Season One Episode Five - The Promised Land

SFX: echoing footsteps and an alien voice fade in.

CINDRA: The clerics at the Southern Monastery are eagerly awaiting your visit. You’re also expected in the Seminary Halls tonight to lead a guided meditation.

VALENDRA: One would think that after so many long lifetimes of worship, the people of Advar Primaris would have learned to meditate without my assistance.

CINDRA: I believe they do understand, mistress. They simply wish to be in your presence as they—

SFX: boots scuff on stone and the footsteps stop.

VALENDRA: A joke, Cindra. I was making a joke.

SFX: footsteps resume. Mysterious music plays.

CINDRA: Oh, of course, Your Grace. I’m sorry.

SFX: a door opens.

VADRIC: Your Majesty.

SFX: door closes, the footsteps stop.

VALENDRA: Inquisitor, I’m glad to see you’ve returned.

VADRIC: Thank you, your grace. I arrived only moments ago. I was on my way to—

VALENDRA: I will accompany you.

CINDRA: My Lady, the Seminary Halls—

VALENDRA: Could you leave us please Cindra, the Inquisitor and I have pressing matters to attend to.

SFX: two sets of footsteps retreat.

CINDRA: Of course, Your Grace.

SFX: a single set of footsteps retreats.

-Scene Change-

SFX: a door opens. Light, mysterious music plays.

VALENDRA: In here.

VADRIC: We shouldn’t, someone will find us.

VALENDRA: These passageways are abandoned, nobody comes here.

VADRIC: Yes but—

SFX: kissing noises cut Vadric off.

VALENDRA: I’m sorry, did you want to continue protesting?

VADRIC: You make a convincing argument.

SFX: a metal door creaks, kissing noises resume.

VADRIC: Wait.

VALENDRA: Castian, no-one—

VADRIC: No. Listen.

SFX: distant, muffled voices can be heard.

VADRIC: Can you hear that?

VALENDRA: Voices. It sounds like it’s coming from behind the wall. But there are no rooms through there. Only stone.

VADRIC: Stay quiet.

SFX: two footsteps. Tapping on stone, solid. More tapping, solid. More tapping, hollow.

VADRIC: Look. There’s loose stonework. Some kind of crawlspace.

VALENDRA: I’ll help you.

SFX: stone moving. The voices become clearer.

VALENDRA: We have to go in.

VADRIC: *sighs* Very well, but stay behind me.

SFX: they climb inside the crawlspace.

ARVANNIS: Very well, Revion Carradin. I trust also that you endured your visit from Inquisitor Vadric with appropriate discretion.

CARRADIN (over comms): Yes, my Lord. He seemed particularly interested in preserving the remains of the slain outsiders. He ordered us to return them to Primaris.

VADRIC: Revion Carradin. From the Cloak of Mercy...

ARVANNIS: He was sent by the Empress. It would seem she mistakenly received part of your emergency transmission when you first encountered the outsiders. She’s been conducting what she no doubt believes to be a secret investigation.

CARRADIN (over comms): I’m sorry, My Lord, I will not make such a mistake again.

ARVANNIS: Thank you Revion, but you need not concern yourself, the Empress is of no consequence. You may destroy the remains immediately.

CARRADIN (over comms): Yes, My Lord.

SFX: transmission ends.

VALENDRA: Arvannis... and that’s High Cleric Lantris, and the Master Conservator. What is this?

LANTRIS: Even in her ignorance, I would not dismiss the Empress so easily. Would it not serve our needs to learn more about these outsiders, if only to understand what we face? If they were to somehow uncover the Mechanism-

ARVANNIS: That will not happen. The Wheel has remained hidden from our own people for ages beyond counting. These newcomers will not find it. Regardless, their time in the Sanctum will be brief. We will find and eradicate the outsiders before word of their existence spreads any further. If the people are given cause to question the Faith and to defy its strictures, then knowingly or not, they will bring us all to damnation.

SFX: a fist hits a table.

ARVANNIS: The sacrifices must continue. The Harmony must never be broken.

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

NARRATOR: The Sojourn, Season One Episode Five: The Promised Land by Rowan J. Coleman. 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 Lelia Symington as Empress Valendra the Sixth, Matthew Kaufmann as Lieutenant Japser Ravi, Tarek Esaw as Midshipman Arin Bankole and Tim Parker as Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis, with special guest stars Pam Kearns as Bridget Volkova and Kennedy Phillips as Foreman Richard Sedgewick.

SFX: Theme music continues.

SFX: ambient beeps. The sound of the Avalon moves gently in the background. A door opens and two gentle knocks sound.

CASS: Hey Elizabeth, they need you downstairs. The Siochana’s almost loaded up.

SFX: beep

ELIZABETH: Alright, alright. Keep rushing me like this and I might be forced to shake my cane at you in a curmudgeonly fashion.

CASS: Alright, but make the most of it. You won’t be needing that much longer.

SFX: a limping gait with a cane.

ELIZABETH: Eh don’t worry, I’ve got a lot of other ways of annoying you.

CASS: Oh, that’s very true.

SFX: limping gate with cane retreats, the door closes.

-Scene Change-

SFX: ambient beeps. A chair creaks.

CROFT: We cut thrust and used the port vectors to literally slice through the cargo container couplings.

RAVI: That actually does sound pretty impressive, but you guys really can’t be up here, this is the ops deck, it’s senior staff only.

CROFT: Ah now you weren’t paying attention in the bar, she said I was senior staff.

RAVI: *laughs* She wasn’t being serious. At least I think she wasn’t...

SFX: Elizabeth and her cane approaches.

MEDS: Heads up.

SFX: a beep.

RAVI: Captain Farren. Director.

ELIZABETH: What, am I running a social club now?

RAVI: I’m sorry ma’am, I did tell them, I—

ELIZABETH: I’m kidding Ravi, relax. You can have as many soirees as you like when you’re running this place.

RAVI: Well... I will be, while you’re gone.

ELIZABETH: You’ll be fine. Just don’t try and do everything yourself. In fact— Hey, you! Communications guy. What’s your name?

SFX: Elizabeth cane sounds as she moves. Shuffling noises as an indistinct voice can be heard over comms. A beep as the comms turn off.

BANKOLE: Oh, erm. Bankole, ma’am. Mi—midshipman.

ELIZABETH: Great. Ok “Bankole ma’am midshipman”, you keep an eye on this guy, make sure he’s not alphabetizing reports at four in the morning or anything.

RAVI: Hey, I don’t alphabetize, I structure based on urgency—

SFX: Ravi’s voice fades out.

CASS: So, hopefully you two can find something to entertain yourselves with while we’re gone.

CROFT: Oh I’ll be fine. I’ve got to, um, clean the dust out of the nav console.

MEDS: Didn’t you just do that before breakfast?

CROFT: No, I’m pretty sure I missed a few bits.

SFX: the cane approaches.

ELIZABETH: Alright guys, say your goodbyes. I’ll have your captain back before you know it.

CROFT: So, do you guys just like, live on this weird glass planet now?

CASS: It’s just a quick return trip to set up the harvesting shelters.

ELIZABETH: Just shelters for now but can you imagine what it will be like in fifty seasons? Think of a real colony on that world. Entire cities living underneath glass!

MEDS: Just what humanity needs right now. More colonies.

ELIZABETH: Well, if at first you don’t succeed...

SFX: Elizabeth’s footsteps and cane retreat.

CROFT: Well, have a safe trip, Skipper.

CASS: Will do. See you guys soon.

SFX: beep. A chair creaks. A light, exploratory melody plays.

RAVI: Well. I’d best get to work.

MEDS: Yeah, me too. I’ve got a house call on the Kestrel to be getting on with.

CROFT: Sure me too. Lots of... work... to be getting on with...

SFX: light, exploratory music continues, then fades

-Scene Change-

SFX: exploratory music fades to ambient bar music and chatter.

SFX: a metallic ringing sound as a coin is flipped through the air and lands on a table. A door opens. Coins clinking, a coin is flipped again and hits the table. Another flip, it lands on the floor.

MEDS: Well, you’re being productive.

CROFT: Just wait, Meds. I’ve had a few close ones. This next one is going straight in...

SFX: another coin is flipped. It clatters off glass and hits the floor.

CROFT: ...okay, this one!

SFX: and another coin. It lands on the table, rolling around.

CROFT: Third time’s the charm.

MEDS: Or...you could do something else. Literally anything else.

CROFT: Anything else, being..?

SFX: another miss.

MEDS: How about a jog around the habitat ring?

CROFT: Pass.

SFX: another miss.

MEDS: You’re either sitting on the Guin or sitting in this bar. Can’t be good for you. In fact I know it’s not good for you.

CROFT: But I’m already making so much...

SFX: flip and a miss. Another.

CROFT: ...progress.

SFX: a hand slaps a table and a chair scraps.

MEDS: You’d make more progress by beating a best time.

CROFT: How about this? I’ll set a new record for going between the bar and the Guin?

SFX: footsteps retreat. SFX fade out.

-Scene Change-

SFX: ambient beeps. A door whooshes open.

RAVI: Hello?

CROFT: Ey, gooday LT. Welcome aboard.

SFX: tentative footsteps

RAVI: So, this is the Guinevere.

SFX: the door whooshes closed.

CROFT: Hell yeah. Huntress Class Ambush Corvette. Only one of her kind.

RAVI: Yeah I heard about that.

CROFT: This was one of the fancy new designs the CDF were supposed to roll out before they ditched them to start building Edric’s Gate. No conventional RCS so she’s pretty tough to steer. Unless you know how to treat her that is.

RAVI: I see the appeal. How fast do you think it could get me away from the pile of paperwork in my office?

SFX: a chair whirrs as it turns.

CROFT: Really? I thought you were all about the thrills of administration.

SFX: clothing rustles.

RAVI: I don’t know, it’s just a little difficult to find somewhere with some peace and quiet around here.

SFX: ambient beeps.

CROFT: Gustaf’s.

RAVI: Pardon?

CROFT: Gustaf’s, on Rialtis was the best place to go for some peace. It was like a spa and beach resort all in one. Even during the war they managed to keep it running.

RAVI: And that was your place?

CROFT: Oh I wish. I only went there once and sure technically it was trespassing, but it was worth it.

RAVI: How did you get in?

CROFT: Waste.

RAVI: Waste?

CROFT: Waste. A big resort like that, they need guys to come in and take away their garbage and laundry and all that stuff. So me and a buddy of mine dressed up as those guys. The only difference is, when we went in there, we didn’t bother coming back out.

RAVI: That sounds pretty good about now.

CROFT: Preaching to the choir mate.

SFX: muffled running footsteps approach. A door whooshes open.

MEDS (slightly out of breath): Oh, Lieutenant Ravi, what brings you here?

RAVI: Oh, I—

SFX: Ravi’s hand terminal beeps. Clothing shuffles as he pulls it out.

RAVI: This is Ravi. Go ahead.

BANKOLE (over comms): Lieutenant Ravi we’ve got an incoming ship and it looks like one of ours. Not alien.

MEDS: Funny how we have to specify when ships aren’t alien now.

RAVI: I’ll be right there.

CROFT: Duty calls, mate.

SFX: footsteps and a door whooshes open. Ravi sighs, then continues walking.

MEDS: Being productive?

CROFT: Oh, you betcha.

-Scene Change-

SFX: a light, military-style theme fades in. Ambient beeps of the Avalon Ops Deck. A door whooshes open.

RAVI: Report.

BANKOLE: The ship is clearly a human design, but I can’t see anything on the expedition registry that matches it. It looks like an old orbital transport. And I mean very old.

RAVI: What’s it doing all the way out here?

BANKOLE: It’s demanding provisions, sir.

RAVI: Demanding?

BANKOLE: Yes, sir. Extra rations and some maintenance.

RAVI: Can you get them on comms?

SFX: beeps.

BANKOLE: You’re on.

RAVI: Avalon control to unidentified ship, we have received—

SEDGEWICK (over comms): Why has my request for provisions not been acknowledged yet?

RAVI: I was about to, but I have a few questions—

SEDGEWICK (over comms): Questions? It’s perfectly simple. I have a boat load of people and cattle who need provisions.

RAVI: Di-did you say cattle?

SEDGEWICK (over comms): I have good people on my ship trying to reach this Verdant Paradise you’ve been keeping from the rest of the cluster.

RAVI: Verdant..? Can you please identify yourself?

SEDGEWICK (over comms): I am Foreman Richard Sedgewick of the spacecraft, Triumph, and the shepherd of these wayward refugees you’ve conveniently decided to leave behind.

SFX: clattering over comms. Beeps as Ravi uses a tablet.

RAVI: Your ship isn’t registered for the expedition. How exactly did you get here?

SEDGEWICK (over comms): We used the Triumph to rush through Edric’s Gate right as your fleet set off. We won’t be left to die in Tantalus while you settle a new world!

RAVI: *sighs* Foreman Sedgewick I can send your ship supplies. It’ll take some time to—

SEDGEWICK (over comms): Excuses! I expected nothing less than the lies from back home.

SFX: shuffling over comms. The music builds menacingly.

SEDGEWICK (over comms): I’m guessing you don’t want these other ships knowing the truth, but I won’t be silenced.

SFX: a chime.

BANKOLE: Lieutenant, he just opened up a fleet wide broadcast.

SEDGEWICK (echoing over comms): Now hear this! This is Foreman Sedgewick of the Aiden’s Prospect Agricultural commune, and I am here to reveal the truth to you all. These elites, this operation, it’s a lie! They already know of a Verdant Paradise and they’re keeping it from you!

RAVI: This is going to the whole fleet?

BANKOLE: Yes, sir.

SEDGEWICK (echoing over comms): These elites want it for themselves! Only for them and their… elitist friends! The only…

SFX: a chime, Sedgewick’s voice continues indistinctly.

CROFT (over comms): Guin here. You gonna jam this guy any time soon or just let him tucker himself out?

RAVI: The Avalon doesn't carry jammers. We’re an exploratory platform.

MEDS (over comms): The Guinevere has jammers. Would you like us to do the honours?

RAVI: Yes, please.

SEDGEWICK (over comms): …from the beginning. This is not hearsay, this is not rumour, they are leading you into oblivion and I, I am their—

CROFT (over comms): Jamming now.

SFX: the transmission abruptly cuts off.

BANKOLE: Transmission blocked.

RAVI: *sighs* Thank you, Guinevere.

MEDS (over comms): No problem.

RAVI: Send a message to that ship, text only. Tell them we will be sending their provisions soon, but it will take time.

BANKOLE: Done, sir.

RAVI: *sighs* Good start to the day.

SFX: ambient noise fades out.

-Scene Change-

SFX: bar music and chatter fades in.

MEDS: ...straight up.

CROFT: Now you’re speaking my language.

SFX: drinks are poured.

CROFT: Hey is that Ravi?

SFX: footsteps.

CROFT: Seems you look worse and worse every time I see you.

RAVI: Wow, thanks.

MEDS: You do seem like you could use some sleep.

RAVI: One too many shifts in a row. It’s this Sedgewick guy.

CROFT: Yeah, he sounded like a complete asshole.

RAVI: Just wish I could say it to his face, but he’d probably try ramming the Avalon with his ship.

MEDS: That bad, huh?

RAVI: We’re trying to help, but he has to make everything way more difficult than it should be.

MEDS: Let em wait. They’re not even supposed to be here.

RAVI: No, I couldn’t do that. They need our help. Besides, I’ve already sent Bankole over there with the engineers. Hopefully some repairs and provisions will put them in a better mood.

SFX: music and chatter fades out.

-Scene Change-

SFX: a noisy ship environment sounds, soft metallic knocks sound and an old airlock beeps and cycles open. Footsteps. Quiet murmuring of people in the deep background. Tools jangle.

BANKOLE: Stay calm everyone. We’re from the Avalon. Here to look at your CO2 scrubbers. Who’s Chief around here?

VOLKOVA (through helmet): We don’t have a Chief Engineer…

SFX: spacesuit creaking as a helmet is removed.

VOLKOVA: …but I did a few modifications. They’re a bit rough.

BANKOLE: Can you show us?

VOLKOVA: Yes, over here.

SFX: metallic sliding. Heavy booted footsteps.

BANKOLE: Thank you very much. Arin Bankole by the way.

VOLKOVA: Bridget Volkova.

SFX: keypad beeps and depressurization sound. A heavy metal door creaks open. A rickety fan spins down.

BANKOLE: Uh...what exactly am I looking at here?

VOLKOVA: The scrubbers weren’t functioning properly when we first bought the ship. And since we’ve been wandering around this nebula for two months I’ve been having to use some of our irrigation equipment to patch things up.

BANKOLE: Pretty impressive work. It’s amazing all this held together for this long. Orbital ferries like this one really weren’t designed to operate in deep space.

SFX: footsteps, repair sounds.

VOLKOVA: I know. But we have to reach the new world out here. Somewhere we can start new lives.

BANKOLE: Uh, yeah. Sure.

VOLKOVA: You don’t want our kind there?

BANKOLE: It’s got nothing to do with “kind”, your Sedgewick guy is talking crap.

VOLKOVA: Foreman Sedgewick has done nothing but protect us and help us. He helped us work the land back on Aiden’s Prospect and sold everything he had to get us this ship.

BANKOLE: Hey, listen. I’m not trying to be rude, but your captain has the wrong idea. The fleet is scattered, we’ve only found five ships. Anyway, I’m just here to help fix the scrubbers. If you find this new world of yours let me know, because I’d like to go there myself.

VOLKOVA: Only five ships? But we saw dozens go through the gate... I was hoping we might have some extra pairs of hands come calving season. We still have eleven heads of cattle on board.

SFX: a whining sound descends.

BANKOLE: Those poor things. Two months. What is your captain thinking forcing cattle into a ship like this? It barely supports people.

SFX: a door opens. Heavy booted footsteps approach.

SEDGEWICK: Back away, Bridget.

VOLKOVA: Foreman Sedgewick, I—

SFX: guns racking.

SEDGEWICK: Back away from him, Bridget.

SFX: booted footsteps.

BANKOLE: What are you doing?

SEDGEWICK: Sending a message.

SFX: someone snaps. A thwack hits, making a piercing ringing sound.

-Scene Change-

SFX: the ringing morphs into energetic club music.

RAVI: So he comes up to me and says, “Where’s your uniform?” and I say—

SFX: Ravi’s hand terminal beeps.

RAVI: Two seconds. This is Ravi...

SFX: footsteps as Ravi moves off.

CROFT: That’s a weird thing to say.

RAVI: I’m on my way!

CROFT: Whoa, where’s the fire?

SFX: footsteps rush off, the door whooshes open.

RAVI: The idiot’s taken hostages!

SFX: chairs scrape.

-Scene Change-

SFX: tense military-style music plays.

RAVI: What’s the meaning of this?

SEDGEWICK (over comms): You know very well what this is about! We demand the location of the new colony world within one hour!

RAVI: Colony world? There is no colony world.

SEDGEWICK (over comms): We have heard enough lies! Failure to comply will result in the death of one hostage! I do not want to kill anyone, but your hand is on my trigger!

RAVI: There’s no need for violence. We can work something—

SEDGEWICK (over comms): One hour!

SFX: the transmission cuts off

AVALON OPS OFFICER: He cut the feed.

SFX: Ravi groans angrily.

AVALON OPS OFFICER: Your orders, Lieutenant?

RAVI: Prepare a marine team for EVA.

AVALON OPS OFFICER: Yes, sir.

RAVI: *sighs* Damnit.

SFX: tense military music swells.

-Scene Change-

SFX: tense military music continues quietly. Many hurried bootsteps move down a hall.

CROFT: Ravi!

RAVI: Croft, Meds, what are you doing here?

CROFT: We heard you’re going in there with marines?

RAVI: I don’t see what other choice we have. We can’t give him what he wants, because it doesn’t exist.

MEDS: Lieutenant, I’ve seen hostage situations before. The marines would win, but people will die.

RAVI: What else can we do?

CROFT: I got something.

MEDS: You do?

CROFT: Me and Meds will go.

MEDS: We will?

CROFT: Trust me.

RAVI: I can’t ask you to do that. We have security teams for that, military personnel, I—

CROFT: Trust me.

RAVI: Alright, fine. Meet me in the conference room in five minutes.

SFX: music continues.

SFX: a door whooshes open. Clothing rustles as people sit in chairs.

RAVI: So what’s this plan then?

CROFT: Simple. We sneak aboard the ship and take them down from the inside. No one needs to die.

SFX: leatherette squeaks

MEDS: That’s your plan?

CROFT: I admit we need to fill in some details, but it’s better than a bloodbath.

MEDS: Well here are some details: they outnumber us; we don’t know what weapons they have aboard; and we don’t have a way in.

CROFT: Yeah, they outnumber us, but we’ve got more experience with this type of thing. They can’t have anything super heavy when it comes to weapons and...

MEDS: And?

CROFT: And we’ll think of something.

MEDS: Oh, brilliant.

SFX: ambient beeping.

RAVI: Waste.

MEDS: What?

SFX: music swells

RAVI: Like you were saying, Gustaf’s.

MEDS: Did someone just turn over two pages at once here?

RAVI: This is a schematic of their ship. It’s an old orbital ferry. It’s designed for short trips, but it does have small waste tubes.

SFX: CDF theme plays

CROFT: Uh wait a second LT. Didn’t you say they had cattle on that thing?

MEDS: Where are those tubes?

RAVI: On the ventral hull.

CROFT: Wait a second here—

MEDS: Those tubes can fit people. And the hostages are being held on the bridge right? That means the cargo hold might be free of guards.

CROFT: That’s a strong might.

MEDS: Hey, this was your idea.

CROFT: Yeah, but crawling through shit wasn’t part of my plan.

MEDS: It’ll be a lot easier with two of us going. So are you in?

SFX: scratching hair.

CROFT: Fine. Ravi, that’s the last charming anecdote you’re getting from me.

SFX: music fades out.

-Scene Change-

SFX: hydraulic hissing and mechanical sounds as a heavy door opens. Heavy breathing over a suit comm. Air hissing sounds.

CROFT (over comms): Spacewalks. I hate spacewalks.

MEDS (over comms): I refer you to the whole, “this was your plan” thing.

CROFT (over comms): I know, I know. Let’s just get this over with.

SFX: metallic clunking.

MEDS (over comms): Tether secure. Ready?

CROFT (over comms): Not really.

MEDS (over comms): Too bad. Firing thrusters.

SFX: RCS thrusters sound. Tense, dramatic music swells. Heavy breathing intensifies.

CROFT (over comms): What do we grab onto?

MEDS (over comms): The first thing you can find. Ten meters... five...

SFX: muffled metallic clunking, electronic suction sounds.

MEDS (over comms): You good?

CROFT (over comms): Oh yeah, marvellous.

SFX: a muffled siren blares.

CROFT (over comms): What the hell?

MEDS (over comms): Debris! Watch out!

SFX: muffled sound of large, heavy metallic objects crashing and whizzing nearby

CROFT (over comms): Damn that was close. What are they playing at? Ejecting waste this close to the Avalon. Let’s just get inside.

SFX: metallic bootsteps head towards a door, which whooshes open. Gross thick, squelching footsteps.

CROFT (over comms): God damn...

MEDS (over comms): Just be thankful you can’t smell it.

SFX: more squelching. Meds grunts as she walks.

CROFT (over comms): When was the last time these tubes were cleaned?

SFX: distant noises

MEDS (over comms): I’ve reached the hatch.

SFX: keypad beeps and a door opens. Strained mooing and cowbell echo around the cargo bay.

CROFT (over comms): I gotta say, this is weird and I was not expecting to see floating cows when I came on this job.

SFX: a loud and distressed moo as a cow bumps off a wall.

MEDS (over comms): Okay...suits off.

SFX: rustling noises, the hissing air turns off.

CROFT (over comms): Hey Meds. Do you think they call this the Cow-go Bay?

MEDS: Stop messing around.

CROFT (over comms): You’re right, you’re right.

SFX: more rustling as Croft removes his helmet.

CROFT: Steaks are too high, eh?

SFX: Meds and Croft chuckle. Mooing intensifies.

-Scene Change-

SFX: a door opens. Guns rattle.

MEDS: Clear. Let’s go.

SFX: running footsteps. Muffled, indistinct voices can be heard.

MEDS: I hear something. Next compartment. Ready?

SFX: gun rattles.

CROFT: Ready.

SFX: a door opens, guns rack, footsteps running. People scream.

MEDS: Hands up! Weapons down.

SFX: people scream, a young child cries.

VOLKOVA: Please no! Don’t shoot!

CROFT: Families. Just families.

SFX: melancholy music plays.

VOLKOVA: Please, don’t hurt us. We mean no harm.

CROFT: How many of you are there?

VOLKOVA: Just over fifty.

CROFT: All families?

MEDS: How many of you are armed?

VOLKOVA: Only a few on the bridge. We were just escaping the famine on Aiden’s Prospect. Foreman Sedgewick told us about the new colony out here.

MEDS: Sedgewick doesn’t know what he’s talking about. We’ve only just found a barely habitable planet. Honestly, you should have stayed in Tantalus.

CROFT: Did you bring your entire stock with you?

VOLKOVA: We brought everything with us. All we have is on this ship.

CROFT: Live cattle are one of the most valuable resources in Tantalus right now. You guys could have survived for years on Aiden’s Prospect, better than most other people back home. What kind of leader would risk all of that for some kind of paradise that he had no proof even existed? And now he’s taken hostages and made you all complicit in a crime.

VOLKOVA: I— I know.

MEDS: We don’t want this to escalate. We’re here to free the hostages. No one needs to get hurt.

VOLKOVA: Maybe I can help. If I come with you when you talk to Sedgewick, he might see reason.

CROFT: What do you reckon, Meds?

MEDS: It’s worth a shot. Okay, you can come. Stay behind us.

SFX: music swells.

-Scene Change-

SFX: rattling and metallic sliding sounds. Soft footsteps.

CROFT: That tether of yours, did you put that in yourself?

VOLKOVA: Magnetic boots are hard to come by. We don’t have much experience in zero G so it seemed like a good way to help people move around easier.

CROFT: So you’ve worked in space before then?

VOLKOVA: No. It just seemed logical.

MEDS: How much further?

VOLKOVA: Just up one more deck.

SFX: metallic sliding and footsteps continue.

VOLKOVA: Stupid. This was a mistake.

CROFT: Hey. Don’t be too hard on yourself now.

VOLKOVA: We aren’t space travellers, not even Sedgewick is. I can’t believe we listened to him for so long.

CROFT: Hey, if someone told me about a land of milk and honey I’d want to believe it too.

-Scene Change-

SFX: muffled, indistinct voice.

CROFT: Stand back.

SFX: beeping. Magnetic boot steps back.

MEDS: Charge set. Ready?

CROFT: Ready.

SFX: buzz, then bang. The door slides open. A gun racks.

MEDS: Drop your weapons!

SFX: more guns rack and power up.

CROFT: Uhh, maybe we shoulda knocked?

MEDS: Release the hostages! We don’t want anyone to get hurt, but we will use deadly force if necessary.

CROFT: Wow, that is not helpful!

SFX: metallic boots clink as Sedgewick approaches.

SEDGEWICK: You see? Sneaking through the back door, just like I thought they would! You see the lengths they’ll go to keep you all from paradise? It’s disgusting. We know what you’re hiding from us!

MEDS: Oh for god’s sake, there’s no hidden colony!

SFX: metallic sliding as Volkova approaches.

VOLKOVA: You should listen to them!

SEDGEWICK: Bridget? What are you doing here? They’ve turned her against us!

VOLKOVA: These people aren’t some corrupt elitists, they’re just regular working people like us. Of the dozens of ships that made the jump, how many are outside right now? They can’t all be on this hidden colony. This was dangerous and reckless, and now we have nothing. Even if there was a Verdant Paradise, we’d still have nothing. We left with fifty heads of cattle, and those we have left won’t last the season in these conditions.

SFX: people murmur in shock.

SEDGEWICK: I built Aiden’s Prospect from nothing, and now you’re going to listen to this… milkmaid? You owe me! You all have lives because of me!

SFX: thump as Sedgewick slams his fist against something.

VOLKOVA: If not for me, you all would have suffocated weeks ago. I’ve kept us alive for two months while you’ve dragged us through this nightmare.

SEDGEWICK: Lies!

VOLKOVA: I’m not talking to you! I’m talking to them. We should never have listened to him.

CROFT: I wish there was a world waiting for you guys. I really do. It would make things a lot easier. But being out here, living this life, isn’t easy. If we don’t talk you down, marines are going to march right through that hatch and sort it out. Don’t risk dying for this guy.

SEDGEWICK: No, no. Listen to me! This is a distraction! They’re coming in to contaminate our supplies and our milk.

SFX: metallic bootsteps.

SEDGEWICK: I’m giving you an order. Shoot them!

VOLKOVA: Release the hostages.

SFX: guns unrack and power down.

VOLKOVA: I’m so sorry this happened to you.

SFX: a tie is cut.

BANKOLE (udderly relieved): Oh, thank you.

SEDGEWICK: No… no…! If none of you will do what’s necessary, then I will.

SFX: a gun racks and the safety is turned off. People chatter. Running footsteps, followed by thudding. Meds grunts while Sedgewick cries out in pain.

SEDGEWICK: Get- off me! No! You don’t know what you’re doing—

SFX: uncomfortable straining sounds, followed by a loud thump. People cheer.

SEDGEWICK: This is not over.

SFX: handcuffs rattle, rustling.

MEDS: You’re coming with us.

SEDGEWICK: You don’t have the authority to arrest me.

MEDS: No, but I can drag you, kicking and screaming, to a very friendly team of marines who do. It’s up to you.

SFX: Sedgewick sighs in frustration and two pairs of boots retreat. People clap, then they quietly whisper.

CROFT: Thanks for the help there.

VOLKOVA: We listened to that man for far too long.

CROFT: I dunno. Seems like they’ve got someone better to listen to now.

VOLKOVA: What?

CROFT: This ship is going to need a new captain. I reckon you could do a good job.

VOLKOVA: But I’m no space traveler.

CROFT: You could use a couple of tech manuals maybe, but there’s more to being a good captain than that. You’ll do great. Thanks again.

VOLKOVA: Oh no, thank you.

CROFT: Good luck, and if you’re ever on the platform, I owe you a drink.

-Scene Change-

SFX: door whooshes closed. Tapping on a tablet and Elizabeth’s cane limping gait comes to a stop.

RAVI: Their ship is operational, but I think it’s best if some of the families come aboard the Avalon. I thought maybe we could find them some work helping to run the new harvesting shelters. They have the right skill set for agricultural work. I wanted to see what you thought first.

SFX: chair creaking.

ELIZABETH: I think that’s a good idea. What about these cows they brought with them?

SFX: scratching hair.

RAVI: Well their bones and muscles have heavily atrophied and having been stored for so long they’ll be a hotbed of bacterial diseases. Probably best they be euthanized.

ELIZABETH: You’re probably right.

RAVI: Will that be all?

ELIZABETH: For now. By the way, I think you handled the situation well.

RAVI: I’m not so sure. My first instinct was to send marines over there. It was Croft who came up with the plan that actually worked.

ELIZABETH: Hey, you made the call. If you remember, I did tell you not to try and do everything yourself. Seems to me, if this Sedgewick guy had listened to the people around him like you just did, none of this would have happened. You did good.

RAVI: *sighs contentedly* Will that be all, ma’am?

ELIZABETH: That’s all, Ravi.

SFX: hopeful music swells and fades out.

-Scene Change-

SFX: coin ringing then flying through the air. It misses.

MEDS: Come on!

CROFT: Ha ha, getting closer!

MEDS: How is this so hard?

CROFT: See, and to think you mocked me for this. This is a game that requires peak mental disc—

SFX: coin flicked. A door whooshes open. Croft misses the glass.

CROFT: —son of a—

CASS: Looks like you guys are keeping busy.

CROFT: Hey Skipper, good to have you back.

MEDS: When did you get back?

CASS: 'Bout an hour ago. You two get up to anything exciting while I was away?

CROFT: Oh you know, same old shit.

SFX: Croft laughs quietly to himself.

CASS: What?

MEDS: Very funny.

CASS: *laughing* What?

SFX: lighthearted music fades out.

-Scene Change-

SFX: ominous music plays.

VALENDRA: I wish I did not have to send you away again so soon after your return. But there is no other choice.

VADRIC: I don’t understand. Whatever Arvannis and the court are planning is treason against the throne, we should confront them.

VALENDRA: No. I fear neither one of us truly has the power we think we have. Our only blessing is that they do not know that we overheard them. The explosion we detected in the Nimbus, Arvannis and the court must not know about it or else they would have acted by now. You must get there first.

VADRIC: And do what?

VALENDRA: I do not know. But these outsiders are proof that the word of Advar cannot be absolute truth. They are a window to greater knowledge and understanding that Arvannis is desperate to keep from us.

VADRIC: I do not wish to leave you here. You are not safe.

VALENDRA: I know. But every day we sacrifice hundreds to this place. To the Sanctum of Advar. Killings that I have ordered. That you have carried out. I must know why.

VADRIC: Very well. I will do whatever I can.

VALENDRA: Be safe, my love. I will wait for your return.

SFX: a tender kiss. Footsteps. An alien-sounding door opens and an engine powers up, then launches away. Valendra’s footsteps retreat.

ARVANNIS: This is Arvannis. Follow the Inquisitor.

SFX: ominous music fades out.

SFX: The Sojourn Ending Theme plays.

NARRATOR: You have been listening to The Sojourn, Season One Episode Five: The Promised Land, written by Rowan J. Coleman, 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, with additional voices by Marta da Silva, Amy Kay, Aaron Jones, and Larissa Thompson. 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.