves much faster here if we work too hard. We’ve got enough cord to rappel down from here.

CASS: Pass me the rifle, I'll go ahead of you.

SFX: clicking as the gun is inspected.

ELIZABETH: Oooh good idea. If I get caught in a landslide maybe you can shoot at it for me.

CASS: Well I don't know, there could be wild animals down there or something. 

SFX: gear is prepared.

ELIZABETH: Not unless they eat glass.

CASS: If I’m not here to protect you then why am I here?

ELIZABETH: You’re helping me to make fantastic conversation.

CASS: Ah, lucky me.

SFX: feet shuffling on glass and rope whizzing.

- Scene Change -

SFX: rope whizzing, sounds echo. A single violin plays a gentle melody.

ELIZABETH: One-fifty meters. You good down there?

CASS: Yeah I’m good. I’m just beneath you. Not too much further now.

SFX: pebbles falling, Cass sighs.

CASS: I have to admit, it really is a beautiful sight.

ELIZABETH: Captain please, control yourself. Flirting with your boss is terribly unprofessional behaviour.

CASS: I was talking about the view.

ELIZABETH: I know you were! But don’t worry, you’re only human.

SFX: Cass produces a general noise of blushing frustration.

CASS: If you could concentrate for just a second it looks like we’re at the bottom.

SFX: metal clinking and rope whizzing.

CASS: Ok, here we are. Where to now?

SFX: quiet scanning sounds. Swishing of winter gear as they walk.

ELIZABETH: I’m picking up increased temperature again, it’s about 60 meters south of here.

CASS: Alright, let’s go.

ELIZABETH: Huh, that’s weird.

CASS: What is?

SFX: beeping intensifies.

ELIZABETH: Now that we’re closer, this heat signature doesn't look like geothermal activity, it’s too uniform. Whatever it is, it should be just around-

CASS: Shit! Get down!

SFX: shuffling and swishing as they move quickly. The music darkens, tense but slow.

ELIZABETH: Whoa. Is that-?

CASS: Yeah. Similar design to the ship that destroyed the Mariana. Just a lot smaller.

SFX: scanning sounds.

ELIZABETH: Looks like it’s been here a while.

CASS: Alright, we should check this out. Stay behind me and keep your voice down.

SFX: rattling as the gun is raised. Swishing fabric and footsteps as they approach.

ELIZABETH: Whatever this hull plating is, it’s not titanium.

CASS: These fiber sheets must be what’s left of the solar sails. I’ve seen this kind of principle on old satellites but never implemented on this kind of scale. Croft is gonna love this.

ELIZABETH: Found a hatch, looks like the seal is already broken.

CASS: Stand back. Wait for my word.

SFX: metallic footsteps. Metallic clanking and creaking as the door is opened. Scanning sounds.

CASS: Clear.

ELIZABETH: Whatever happened to this ship, it looks like it happened years ago.

CASS: Can’t be more than 25 meters long. Some kind of shuttle maybe. This must be the cockpit, help me with the hatch.

ELIZABETH: Sure.

SFX: rusty metallic creaking. Air hisses, then rushes as the hatch is opened.

ELIZABETH: Shit…

CASS: A body? But, how did-

ELIZABETH: The cockpit seal must have held. Preserved the corpse in a partial vacuum once the life support ran dry.

CASS: But it… he looks almost human.

ELIZABETH: Remarkable. Look at the eyes. Like amber.

CASS: This… species. Why would they attack us? Destroy the Mariana?

ELIZABETH: First encounters with a new culture are unpredictable enough when everyone is the *same* species. From their point of view, *we’re* the aliens. Maybe someone just got antsy and pulled the trigger.

CASS: I don’t think so. They were talking to the Mariana, or trying to. Something made them decide to attack.

ELIZABETH: Well we won’t find out from this poor guy, I can tell you that.

CASS: There’s no way we can take the body with us out of this crevasse. And now we’ve broken the seal, it’ll deteriorate soon enough.

ELIZABETH: I’ll take some images, the labs on the Avalon can look them over when we get back.

SFX: shuffling and zipping.

CASS: I wonder what they were doing here?

ELIZABETH: I was hoping we’d be able to find something on these consoles, but this ship is totally out of commission. The heat signature we followed must be decaying isotopes from whatever they use to power this thing.

CASS: Wait a second. You said you scanned for geothermal activity from orbit. Could we filter the results, see if any other sites give similar readings to this wreck?

ELIZABETH: You think there might be more out there?

CASS: I don’t see any living quarters in here, so unless these guys don’t need sleep, this is a short range craft. Maybe we can find where it set out from, or where it was headed.

SFX: scanning sounds.

ELIZABETH: Shit, I think you’re right! There’s a matching heat source about seventeen-hundred kilometers southwest of here.

CASS: We should be able to manage that in a couple of days drive.

SFX: the scanner stops.

ELIZABETH: Let’s get back to the rover, it’ll be dark soon.

- Scene Change -

SFX: inside the Wildcat, the engine rumbles. Elizabeth yawns.

ELIZABETH: Ugh… We there yet?

CASS: Don’t start that again. Looks like we should be getting close.

SFX: a lighter flicks open.

CASS: Hey! No smoking in my rover, I told you.

ELIZABETH: Eughh. Just once, come on.

CASS: Nope. I’m not spending a week getting the smell out of these seats. I can pull over again if you like.

ELIZABETH: It’s freezing out there. And the air’s too thin to keep anything burning.

CASS: Who the hell smokes first thing in the morning anyway?

ELIZABETH: This planet has a rotational period of 94 hours, it’s been “First thing in the morning” all day.

CASS: Should have thought of that before.

ELIZABETH: You try studying for a doctorate in astrophysics on a planet where it’s 39 degrees in the shade without something to take the edge off. It stops me being grouchy and annoying.

CASS: Trust me, it doesn't.

ELIZABETH: Now hang on a minute-

SFX: beeping.

ELIZABETH: What’s that?

CASS: Looks like some kind of building, 600 Meters southeast, just under that outcropping.

SFX: a gentle beep.

CASS: This must be it.

ELIZABETH: Better stop here. Go in on foot and make sure it’s safe.

CASS: You’ve changed your tune.

ELIZABETH: You must be rubbing off on me.

SFX: clicking. The Wildcat stops. A beep, then the door opens. Wind can be heard. A gun is loaded.

CASS: Alright, we’ll stick to the ridge line, follow me.

- Scene Change -

SFX: a flute plays a melancholy tune. A door creaks open, scanning sounds.

CASS: Clear.

SFX: Eerie, choral music plays.

ELIZABETH: Look at this place…it’s like a cross between a church and a shopping mall. Some of these compartments look unfinished. Like they were still being constructed.

CASS: No bodies, looks abandoned. Hey, check it out. Looks like this place still has power.

SFX: a hand brushing dust off a rough surface.

ELIZABETH: Holy shit, you’re right.

CASS: Any way we can translate any of this?

ELIZABETH: We tried putting together a very basic cipher program using some of the transmissions sent to the Mariana, but there’s almost nothing to go on. We won’t know much until we can get a team of linguists from the Avalon down here. Still. We should stick around here and see what we can learn.

CASS: Let’s get the rover moved down here and unload the equipment. We can set up camp outside the structure. Looks like we’ve got some bad weather moving in so it can’t hurt to stay near shelter.

SFX: music stops.

ELIZABETH: Camping out in a mysterious alien ruin, you’re a woman after my own heart, Cassandra Farren.

CASS: I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.

- Scene Change -

SFX: rustling and clattering as the Wildcat is unloaded. Gentle tapping on a tablet can be heard.

CASS: Finished setting up the portable beacon. You ready to turn in?

ELIZABETH: Just a second, take a look at this. First of all, I found a repeating word in a number of different entries, based on the context I think might be the name of their race: “Advari”.

CASS: Advari…

ELIZABETH: There’s more, check this out.

SFX: more tapping, a chirp from the tablet.

ELIZABETH: It’s a topographic map, there are copies of it on almost all of the terminals.

CASS: This is the area we’re in right?

ELIZABETH: Right, but check out this area here, this seems to be one of a few hundred spots that they draw attention to in all of these charts. I can’t read any of the documentation, but I think this building might have been some kind of Research Base, and these ‘Advari’ were studying something at these locations. The closest one is 51 kilometers east of here. We could make it there in a few hours.

CASS: I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s looking like we’ve got a pretty serious storm moving in. We should hold out here where we have shelter until the Guin gets back. We can pass the coordinates on to the second survey team.

ELIZABETH: Come on! Where’s your spirit of adventure. We’ve found the clues, now we’ve got to see where they lead. Why should we let some survey team have all the fun?

CASS: Because it’s literally what you pay them to do?

ELIZABETH: Hey, it’s not my money. It’s what a multinational government venture fund is paying them to do. Anyway I'm paying you aren’t I?

CASS: Not nearly enough after three days of putting up with your “Spirit of Adventure”.

ELIZABETH: Indulge me this once.

CASS: “Once”?

ELIZABETH: We’ll be there and back in no time, and we’ll have adhered to the First Rule of Exploration: “It only counts if you got there first.”

CASS: Ah, fine. Get in the rover before I change my mind.

ELIZABETH: Aye aye captain! Can I drive?

CASS: Don’t push your luck.

- Scene Change -

SFX: inside the Wildcat, the engine can be heard. Muffled wind and rain is heard.

ELIZABETH: Damn, it sounds pretty rough out there.

CASS: If only one of us had seen this coming.

ELIZABETH: Wait! Over there, one-o-clock low.

CASS: What is that?

ELIZABETH: Not sure, some kind of light around ground level. Let’s get closer.

CASS: I can’t see anything.

ELIZABETH: Yeah me neither, let’s take a look outside and-

SFX: muffled cracking and shattering, increasing in volume and intensity. The Wildcat’s engine stops.

ELIZABETH: That’s a bad sound.

SFX: exciting music starts.

CASS: Ah shit.

ELIZABETH: Back her up!

CASS: No, no! Don’t move, I’m gonna- Too late, brace yourself!

SFX: glass shatters and the Wildcat’s engine moves past the microphone.

ELIZABETH: Whoa!

SFX: the Wildcat crashes. Glass hits rocks and shatters.

- Scene Change -

SFX: low ringing, echoing.

ELIZABETH (distorted): Well, you seemed like the obvious choice.

SFX: a damaged alarm beeps and grows fainter. Cass groans. Gentle, high pitched glass reverberations.

CASS: Elizabeth?

SFX: rustling.

CASS: Elizabeth?!

ELIZABETH: Down here!

SFX: metal creaking.

CASS: Elizabeth…

SFX: gravel scraping and sliding.

ELIZABETH: Hey.

CASS: You ok?

ELIZABETH: Not too bad, just a little banged up, it’s- Agh.

SFX: soft thump onto ground. Scanning sounds. A negative beep.

CASS: You’ve got a transverse fracture in your left leg, don’t try and move.

ELIZABETH: Yeah, like I said, not too bad. Cass, have you seen where we are?

CASS: Yeah, it’s not too bad when you’re five minutes from a medbay rather than at the bottom of a pit on an alien planet.

ELIZABETH: Cass, I'm serious, look at this place! Vegetation!

SFX: plant rustling.

ELIZABETH: Real plant life! I think this is it. This is what we’ve been looking for. Based on the maps we found, there are oases like these all over the planet. There’s arable soil and these plants have edible fruit and vegetables, I've scanned them, they’re safe.

CASS: You’ve been out here scanning plants with a fractured leg?

ELIZABETH: Cass, we could start harvesting crops to bring back to Tantalus!

CASS: Only if we don’t freeze to death first. I can’t believe I drove out here in the middle of a storm, what the hell was I doing.

SFX: footsteps on ground glass.

ELIZABETH: You were indulging me.

CASS: I know!

SFX: Footsteps stop. Cass breathes deeply.

CASS: Alright we’ll have to spend the night here. I’ll grab the gear and get a fire going.

ELIZABETH: I’m not going anywhere.

- Scene Change -

SFX: the flick of a cigarette lighter. Glass reverberations. Rain pattering. Cass sighs heavily.

CASS: Alright we’ve got problems. The rover’s trashed and the only way out of here is up. I could climb it but there’s no way I could bring you with me and I’m not sure how far I’d get on the surface without shelter. The comm system is in one piece, but damaged, so I’m not sure if it’s transmitting our position, and we left our portable beacon active at our camp by that alien structure. So when the Guin gets back here, it’s possible they could start looking for us in the wrong place.

ELIZABETH: Shit. (pause) I’m sorry I brought us out here.

CASS: It’s fine, it’s done.

SFX: grinding. Footsteps. Rustling.

ELIZABETH: You know… This is only the second time I've ever seen rain.

CASS: Really?

SFX: gentle, eerie melodic strings start.

ELIZABETH: Yeah. Well, rain made of water at least. When it rains on Firewatch you do not go outside.

SFX: Cass gives a small laugh.

ELIZABETH: First time I had to go to Centrum for a parliament address it was raining. I think the staff were confused by how excited I was.

SFX: Cass gives another small laugh.

CASS: Yeah, rain is about the only thing there’s no shortage of back home.

ELIZABETH: Hey, I heard you in your quarters back on the ship. I didn’t know you played the cello?

CASS: Oh, yeah. Most of my life.

ELIZABETH: It was the piano for me.

CASS: Really?

ELIZABETH: Yep. Been a while since I played but back in my university days I was a regular virtuoso. Had em dancing in the streets.

SFX: Cass gives another small laugh.

ELIZABETH: You’re good, where did you learn to play?

CASS: Home. Taught myself when I was growing up. My father didn’t approve, took time away from his lessons.

ELIZABETH: Lessons?

CASS: Tactics, strategy, military history. Eleven hours every day till I was sent to a war college. Everyone in my family has been an officer. So I was going to be as well. Just the way it was.

ELIZABETH: Oh… I’m sorry.

CASS: For what?

ELIZABETH: Nobody should be told who they’re going to be.

CASS: Back then it was what I wanted, or I thought it was… He was my father and I wanted him to be proud of me. I didn’t have anyone else.

ELIZABETH: Spending your childhood trapped like that, never given the chance to choose. It’s not fair.

CASS: Actually… I ran once. Our family had a stables on the estate, back before the famine when people still kept animals like that. There was a Black Rialtan Mare that I'd trained with when I was younger, and I just took her and ran. I was a terrible rider, barely made it to the edge of the estate, only took about an hour for security to find me and bring me back. But it was a good hour.

ELIZABETH: ...Thanks. For telling me that. You know, I've never even seen a horse. I doubt if anyone from Firewatch has. What was her name?

CASS: Guinevere.

- Scene Change -

SFX: strange, pulsing static.

CROFT: Gotta say, this pulsar thing is kinda creeping me out.

MEDS: Yeah... I know what you mean.

CROFT: It’s pretty. But just, creepy. Like it’s staring at you.

MEDS: The readings are strange too. Different from the projections.

CROFT: What do you think that means?

MEDS: Sorry, you’ll have to ask Elizabeth. I’m not that kind of doctor.

CROFT: Hey, shouldn’t we have got their check-in signal by now? Fairly short light-delay right?

MEDS: Yeah, you’re right.

SFX: beeping.

MEDS: Looks like there’s a pretty serious weather system moving in near their beacon. Could be interference.

CROFT: I’ll have a good transfer window soon, we could head back and check on them?

MEDS: Let’s do it. I’m just about finished here anyway.

CROFT: Alright, get strapped in. That’s enough of the freaky space windmill for one day.

SFX: muffled sound of the engine thrusting.

- Scene Change -

SFX: Somber, eerie strings and piano play. Rain pattering. Glass reverberations continue. Elizabeth groans.

CASS: You should stay still, you’re hurt.

ELIZABETH: Can’t sleep, not with this rain.

CASS: I think we might have done more damage to the ceiling than we thought, I saw some glass shards starting to drop into here about an hour ago.

ELIZABETH: Thanks, that’s very comforting.

SFX: glass shatters.

CASS: I’m trying to get the hatch off the rover and prop it to shelter us from the glass, but if we lose more of that ceiling it’s gonna get even colder in here.

ELIZABETH: How long til they’re back here?

CASS: Two more days.

ELIZABETH: Lucky I've got a dashing Privateer to get me out of here. You probably get out of scrapes like this all the time.

CASS: I can’t say I've ever fallen into a pit on a freezing alien planet before.

ELIZABETH: You seem to know what you’re doing.

CASS: I’m figuring it out okay? Just let me work.

SFX: metal creaking, then clattering to the ground.

ELIZABETH: Sorry, I didn’t mean to- 

SFX: Elizabeth starts coughing.

CASS: You okay?

ELIZABETH: I’m fine I’m just-

SFX: scanning sounds. Negative beep.

CASS: No, you’re not. Your core temperature is way too low, looks like the start of hypothermia.

ELIZABETH: Hah. Must be the first person from Firewatch to get that.

SFX: Elizabeth coughs.

CASS: You may have some arterial damage in your leg, your body isn’t heating itself properly. I’ll get another thermal blanket, you need to stay awake.

SFX: rustling sounds.

ELIZABETH: Hasn’t been a problem so far.

CASS: Maybe I should try and hike back to the ruin, get the first beacon. It could help them find us faster.

ELIZABETH: Go. I’ll be fine here.

CASS:  No. No, no, I’m not leaving you on your own, if you pass out you’ll never get out of here. Anyway, I've got to help you make fantastic conversation, remember?

ELIZABETH: Lucky me.

- Scene Change -

SFX: thunder crashes. Rain patters. Glass reverberations continue. Glass shatters nearby.

CASS: Shit, that one was close.

ELIZABETH: What…?

CASS: Nothing, just the weather. I’ve heated some more water, drink it.

ELIZABETH: I don’t need it, I’m fine.

CASS: Drink it.

ELIZABETH: Alright, alright.

SFX: water trickles, sipping.

CASS: That’s almost the last of it. The roof is coming down on us here. I don’t… I don’t know how to get us out of this.

ELIZABETH: You’ll- (coughs) you’ll get us out of here.

CASS: Stop that, stop saying that. I… That’s not me, I can’t fix this, why do you think I can fix this.

ELIZABETH: It’s who you are.

CASS: No it’s not! You think because I fought in a war and did some Privateering that I’m some kind of hero?! I’m not some great leader, you shouldn’t be just trusting me without thinking, none of them should!

ELIZABETH: (cough) Why not?

CASS: Because it’s all bullshit, you understand?! The ship, the coat and the gun, it’s all bullshit. I wasn’t some war hero, I was a bad captain, a spoiled child in a uniform. There are families out there without parents, without brothers and sisters because of me. They trusted me to lead them and I killed them.

ELIZABETH: Please stop, it’s ok.

CASS: Don’t tell me it’s okay.

SFX: rain patters

ELIZABETH: Tell me what happened. I want to listen.

SFX: Cass sniffles.

CASS: I… They covered it up after I resigned... At the end of the war, I…

SFX: Cass’ breathing slows. Melancholy strings play.

CASS: It was after the battle at Atamara. They were running, the Unioners. And we didn’t have to follow them. The battle had gone on for three days, none of us had slept. I could barely stand on the quarterdeck. But they were right there, escaping into the dust cloud. And I thought I could prove myself to all of them, justify all the early promotions and the favouritism, show them I deserved to be there, that I wasn’t just the Admiral’s daughter. I couldn’t let them go. I led two other ships into the dust cloud. We couldn’t see anything, we couldn’t find each other. I was staring out, desperate to see the enemy. And when I saw something moving ahead of us, I knew it was them, I knew I'd caught them. So I gave the order.

ELIZABETH: Oh god…

CASS: It wasn’t them. It was one of ours. The Acrisius.

ELIZABETH: How many?

CASS: Forty-seven. Forty-seven people.

SFX: rain patters.

ELIZABETH: It was an accident.

CASS: It was me. I led those people into that dust cloud without a second thought. They were exhausted and they were scared, and they still followed me without hesitation, all because I wanted to “excel”, to do more than was expected of me. They died chasing down frightened people in a battle that was already over. Murdered by the person responsible for them. And….. worst of all... in that moment when I saw them die. For just that first second, I wasn’t thinking about them. I was thinking about me. My mistake, my failure. It wasn’t even shame, not yet. It was frustration. As though I'd failed a test. What sort of person reacts that way. How can that be me?

SFX: Elizabeth coughs.

ELIZABETH: That’s not that’s the woman in front of me. (coughs) Not anymore.

CASS: Don’t say that. Don’t try to make it that easy. All I've done since it happened is run. I’ve run all the way here. That doesn't make me a new person, it only makes me a coward.

ELIZABETH: If you were a coward, you wouldn’t be here. Wouldn’t have tried to carry on. Look. (coughs) Look in the sky, at the Pulsar. That's a dead star, but it's more alive now than it ever could have been before. Burning out its energy across space, illuminating this nebula, giving form to new stars, new planets, new life.

SFX: the atmosphere fades out. The music is quiet, and hopeful.

ELIZABETH: It's a cycle; action and reaction, matter and energy. The mathematics of creation. And it's beautiful. Everything is transitory. Living is reinventing yourself. It’s not cowardly to want to start again. It’s life.

CASS: I don’t deserve that. You don’t understand...

ELIZABETH: …doesn't have to be anyone who understands you. just someone who wants to.

SFX: Elizabeth’s final words get muffled.

- Scene Change -

SFX: thunder. Rain patters. Cass shivers. Glass reverberation continues.

CASS: Croft is gonna love what we’ve found here. He’ll be making salads for the next year. You got any idea what this fruit might taste like?

SFX: glass tinkles.

CASS: Elizabeth?

SFX: rain patters.

CASS: No, no. Wake up.

SFX: A big glass shard shatters

CASS: Wake up!

CASS: ...Wake up. Wake up… wake up…

SFX: More glass shatters.

CASS: You did it. You found this place. Found what we came for.

SFX: distant rumble.

CASS: ...you have to tell them ...you got here first. ... Wake up…

SFX: muffled rumbling

CROFT (distorted): Meds! Over here! I found them! Just stay with us. We’ve gotcha, just stay with us.

MEDS (distorted): Quickly! We don’t have long.

SFX: ringing

- Scene Change -

SFX: Cass’ theme plays.

CASS: Ship’s log, Guinevere. 104th of Solstice, 304 PCU. I am reliably informed that I am alive. Miraculously, the rover’s damaged beacon was able to get a signal through the storm for a few moments, giving my crew a chance to find the oasis and retrieve us. We’ve salvaged the Wildcat for repairs and Meds tells me I'm almost fully recovered, but Elizabeth is still unconscious in our sickbay.

- Scene Change -

SFX: a door whooshes open.

MEDS: Cass?

SFX: crinkling and medical equipment beeping.

CASS: Oh, sorry. Do you need me out of your sickbay?

MEDS: No no, stay as long as you like. She’s going to be okay. She’ll need a bit of help walking for a few weeks but she’ll be back to her usual self soon enough.

CASS: Good.

MEDS: You gonna be ok?

CASS: Yeah. I think so. I’m gonna stay with her for a while.

MEDS: Sure thing. I’ll bring you up some tea from the galley.

CASS: Thanks.

SFX: door whooshes closed. Fabric rustles. Soft music plays.

ELIZABETH: ...Hey.

SFX: fabric rustles.

CASS: Hey.

SFX: The Sojourn Ending Theme plays.

NARRATOR: You have been listening to The Sojourn, Season One Episode Four: Dust and Shadow, 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. Assembly editing by Aiden Brookstone. Audio mixing by Dave Chick. Music by Sam Redfern, including a rearrangement of “Wilderness” by Taylor Davis which is used with the given permission of Taylor Davis representatives. Continue listening for the next episode.