Season 2 - DERELICT - E3 - Insidious Consequences

Summary

DERELICT - Season 2, Episode 3: "Insidious Consequences"

Release Date: January 15, 2024

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Episode Overview

In "Insidious Consequences," the crew aboard the Maas-Dorian corporation's secret laboratory base, FATHOM, faces escalating challenges as they attempt to unlock the mysteries of the ancient artifact known as the Vault, located nineteen thousand feet beneath Earth's ocean. The episode delves deeper into the perils of their mission, introducing new threats and complex character dynamics that test the crew's resilience and unity.

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Plot Summary

The episode opens with the crew monitoring the status of the Crichton, a ship docked at FATHOM. Rainer detects unusual power fluctuations, suggesting unauthorized access to the derelict's power system. This anomaly raises suspicions about the integrity of their mission and the true nature of Killian Sager, a dangerous prisoner housed within the ship.

As tensions mount, Chambers, the medical officer, updates the team on the condition of their comrade, Steven, who remains unconscious but is expected to revive soon. The crew debates the implications of the Crichton's compromised systems, contemplating the possibility of using its engines to tow the derelict out of its degrading orbit.

Amidst the crisis, the team's Codex devices—advanced communication and information tools—play a pivotal role in uncovering critical data about their predicament. Rainer directs Chambers to wake Steven to assist with propulsion issues, but unforeseen power outages and shield failures complicate their efforts, leading to a countdown to atmospheric re-entry.

In a desperate bid to restore power and align the Crichton for safe undocking, Rainer devises a plan involving manipulating the ship's energy shields and rerouting power through the Codex system. This plan culminates in a tense confrontation with Killian Sager, who reveals his unique abilities to interact with the ship's systems through sensory perception of metal and electromagnetic fields.

As the team grapples with internal distrust and the looming threat of external security apparatuses, Killian offers his expertise in exchange for his freedom. Rainer, torn between skepticism and necessity, negotiates a fragile alliance, leading to a high-stakes operation to repair the Crichton's reactor using ferrofluids to seal a critical puncture.

The episode intensifies as Rainer ventures into the reactor room, battling gravitational anomalies and structural failures to implement the fix. Meanwhile, Killian manipulates the ship's controls to initiate undocking, betraying the crew's trust. The situation spirals into chaos as security systems activate, forcing the crew to make split-second decisions to survive.

In the climax, Rainer successfully restores the reactor, enabling the Crichton to power up and realign with the derelict. However, the betrayal by Killian leaves the crew stranded within the derelict, facing new and unknown dangers as internal security systems approach.

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Character Interactions and Dynamics

• Rainer: The pragmatic and determined leader struggling to maintain control amidst mounting crises. His relationship with Killian Sager becomes increasingly complex as he navigates trust and survival.

  "Codex query. Vent the secondary air filter. Open the X core radiation shield." [55:09]

• Freedom: A resourceful crew member grappling with the ethical implications of their actions and the emerging threats.

  "We don't have any way to readjust the Crichton. Get it back in alignment with the derelict. It's the only way to open the airlock door." [05:09]

• Chambers: The cautious medical officer who hesitates to fully commit to Rainer’s risky plans, reflecting the tension between safety and necessity.

  "Chambers, I need you." [06:26]

• Killian Sager: The enigmatic and manipulative prisoner whose true intentions remain ambiguous. His ability to perceive and interact with the ship's systems introduces a formidable new variable.

  "Not everyone. Told you you were my angel. Sticking up for me in there. Keeping the wolves at bay." [37:07]

• Stevens: The injured crew member whose revival becomes critical to the propulsion repair efforts, yet his loyalty is questionable.

  "I'll smash it to pieces instead." [33:10]

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Key Discussions and Decisions

1. Energy Anomaly Investigation: Early in the episode, Rainer identifies power fluctuations that suggest a breach in the derelict's power system, prompting a scan for energy anomalies.

   "Because this level of power going through the lines, that's not just critical systems." [02:06]

2. Prisoner Containment Dilemma: The crew debates the necessity and risks of handling Killian Sager, a high-profile prisoner with limited visibility, complicating their mission objectives.

   "It's restricted technology. Yeah, bounty hunters, cops, corporate security, that's about it." [04:30]

3. Restoring Ship Power: A critical decision to attempt restoring the Crichton's power involves repairing the radiation shield and realigning the ship's docking to prevent atmospheric re-entry.

   "We have to power up the Crichton's." [05:09]

4. Alliance with Killian Sager: Under duress, the crew engages with Killian, weighing the benefits of his knowledge against the inherent risks of his trustworthiness.

   "You can help me, Is that it?" [25:14]

5. Ferrofluid Fix: Rainer formulates a plan to use ferrofluids to seal a puncture in the reactor, requiring precise coordination and risk management.

   "I need ferrofluids. Are they stored in containers?" [52:12]

6. Betrayal and Undocking: The culmination of tension leads to Killian manipulating ship controls to initiate undocking, forcing the crew into a life-threatening predicament aboard the derelict.

   "You decided one way, I decided another. I'm not going into that derelict. I'm gonna cash in all the chips I have instead." [65:19]

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Rainer: "These systems have all kinds of hard coded mods. Vast majority of which are illegal." [02:48]

• Killian Sager: "Insidious consequences. Angel." [13:36]

• Rainer: "We need to find a way to readjust the Crichton. Get it back in alignment with the derelict. It's the only way to open the airlock door." [05:09]

• Killian Sager: "Never had much use for it. But appears you emerged unscathed. All the same." [12:25]

• Chambers: "I want to state again this isn't the best course of action. He isn't completely healed." [21:59]

• Codex (Elizabeth Laidlaw): "The Crichton will be rolled into the atmosphere. Burn in 4 minutes 19 seconds." [06:08]

• Killian Sager: "You can feel inside that room? Feel the reactor? Tell you what's wrong?" [18:17]

• Rainer: "This is the moment. Stevens." [34:04]

• Killian Sager: "To be certain. But only so much have you lived. I am afraid will fall to you." [38:43]

• Freedom: "We need engines for that. Which means we need Stevens." [21:09]

• Killian Sager: "Revenge." [74:02]

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Insights and Themes

1. Trust and Betrayal: The episode explores the fragile nature of trust within high-stress environments. Rainer's willingness to ally with Killian underscores the desperation and moral compromises the crew must navigate.

2. Survival vs. Ethics: The crew faces ethical dilemmas, such as whether to exploit Killian for their gain or adhere to their mission’s original intent, highlighting the tension between survival instincts and professional duties.

3. Dependency on Technology: The reliance on Codex devices and their vulnerabilities emphasizes the precarious balance between technological assistance and potential threats arising from its misuse or malfunction.

4. Isolation and Desperation: The remote and confined setting of FATHOM amplifies the characters' isolation, leading to heightened emotions and decisions that carry significant consequences.

5. Corporate Control vs. Individual Agency: The overarching presence of Maas-Dorian and their secretive motives juxtaposes the crew's limited autonomy, raising questions about free will and corporate dominance in high-stakes scientific endeavors.

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Conclusions and Cliffhangers

As the episode concludes, the crew successfully realigns the Crichton and undocks from the derelict. However, their salvation is short-lived as internal security systems activate, signaling impending threats. The betrayal by Killian Sager leaves the crew vulnerable, setting the stage for heightened suspense and further challenges in subsequent episodes. The unresolved tension around Killian's true motives and the looming security threats promise intricate developments and deepened character arcs in Season 2.

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Production Credits and Acknowledgments

"Insidious Consequences" features stellar performances from Chad Morgan (Rainer), Danny Payne (Freedom), Ian Guyberger (Chambers), Mustafa Slack (Killian Sager), JD Cerna (Stevens), and Mila Isabella (Codex). Original music by Ryan Talbert, Dexter Britton, and Eric Kinney, along with additional sound design by Music Radio Creative, enrich the immersive experience. The episode is created, written, directed, and edited by J. Barton Mitchell, produced by J. Barton Mitchell and Elizabeth Laidlaw, and executive produced by Michael Freiberg. Associate producers include Kirsten Rudberg, Thomas Barker, David Trush, Andrew Roper, and Tyler Rush.

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Support the Show: Consider becoming a member of Derelict Premium to access early ad-free episodes, exclusive bonus content, and special rewards. Your support ensures the continuation of this thrilling narrative.

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This summary is intended for those who have not listened to the episode and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key events and character developments in "Insidious Consequences."

Transcript

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game?

[Rainer]

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[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

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[Rainer]

Affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. Hi, this is Elizabeth Laidlaw, the voice of Dr. Eva Graf and a producer of Derelict Podcast. If you're wondering how you can support the show, the very best way is by becoming a member of Derelict Premium. You'll get early access to ad free episodes, special bonus content and exclusive rewards. And your support means the story will continue. To join Derelict Premium, just go to derelict.supercast.com or click the link in the episode notes below. Thanks for listening and enjoy the episode.

[Freedom]

You rang?

[Rainer]

Yeah. Look at this. Full ship status for the Crichton. Minor hull damage, engines, best I can tell. And no heat shield atrophy.

[Freedom]

Well, that doesn't make sense. The crane's been docked here for more than a day now. It's been rolling into the atmosphere too.

[Rainer]

Right. One weird thing. Power fluctuations going through the mainlines. See the levels shifting.

[Freedom]

Why is that weird?

[Rainer]

Because the X core is powered off or docked. Which means we're plugged into the derelict's power system. But this level of power going through the lines, that's not just critical systems.

[Freedom]

Systems.

[Rainer]

That's a lot of juice. Made me wonder. Codex query. Run a scan for anomalous energy readings.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

This scan has been run previously.

[Rainer]

I'm aware. Run it again.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

One energy anomaly detected.

[Freedom]

These metrics are detailed. I didn't know these things could do that.

[Rainer]

The scanning equipment is advanced. They're like something the first contact teams would have. Look at the results. See the spike on the waveform?

[Freedom]

What is it?

[Rainer]

Langmuir waves. Oscillations of electron density. The shields are on. It's detecting the plasma.

[Freedom]

But the shields show off on the status display.

[Rainer]

Yeah, someone hotwired them.

[Freedom]

Wait a second. You're right. Ship permission hierarchies have all kinds of hard coded mods. Vast majority of which are illegal. By the way, the shield override was done. Looks like three days ago. In fact, a bunch of augments were overrides to the cargo bay door. The transponder signal acquisition. Whoever was in this ship had a plan. Probably a nutty one.

[Chambers]

Chambers, Steven's vitals are normalized. The pod repaired most of his tissue damage.

[Freedom]

Is he awake?

[Chambers]

No, not yet. But he should be relatively soon.

[Rainer]

Chambers, we have something to show you about the Ship. The shields are on.

[Chambers]

The shields?

[Rainer]

We were trying to figure out why the Crichton is in this.

[Chambers]

Well, why is it more important than the prisoner in the cargo bay?

[Rainer]

Because one has a direct impact on why we're still breathing.

[Chambers]

Not so might a criminal loose on a ship. Do you see him? He's huge. He's clearly dangerous.

[Freedom]

We don't know anything about him, Chambers, other than he's locked up.

[Chambers]

Well, what kind of people get locked up?

[Freedom]

Me for one.

[Chambers]

What are we going to do about him?

[Rainer]

Nothing. We leave him where he is. The physical shell of the pod is open, but the energy shield is up.

[Chambers]

But if he gets through that.

[Rainer]

You clearly don't understand. Multiphasic energy shields.

[Freedom]

Did you see his eyes? They were white.

[Chambers]

Yes. Physis bull by is caused by atrophy of the eye tissue due to lack of blood circulation. He's blind.

[Rainer]

Why do ice miners have a prisoner containment pod anyway? It's restricted technology.

[Freedom]

Yeah, bounty hunters, cops, corporate security, that's about it.

[Rainer]

How do we know they are ice miners? Where did that info come from?

[Chambers]

It was in the mission brief from the Corporation.

[Freedom]

The brief may have been wrong. Rainer and I were just looking at a host of changes that were made to the ship's operating protocols. Weird changes?

[Rainer]

Yeah, look, in the grand wide scheme of our current predicament, whoever the hell this guy is and what to do with him is a downstream problem. We've been here more than an hour and we haven't even been inside the ship. Derelict. Its heat shields are dying and so are the engines.

[Freedom]

What if we get this ship undocked? The Grand's in good shape. Could we use it to tow the derelict out of the degrading orbit?

[Chambers]

The captain of the Eldritch said not even his frigate could do that.

[Rainer]

Right. The derelict is just too big. The only way is to get its main engines back on.

[Freedom]

Seems like we could use a propulsion engineer for that. We might need to wake Stevens up.

[Chambers]

No, I wouldn't recommend it. He's experienced a great. What happened?

[Rainer]

We just lost power.

[Chambers]

It's back.

[Freedom]

No, it's not full power. It's emergency battery power.

[Chambers]

You sound like that's pat.

[Freedom]

Is it bad if we're on emergency power?

[Rainer]

The shields are down. We're not protected from the atmosphere anymore. Codex query. How long until we roll back into the atmosphere? Burn.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

The Crichton will be rolled into the atmosphere. Burn in 4 minutes 19 seconds.

[Rainer]

What do we do if we lost power? Then the connection is severed from the derelict. We have to power up the Crichton's.

[Freedom]

X core still docked.

[Rainer]

You can't power every other damn safeguard's been overwritten. Get into the systems. Overwrite the security protocol for X core. Power up.

[Freedom]

Okay.

[Rainer]

Chambers, I need you.

[Chambers]

Me?

[Rainer]

Chambers.

[Chambers]

Okay, what do you need me to do?

[Rainer]

Go to the engine, find the electronics panel. We need to pull out the distributors and connections. What are basically giant fuses? I'll walk you through it.

[Chambers]

This is the cargo bay.

[Rainer]

I see that Engine room. Through there. Go.

[Chambers]

But what about him?

[Rainer]

Don't worry about him. No.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Freed.

[Rainer]

What do you got dealers on?

[Freedom]

This thing isn't like anything I've seen. It looks custom made to augment all.

[Rainer]

Of the different levels. Detail please.

[Freedom]

It was made to augment ship's functions. So I need five minutes to isolate the X core safeguards from powering up the dock.

[Rainer]

What if you just remove all the safeguards?

[Freedom]

Well then I need like one minute.

[Rainer]

Great. Do that. Chambers, are you in the engine room?

[Chambers]

Yes, but I don't know what I'm.

[Rainer]

Looking for on the walls. Giant cabinet with a whole bunch of warning signs on it. I'm opening the nearest core door.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

30 seconds to atmosphere contact.

[Rainer]

I thought I was. What? X corridors sealed.

[Killian Sager]

Leave. You will regret the opening of that door. The path you are on, Angel. Not the right one.

[Rainer]

What the hell? This. This is the radiation shield.

[Freedom]

Indeed.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

No X trillium levels detected within the cargo bay. No xrillium levels detected past the barrier.

[Rainer]

If there's no xitrillium leak, why would the radiation shield be down?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Pause it. It was brought down manually.

[Rainer]

Manually?

[Chambers]

I see three fuses for docking bay systems. Interface the UTIL computer.

[Rainer]

Second one. Pull them.

[Stevens]

Pull.

[Freedom]

All of those safeguards are down. Should be able to power up.

[Rainer]

If I can get in.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

2 minutes, 30 seconds. 2 atmosphere.

[Killian Sager]

At some point may want shut the.

[Rainer]

Prisoner pod's physical barrier.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Acknowledged.

[Rainer]

Much better. Codex, is the radiation shield hydraulic or pneumatic?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

The radiation shield door is pneumatically powered.

[Rainer]

Where's the compressor?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

It is present in the cargo bay and can be controlled through panels in this room.

[Rainer]

Can you access them? Bent the pneumatics from the secondary air treatment. And open the radiation shield chambers. Talk to me.

[Chambers]

Pulling the last fuse or whatever it is now. They're bolted in.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

1 minute 30 seconds to atmosphere contact.

[Rainer]

And the door? Codex.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Opening now.

[Rainer]

Here we go. System, get the door back down.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Confirm override. Previous instructions.

[Rainer]

Holy.

[Stevens]

Did it work?

[Rainer]

No, it didn't.

[Freedom]

Grinner.

[Rainer]

Where we at.

[Stevens]

Rainer?

[Rainer]

Nowhere. Nowhere at all. The X cors. I can't turn it on.

[Chambers]

Wait. What does that. What does that mean?

[Freedom]

It MEANS we're screwed.

[Rainer]

Three, two.

[Freedom]

It means hold on to something.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Atmosphere.

[Rainer]

Contact. It's 10. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Oh, man. Oh, man. Codex, reopen the prisoner containment shell.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Reopening prisoner containment pod.

[Rainer]

Okay, Let me have it. I'm ready.

[Freedom]

Say it.

[Rainer]

You tried to tell me. I didn't listen.

[Killian Sager]

Ah. Floating. Never had much use for it. But appears you emerged unscathed. All the same.

[Rainer]

Debatable.

[Killian Sager]

Looks like pain of an internal sort.

[Rainer]

Reactor radiating? Em. Probably gamma rays. EM and I don't get along. Not for a long time.

[Killian Sager]

Jet effect. It is a.

[Rainer]

That obvious?

[Killian Sager]

To the initiated.

[Rainer]

You a user?

[Killian Sager]

No. But I've known those who have suffered.

[Rainer]

Then you don't know anything unless you've lived with it.

[Killian Sager]

Oh, I've lived with it. Intimately. No withdrawal from jet. Never better, never worse. Even if you wanted, couldn't take the edge off with another fix. Won't ever work for you again. Once the nanobots are starved, give up the drug. Live in purgatory. Insidious consequences. Angel.

[Rainer]

Stop calling me that. I'm no one's Angel.

[Killian Sager]

Don't get to choose how other people see us. And you're no ordinary Angel. You're my Angel.

[Rainer]

Why is that?

[Killian Sager]

Because you're gonna be the one to let me out of here.

[Rainer]

Is that right?

[Killian Sager]

Cargo bay airlock. Got a feeling. Not gonna like what you find there either. Alert. Exterior airlock door inoperable.

[Freedom]

Uhhuh.

[Killian Sager]

Ship's misaligned. Atmosphere burn. Shifted it towards the stern a few inches. Maybe a foot. But enough.

[Rainer]

There's no way you could know that.

[Killian Sager]

Try me.

[Rainer]

Codex query. What's up with the docking connections? Why can't I open the airlock door? Into the derelict?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Scanning. The impact from the atmosphere burn shifted the Crichton on its docking axis. It is no longer aligned with the airlock. Connected as such. Safety protocols will not allow the airlock door to open.

[Rainer]

Can you tell me which way the ship shifted?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Scanning. The Creighton shifted nine inches out of position. Towards the stern of experimental vessel XTX 38523.

[Killian Sager]

How about that?

[Rainer]

How did you know that?

[Killian Sager]

Unlikely you believe it, angel, were you to hear most. Do not.

[Rainer]

Try me.

[Killian Sager]

This ship. This galaxy. All made of the same thing. All connected by the same thing.

[Rainer]

Air.

[Killian Sager]

Metal. Metal touching metal. Touching metal. Touching me. I have a sense of metal.

[Rainer]

Some kind of extrasensory thing.

[Killian Sager]

Along those lines.

[Rainer]

You're right. I don't believe it.

[Killian Sager]

Where you're standing. Floor panel. Your right. Boots on the edge. Lifts in the center panels. Three feet by three feet square. Feels like engraved to cabling. Access conduit. Current lift. Here. The letters should be upside down for you standing like that. Am I wrong?

[Rainer]

No. It's like you said. It's all there. Magic trick like that. What's it supposed to do?

[Killian Sager]

Enlighten you? Got bigger problems in how I feel. Find the world. Don't you? Need power. Quick link. Because you're not cycling up the engines without that X core.

[Rainer]

And you can help me, Is that it?

[Killian Sager]

You can feel inside that room? Feel the reactor? Tell you what's wrong?

[Rainer]

I already know what's wrong. The containment shield's punctured. Only thing that explains the gravity influx, but not where.

[Killian Sager]

Not how to find it. Can tell you that. Tell you where Roche made his mark. Roche was on the ship with me.

[Rainer]

And where is Roche now?

[Killian Sager]

With all the others. Other side of that door you walk through. Dead if they're lucky.

[Rainer]

What happened on this ship?

[Killian Sager]

You really have no idea where you are, do you? What's on the other side of that door? They didn't tell you anything before they packed you up and sent you off? Gave you those little wrist pieces, gave them to you. So they only had to reveal what they had to reveal. You know what that means, right?

[Rainer]

Why don't you tell me?

[Killian Sager]

Means they are more interested in what they want done. Getting done. Than they are in you surviving it.

[Rainer]

And whoever locked you in that thing. What did they want?

[Killian Sager]

Who is to say? Angel? Maybe they have my best interests at heart.

[Freedom]

Renner, you there?

[Rainer]

Yeah, I'm here. You okay? Fred?

[Freedom]

I mean. Hit my head. Lost my balance when the burn hit. Sitting on my ass in the bridge.

[Rainer]

We have complications.

[Freedom]

What now?

[Rainer]

The airlock door back into the derelict is jammed because the Crichton shifted on its axis.

[Freedom]

Well, still disconnected from power. Batteries are online, but it's not enough to power the shields.

[Rainer]

Yeah, we're going to start taking damage every burn. Rotation now.

[Freedom]

Pink's upper Rex core.

[Rainer]

There's a gravity influx from the xitrillium reaction happening inside the core. I think the containment shield is punctured like a near microscopic hole.

[Freedom]

How do you know that?

[Rainer]

Because any bigger and the influx would implode the ship. It's still strong, though. Almost sucked the whole cargo bay into the reactor room when I opened the door. Me included.

[Freedom]

Can we fix it?

[Rainer]

I don't know. But we're gonna have to find a way to readjust the Crichton. Get it back in alignment with the derelict. It's the only way to open the airlock door.

[Freedom]

We need engines for that. Which means we need Stevens.

[Rainer]

I'll find Chambers. Meet us in the med bay.

[Freedom]

Got it.

[Killian Sager]

You and your friends, out of sorts. Out of sorts.

[Rainer]

Codex. Shut the prisoner pod's physical barrier.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Confirmed. Ceiling. Prisoner.

[Chambers]

I want to state again this isn't the best course of action. He isn't completely healed. And there are significant risks to prematurely waking someone from a mental illness.

[Rainer]

Look, the only way out of here is through the cargo bay door. We need engines for the realignment. And I don't know enough about propulsion tech to get them running in time.

[Killian Sager]

Time.

[Chambers]

Okay, okay.

[Rainer]

Warning. Premature termination of medical procedure. Removing subject carries risk of further complications. Confirm.

[Chambers]

Confirmed.

[Freedom]

Is he.

[Chambers]

Stevens. Stevens, can you hear me? Stevens.

[Rainer]

What about a stimulant? Something to kickstart bloody. Dear God.

[Codex]

What the.

[Chambers]

Stevens. Stevens. You're okay. You're all right. You're on the Crichton. In the med pod. You're safe. You're okay.

[Codex]

What happened, happened?

[Rainer]

You don't remember?

[Codex]

I remember. I remember the goddamn ship exploding. I remember the debris wave.

[Freedom]

Yeah, you took it in the face. You're lucky to be here.

[Stevens]

Lucky to beware.

[Codex]

This is the derelict ship?

[Rainer]

No, it's the Crichton. The ice miners ship docked on the derelict.

[Freedom]

We'll fill you in.

[Stevens]

Yeah, good, Fill me in.

[Chambers]

Let's start with Stevens. Wait.

[Rainer]

Ah.

[Killian Sager]

Holy balls.

[Chambers]

You're not in any shape to get up, much less move around. You're going to need some. What do you know about it?

[Rainer]

A lot, actually.

[Freedom]

Chambers is a doctor.

[Codex]

The suits a doctor too. Oh, it's like waking up in an alternate dimension.

[Rainer]

Stevens, I need you to listen. The ship's dislodged from its airlock connections. We need to realign it.

[Codex]

Oh, my head feels like it's gripped between a bodybuilder's thighs.

[Freedom]

Okay, that's a lot to unpack.

[Codex]

Just flight computer will do it. It's just a button push. It's not rocket science.

[Freedom]

It literally kind of is.

[Rainer]

The X core's offline, we're on emergency power and the engines aren't working. We need thrusters in order to get us realigned on the docking bay so we can open the derelict area.

[Chambers]

Everything feels cold in here. Did we lose life support?

[Rainer]

We're on batteries now, so just basic life support. Going to get cold real fast.

[Freedom]

Computers are running, but just one terminal in each section.

[Chambers]

So we don't have shields?

[Rainer]

No, not on batteries. We need real power for shields and engines.

[Codex]

You guys have really screwed this whole thing up. Haven't you? Why did you morons even bring me here, huh? Why not the medbay on the derelict ship, the one we're actually supposed to be on. Why are we even dealing with this shit?

[Rainer]

Because it meant leaving you to die in the secondary airlock. And we chose to risk our asses to get you here instead. That's why.

[Freedom]

Full disclosure. I voted to kill you. Twice.

[Rainer]

We're wasting time with this. We need the engines, which means we need the X core. I think maybe the prisoner can help.

[Chambers]

Oh, no.

[Freedom]

Help how?

[Codex]

What prisoner?

[Rainer]

He knows what's wrong with the reactor. I think he might be able to help me get it back on.

[Codex]

What prisoner?

[Freedom]

There's a containment pod, Stevens, like for bounty hunters. In the cargo bay. There's something. Someone in it.

[Codex]

Who?

[Rainer]

We don't know.

[Codex]

Why not?

[Rainer]

I didn't think to ask his name.

[Codex]

You didn't think to ask his name? Did you think to check the user logs? I mean, holy hell, does anyone think for themselves on this job?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

This device has direct access to all ship systems. This query can be performed remotely.

[Codex]

What was that?

[Rainer]

We call it Codex. Each of us has one. You do, too. Goes on your wrist. Just a small VI with access to lots of info about the ship.

[Codex]

And the ability to remotely access computers, among other things.

[Rainer]

Codex, do you have an identity on the prisoner in this ship?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

The prisoner is identified as Cillian Sager. Killian Sager is wanted by all three human space governments for the following crimes. Homicide, terrorism, piracy, grand larceny, smuggling, distribution of narcotics, distribution of weapons of mass destruction, destruction of government property.

[Rainer]

We get the gist of it.

[Codex]

Hell, this guy is locked up in the next room.

[Chambers]

I knew it.

[Codex]

I told you.

[Chambers]

I told you he was dangerous.

[Freedom]

He's blind. How can you be this super criminal if he. He can't see?

[Rainer]

He can see. Not like we do, but he can.

[Chambers]

What does that mean?

[Rainer]

It's complicated.

[Codex]

Hey, little girl. Device thing.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Codex is an acceptable designation.

[Codex]

Yeah, okay. Do you have any info on how much the bounty might be on this Killian Sager?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

The highest current bounty for a Killian Sager conference Invade Alive is 6 million UEG credits.

[Freedom]

Who the hell is this guy?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Correct. 6 million UEG credits.

[Codex]

Well, I think we just found a golden ticket out of this situation.

[Chambers]

What do you mean?

[Codex]

How did I get thrown in with this lot? Listen closely, children. I'd guess wholeheartedly that 6 million credits split four ways is a lot, lot more than whatever the hell MD land is offering us. Starting to register now.

[Chambers]

You're proposing we turn him in for the bounty.

[Codex]

I'm proposing. We're all pretty smart. Like next level smart. I'm proposing instead of bailing our corporate masters out of whatever shitstorm they've stirred up, this time we use the very skills we were hired for to fix this shit ship, undock, cash in Mr. Sager, and then, ideally, never see each other again.

[Freedom]

Could we. I mean, could we do that?

[Codex]

The way I see it, bounty hunting's two parts hunting and bounties. He's locked up. That's the hard part. We just show up at an extra pulse station and a movie.

[Chambers]

I imagine there's a little more to it than that. We aren't licensed bounty hunters.

[Codex]

From one, we'd figure it out, I promise.

[Rainer]

This isn't about money.

[Codex]

Give me a break. Everything is about money.

[Freedom]

I don't know this baby. Stevens has a point.

[Chambers]

That's 1.5 million false identities linked to PPG, bank accounts, attack shelter, certainly a forger who could work on spec, which is probably 12 to 15% commission at least.

[Freedom]

So if we wanted to get the ship running.

[Rainer]

This isn't about money.

[Codex]

You seem to be in the minority here, Rainer. Everyone else is thinking smart. What's your problem?

[Rainer]

I have a lot more than one. And none of them are solved with 6 million credits.

[Codex]

Well, they do solve ours. And we aren't obligated to dig you out of whatever holes you've made. Cheer up, Rainer. 1.5 million may not solve your problems, but it'll make them a lot more palatable.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Subject matter is flagged restricted.

[Codex]

What?

[Freedom]

What's this?

[Chambers]

There are pictures on some kind of document or.

[Freedom]

Oh, bloody tears.

[Codex]

They're documents, all right. They're bounty notices.

[Chambers]

Wait. Bounties.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Extra poll arrest warrants have been issued with United Earth Government, Pangea People's Conglomerate and Autonomy Nomadic Fleet. Licensed Bounty Reclamation Officers. The posted reward for your capture is two million.

[Rainer]

Oh, God.

[Codex]

Is this a fucking farce?

[Freedom]

Two million. Every bounty hunter in human space would be hunting us.

[Stevens]

Will be.

[Codex]

Look at the timestamp. These are active warrants.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Bounty warrants will be restored upon completion of your assignment. New mission imperative. Focus solely on mission goals.

[Codex]

This little VI just screwed us sideways every way.

[Freedom]

Really?

[Chambers]

These. These list everything. Everything about us.

[Freedom]

Every sin. All. All our sins. Posted for all to see. Love reading mine. Embezzlement, corporate espionage, grand larceny. Oh, my.

[Chambers]

Criminal negligence, falsification of pharmaceutical test results, constructive manslaughter, extortion, abortion.

[Codex]

Illegal gambling, embezzlement, conspiracy to subvert patent laws.

[Freedom]

No wonder they picked us. You See the common thread?

[Codex]

Yeah. All last chance losers. All at the end of our roads. All expendable. One of us. I noticed. Though conspicuously unrepresented here.

[Chambers]

He's right. Why doesn't Rayna have one?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Acid Rayner has exhibited operation cohesion and adherence with ist. Acid plane terminated. Acid Plan Rainer has been promoted to team lead position.

[Rainer]

What?

[Chambers]

This can't be happening.

[Rainer]

No, no, I'm not a leader.

[Freedom]

Give me a break, Rainer. You've been barking order since we got here.

[Rainer]

Because we'd be dead otherwise. Because no one else has been made.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

New mission imperative. Focus solely on mission goals.

[Chambers]

What do we do?

[Stevens]

What do we do?

[Rainer]

We finish the job, Bob. We get the ship back for md. We fix all this. Everything listed on these. That's why we came.

[Codex]

You really are pathetic, Rainer. You actually think they're just gonna line.

[Stevens]

Everything up for us in thanks, huh? You think once this is over they.

[Codex]

Don'T put a bounty out on your head too?

[Rainer]

If you believe that, then why did you sign off?

[Codex]

Because like every other pathetic loser in this room, I didn't have any choice.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

New mission imperative. Focus solely on mission goals. I said Stevens must wear a Codex device.

[Codex]

What?

[Chambers]

It wants you to put.

[Codex]

Yeah, I heard it. And I'm not wearing that.

[Stevens]

I'll smash it to pieces instead.

[Rainer]

Stevens, this is the boat we're in. I don't know what you did to get in here, but it seems like you've been running a long time.

[Codex]

Bet your ass.

[Rainer]

And what did that get you? What did it get any of us? Taking this ship and running doesn't get us anything new. It just digs us deeper. At some point we have to stop running. We don't have to like each other, but we do have to work together. Together.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

New mission imperative. Focus solely on mission goals. I said Stevens must wear a Codex device.

[Rainer]

This is the moment. Stevens.

[Stevens]

Give me the damn thing.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

New mission imperative. Open Creighton airlock door. Proceed into ship interior. Focus solely on mission goals.

[Rainer]

All right then.

[Freedom]

All right, so how do we do this?

[Rainer]

If I repower the X core, can we get the engines on enough to realign the ship on the airlock? Stevens?

[Codex]

It's problematic.

[Chambers]

Why?

[Codex]

Because the ship has a matter of antimatter drive carbon and anti carbon get combined in an intermixed chamber and the exothermal reaction moves the ship. But you lost power. So the antimatter tunneler and the matter injector are offline.

[Freedom]

So if we restore power, we restore the engines.

[Codex]

Sure. Yeah. After a full reboot. Takes about Six hours.

[Chambers]

We don't have that long.

[Codex]

Obviously. Hence the problem.

[Rainer]

And the fix.

[Codex]

There's antimatter in the intermix chamber. The tunneler always repopulates it. But we need carbon to react with the anti carbon. And it's not like you can just open the intermix chamber and throw in some graphite. Only one way I can think of in our situation. Manually open the external shutters on the intermix chamber. That's what feeds thrust into the engine cones. Shove carbon in from the back. Fortunately, we have a good source for that.

[Rainer]

The burn. The atmosphere. We wait for the burn to come back around, let it fill in the engine cone, then open these shutters.

[Chambers]

In a nutshell, we would need to drop the shield for that. Correct.

[Codex]

And get the shutters open in the first place. Won't be easy. They are. They aren't designed to open like that.

[Rainer]

But you can figure it out.

[Codex]

I can figure it out.

[Freedom]

Well, sounds like we have a plan. And a fragile, tenuous alliance, Reina.

[Rainer]

Fragile and tenuous.

[Killian Sager]

My angel.

[Rainer]

Do you want to live?

[Killian Sager]

Question that needs no asking.

[Rainer]

I don't know who you are. Why you're trapped in that thing. What you're doing here. I do know. You're walking the edge of a razor because you have a 6 million credit bounty on your head. And everyone on this ship wants to cut loose and turn you in.

[Killian Sager]

Not everyone. Told you you were my angel. Sticking up for me in there. Keeping the wolves at bay.

[Rainer]

You're guessing promotions too.

[Killian Sager]

Team lead. Sounds important.

[Rainer]

There's no way you could have heard that. Not in that pod.

[Killian Sager]

Hearing it is not the right word.

[Rainer]

How did you know that?

[Killian Sager]

Metal. Metal is not something people see the right way. It flexes, it bends, absorbs, vibrates. It sings. To me at least. Angel.

[Rainer]

My name is Rainer.

[Killian Sager]

Unlike you, Rainer, you have something. But liking someone and trusting them are two different things. No way to trust someone without knowing what drives them.

[Rainer]

What does trust have to do with it? Either we open that door or we die. Can you help me do that?

[Killian Sager]

To be certain. But only so much have you lived. I am afraid will fall to you. And you've already experienced what it's like inside there. Just a glimpse. Gravity. Electromagnetics. Your brain is not a fan of either, is it?

[Rainer]

I'll make it work.

[Killian Sager]

Remains to be seen. But I need to touch the floor. What the floo need to touch it. Just in front of the pod will be fine.

[Rainer]

Why?

[Killian Sager]

I can feel what's going on in the cargo bay. Inside this pod. Anything beyond that can't feel into the reactor. Em's too strong. I need a more connected source.

[Rainer]

Drop your containment shield. That's what you're asking?

[Killian Sager]

You thinking? Same thing the others are worried about. Once I'm loose, I rear up, snap you in half. You're the same with everyone else on board.

[Rainer]

Why do I think you've done similar things before?

[Killian Sager]

Call it intuition, but I'm strapped in here at the waist. You see, metallic bonds keep me in my spot, shield or no shield. And you can reactivate that in milliseconds. Keep your finger on that trigger, Angel. Cut me in half if I do anything untoward. Or don't. But unless I feel the floor, you don't know what you're dealing with inside the reactor.

[Rainer]

Codex query. Deactivate the prisoner containment's energy shield.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

This operation is possible.

[Rainer]

Do it.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Confirm potentially dangerous subject is housed inside containment pod.

[Rainer]

Confirmed.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Deactivating electromagnetic prisoner containment shielding.

[Killian Sager]

Free at last.

[Rainer]

Get on with it.

[Killian Sager]

First things first.

[Freedom]

Calm yourself.

[Killian Sager]

Calm yourself. Good. Nice. Let you breathe, let you talk. But do not scream. Is that understood? Real nice. Real good.

[Rainer]

How did you break the waist shackle? No way. You're.

[Freedom]

This.

[Killian Sager]

Does not feel good, does it? That grip on the throat tightening. Feel the devil tugging on your shoes. My grandma used to say, need to establish two things if we are going to cooperate. Trust and understanding.

[Freedom]

This is trust will be.

[Killian Sager]

See the screwdriver right there on that bench? Take it. Go ahead. Take it. Good. Now put it all gentle like, right against my throat. It's fine. Angel. Here. Right on the side, the tender soft part. You can do it. Beautiful. Perfect. Now you see? Could drive that bit of metal right into my larynx. Got the leverage for it. This position and I could crush your neck like an egg. Don't. We each got the jump on the other other. Just sit here a moment. See what happens. See how it feels. Why don't you start that time of yours? Go on now. Give it a whirlwind. Five seconds ought to be enough. Starting now. No small thing, is it? A deathly synergy. Promising start to a relationship.

[Rainer]

This isn't a relationship.

[Killian Sager]

Of course it is. Short as it may be. And all relationships thrive on trust and understanding. Trust we've dealt with. And what you need to understand, angel, is that I am no one to double cross. I am no one to set intentions with. You do not intend to keep. There have been those in my time that made that mistake. They are no longer among the living. Help you at the X core. Help you get the power on. Help you open that door. And when I do, I will no longer be inside this pod. I will be set free. Completely. That is the only deal we are discussing. We are in agreement, Presume?

[Rainer]

Yes.

[Killian Sager]

Nice. Good. Free to go now. Rainer. That wasn't so bad, was it?

[Rainer]

It goes both ways. Lie to me, stop me from getting what I want. And I'll shrink the containment shield on this thing with you inside it until you're nothing but a massive gelatin.

[Killian Sager]

Means a lot to you, whatever it is you lost. That's good, right? Kind of motivation? Believe me, I know. I have lost things too.

[Rainer]

I don't care. Get on with it. Before I start losing faith.

[Killian Sager]

I take a few steps back, the effect will be in the air.

[Rainer]

Codex. If he leaves his seat immediately, re engage the energy shield.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Order confirmed.

[Killian Sager]

To be certain.

[Rainer]

What's happening?

[Killian Sager]

You were right. Containment shield punctured. But very, very small. Just a. Just a pin break. A lot of debris. Big, small. Stuck to it, blocking it.

[Rainer]

Where?

[Killian Sager]

Near the floor. Right side of the reactor core. As you look at it, right above. Right above. It feels like a conduit round. Not power though. Some kind of pressure valve.

[Rainer]

If it's near the floor on the right with this orientation, that would be the thermal bleed off valve. You sure about this?

[Killian Sager]

Sure.

[Rainer]

Codex, reactivate the energy barrier.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Order confirmed.

[Rainer]

A pinhole puncture in the X core's containment shield. Right above the bleed off.

[Killian Sager]

Long hand short of it, but what's the solution? Lot of problems, aren't there?

[Rainer]

Getting crushed is one problem. The gravity influx would make short work of me. Other problem is that EM field in there triggered my jet remnants last time. Could use one of the spacesuits. Whichever has the most atmosphere left. Buy me some time with both. Still gotta seal the hole.

[Killian Sager]

Roche knew what he was doing. Seemed to me. Anyway, plan wasn't for us to stay here. A guy like that, clever guy. Would have had a way to fix the core when it was needed.

[Rainer]

You're saying Roche punctured the containment core intentionally?

[Killian Sager]

I am saying it.

[Rainer]

Why would puncturing the containment core?

[Killian Sager]

Roche seemed to think it would make the pulse stronger. Increase the feedback. He said make it.

[Rainer]

Pointed a feedback pulse right into the.

[Killian Sager]

Power system of the big ship once we were docked. Once they let us plug in.

[Rainer]

You modified the X core to pulse forward through the auxiliary power lines from the derelict. You'd need a shit ton of capacitors, some kind of distributor to set the whole thing off. And a way for the reactor to vent out the excess EM buildup it would get from pushing against the derelict's current. That's why he punctured the containment shield right by the bleed off. What the hell were you doing here?

[Killian Sager]

Afraid to say nothing respectable.

[Rainer]

Xitrillium reaction is a negative gravity effect. That's why everything's being sucked towards it. But it radiates gamma rays. That's what messed with my head. Gamma rays. Steven. Stevens.

[Codex]

What?

[Rainer]

Do you know what model ship this is?

[Stevens]

Yes.

[Rainer]

Stevens, can you please just answer the question?

[Stevens]

Oh, I'm sorry.

[Codex]

Sure.

[Stevens]

Let me drop everything over here. It's an Aerodyne Marquee 3, about 30 years old. Not in great shape either, judging by this engine, which looks repurposed from some.

[Rainer]

Does it use ferrofluids for heat transfer or vibration dampening?

[Stevens]

Yeah, both.

[Chambers]

Why?

[Rainer]

Are they stored?

[Stevens]

Are they stored?

[Rainer]

Yes. Like in a container or are the ferrofluids already.

[Stevens]

Is this really important to what's going on?

[Rainer]

Yes, Stevens, it is. I need ferrofluids. Are they stored in containers?

[Stevens]

I mean. Yeah. Okay, I see the distributors for the heat dampening right here.

[Rainer]

How much is in the container?

[Stevens]

I guess half a gallon. You know that. You realize that stuff is dangerous, right? Ferromagnetic nanoparticles.

[Rainer]

If I didn't know what ferrofluids were, Stevens, why would I be asking? Have Chambers bring me one of the containers.

[Stevens]

What are you gonna do with it?

[Rainer]

Plug a hole.

[Killian Sager]

Ferrofluids.

[Rainer]

Basically a liquid of electromagnetic sensitive nanoparticles. When exposed to em, it solidifies. On a starship, they help with inertia dampening, heat transfer near the engines.

[Killian Sager]

Starting to get. Toss that on the reactor's puncture wound. It'll solidify from the em. Seal it.

[Rainer]

That's my thought. Stevens, how are we looking?

[Stevens]

Shutters are rigged. Once the burn comes back, they'll blow open and that will start the reaction. You realize we get one shot at this, right? If the X cord isn't on by the time the antimatter reaction starts, then.

[Chambers]

This is all for nothing.

[Rainer]

I'll get it on. Just be ready to go. Chambers, tell me again.

[Chambers]

The gravity will pull you to the X core. When you're there, I'll send over the winch line for my suit. You'll attach to the debris blocking the puncture on the reactor shield. And I'll winch it out one piece at a time.

[Rainer]

You'll be fine. Your suit will do most of the work.

[Chambers]

And you're sure I won't get pulled through too?

[Rainer]

As I. Trillium gravity effect has a tight Fall off? I guessed at the distance to the reactor from the door. I only got a glimpse. But stay behind the line I drew on the floor and you'll be fine. We moved everything else away, so there shouldn't be any flying debris.

[Chambers]

Do you have to do anything special with the ferrofluids?

[Rainer]

Just open the container. Gravity influx will suck them right into the pump. Functional. Should be all there is to it. Any last cryptic words of encouragement?

[Killian Sager]

Anyone needs encouragement ought not be doing what they're doing.

[Rainer]

Fair. Codex query. Vent the secondary air filter. Open the X core radiation shield.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Malfunction previously detected.

[Rainer]

Detected.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Gravity influx previously detected. Confirm.

[Rainer]

Confirmed. I can feel the pull now. Much stronger here. Okay, here we go. I'm gonna let it pull me inside. Computer, mute all external sounds. Warning. Exoskeleton impact. Structural integrity compromised. Life threatening situation detected. You don't say.

[Chambers]

Right. Are you okay?

[Rainer]

Present accounted for. Into the reactor. Lost my grip on the ferrofluid container. But it's here. Stuck nearby. Can reach. Warning. Mechanical systems under strain. Mechanical failure possible. Can barely move. A lot stronger gravity force than I expected. Give me a second. Achievers. Okay, I'm situated. I see. See the bleed off it. I see where the puncture is. Let's start getting this debris off. Send your winch line in.

[Chambers]

Here it comes. Gravity has it.

[Rainer]

I see it. Keep it coming. Almost here. Oh, God. Okay, it's on. Pull it. It's working. It's headed to you. It's about to hit the bottom of the door. Get ready. It sucks. Just increase the pull. It'll go. I can tell. There it goes.

[Chambers]

Thomas crashed into me.

[Rainer]

Almost is good. Warning. Suit integrity failing. Send the winter again. I'm running out of time here.

[Chambers]

You're the only way I see it.

[Rainer]

Got it. Attaching. Okay, go. Wheel it back. It's hung up. The power of the winch. Here it comes. Chambers, you okay? Chambers.

[Stevens]

I'm here.

[Chambers]

I'm here. That face almost took my head off.

[Rainer]

One more piece then. Good.

[Chambers]

Easier than I thought.

[Rainer]

Don't jinx it.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Warning.

[Rainer]

Suit integrity failing. I got it. I got it. Okay. Yeah. This one's bigger.

[Stevens]

How much bigger?

[Rainer]

Warning. Suit integrity failing. Just pull it.

[Killian Sager]

Go.

[Rainer]

My suit's almost done.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Get ready.

[Rainer]

It's on the door. It's not moving. Go for the power.

[Stevens]

Are you sure?

[Rainer]

Yes. Do it. Get it out of here. I have to get the barrel fluid container.

[Killian Sager]

This is working.

[Rainer]

Almost reach it. Almost.

[Freedom]

Oh.

[Chambers]

Raina.

[Freedom]

What happened? I'm getting warning lights all over the panel.

[Stevens]

My waste broke.

[Chambers]

The debris got sucked Right back onto Raina.

[Rainer]

It hit hard impacts to try to. Integrity compromised.

[Stevens]

Suit integrity failing right now.

[Chambers]

Right.

[Rainer]

I'm here. I'm here. Debris bend me. Suit failing.

[Freedom]

We got bigger problems. The last impact weakened the whole reactor shell. If you don't get that puncture sealed, the X core is going to breach.

[Stevens]

Eject it. Eject the X core.

[Freedom]

Raider is still in the.

[Chambers]

Do you see the puncture on the reactor? Can you fix it?

[Rainer]

I see it. I see it. I'm trying to reach ferrofluid container.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Warning. X core breach imminent. Structural integrity compromised.

[Stevens]

Eject the core.

[Rainer]

Can't reach. No.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Suit just died.

[Rainer]

I can't. Can't get the container.

[Stevens]

She's not gonna make it. Eject the things.

[Freedom]

You'll kill her if you eject the core.

[Stevens]

The core will kill all of us if we don't. There's no time.

[Chambers]

Reina, what are you doing?

[Rainer]

Venting my suit. Pulling out servos. The presence.

[Chambers]

You will crush you and the election.

[Rainer]

Not immediately.

[Chambers]

Right.

[Stevens]

Fine. No one else is solid for it.

[Killian Sager]

I'll do it.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

I can do it.

[Killian Sager]

Here.

[Rainer]

Got it. Pair of ruins. Opening. Freed free. We're green.

[Stevens]

We're going to power up.

[Chambers]

Reiner.

[Killian Sager]

Good God.

[Chambers]

Are you okay? Are you conscious?

[Rainer]

Unfortunately.

[Chambers]

We're pulling you back to the cargo bay. Raina.

[Rainer]

I think. I think my ribs.

[Chambers]

There were significant chief officers in fantasy do.

[Freedom]

We're online.

[Rainer]

X Cor is up.

[Freedom]

Is she okay?

[Chambers]

No, I don't think so. The pressure was intense. And the EM projection.

[Stevens]

This is your captain speaking. I am in the bridge. Burn is almost here. Going to seal the pressure doors just to be safe.

[Rainer]

You too. Get over to the airline outdoor. Might have to do this fast.

[Freedom]

Got it.

[Stevens]

Atmosphere burn incoming. We made it. With seconds to spare.

[Freedom]

Thanks to Rainer who you wanted to flush into space.

[Stevens]

Get ready. 3. 2. 1. Dropping shields.

[Killian Sager]

Oh God.

[Freedom]

Is it working?

[Stevens]

Stand by. And we've got thrust.

[Freedom]

Oh, thank God.

[Stevens]

Shield's back up.

[Freedom]

Freed.

[Rainer]

Check the alignment on the airlock connections.

[Freedom]

Looking. Hey, you're off. Stevens, you're off. Starboard about three degrees. Stevens, you're off. Three degrees.

[Stevens]

Well, this is awkward.

[Chambers]

You cut the thrust. Why did you cut the thrust?

[Stevens]

Because I'll have full engine function in about five minutes. All the thrust I'll need.

[Freedom]

You said a full engine reboot would take hours.

[Stevens]

Yeah, I kind of lied about that. Force and antimatter reaction in the intermix chamber. The process actually does. It doesn't take all that long. Engines are priming right now.

[Rainer]

Stevens, what are you doing?

[Stevens]

I can't close the cargo bay door. Bridge controls have been overridden. You guys are gonna have to do it from your end.

[Rainer]

We need to get into the airlock. Stevens, why would we close the cargo bay door?

[Freedom]

Because when he undocks the ship, the cargo bay is gonna sent into space.

[Chambers]

Wait, what?

[Rainer]

Stevens, you son of a. We just exactly.

[Stevens]

You decided one way, I decided another. I'm not going into that derelict. I'm gonna cash in all the chips I have instead.

[Chambers]

We have bounty warrants, Stevens. You included.

[Stevens]

I thought about that too. If I turn all of you in, that's what? 12 million total. Should go a long way to settling up my affairs. Stevens, I gave you the chance to do the small smart thing and you chose different. Now I'm undocking. You can shut that door or you can asphyxiate. If I were you, I'd start making better choices.

[Chambers]

Can we get to the bridge and stop him?

[Freedom]

No. We locked down the whole ship.

[Chambers]

But can we force open the airlock door?

[Rainer]

It's hydraulically sealed. Hundreds of pounds of pressure.

[Freedom]

Then what do we do?

[Chambers]

Maybe. Maybe we have to shut it. Maybe there's no other way.

[Rainer]

I'm not leaving.

[Chambers]

I mean, he's right. We'll dive. Ian, docks at the door open.

[Stevens]

Four minutes.

[Freedom]

I'm not.

[Rainer]

What? Leaving.

[Chambers]

Rainer, stay down. You're hurt. Freed. Shut the door. It's the only thing to do, Fred.

[Rainer]

No.

[Chambers]

Shut the door. We have to.

[Rainer]

No, just.

[Freedom]

I'm sorry, Rainer. I don't see any other way.

[Rainer]

No.

[Killian Sager]

You really want on that ship? Really need on that ship?

[Rainer]

Yes.

[Killian Sager]

Why not? Credits wouldn't be talking if it was my son.

[Rainer]

I lost my son. Ah.

[Killian Sager]

And way to getting him back. It is through that ship.

[Rainer]

The only way.

[Killian Sager]

All is not lost, Angel. One choice left. Let me out.

[Chambers]

What?

[Freedom]

Rainer, wait.

[Killian Sager]

Let me out. The last of your options.

[Rainer]

You can open the doors. Both of them. You can get us inside.

[Killian Sager]

Believe you me.

[Freedom]

Rainer.

[Chambers]

Reiner, I don't know about this dangerous trust.

[Killian Sager]

We've earned it, you and I. You and I. Cut from the same cloth, seems like. Let me loose. Have my word, you will be on that ship.

[Rainer]

Codex Clearing.

[Killian Sager]

Okay.

[Rainer]

Open the prisoner containment pod.

[Freedom]

Rainer?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Confirm. Potentially dangerous subject is housed inside containment pod.

[Stevens]

Rainer. What are you doing?

[Rainer]

Got to say, Stevens, depriving you of your payday sort of pushed it over the top for me. Codex confirmed.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Deactivating electromagnetic prisoner containment shielding.

[Chambers]

You're larger than I assume.

[Rainer]

You need help getting to the door.

[Killian Sager]

I do not.

[Stevens]

The cargo bay door is sealed like the others now. No way it's opening. We all know this is done.

[Killian Sager]

Everyone, few steps back.

[Chambers]

What is he doing?

[Freedom]

He's touching the cargo door. He's feeling it.

[Killian Sager]

Covering your ears. Another good idea.

[Chambers]

Why would we need to.

[Freedom]

Ah.

[Rainer]

He's.

[Freedom]

He's opening the doors.

[Rainer]

Both of them.

[Chambers]

That's hundreds of pounds of pressure.

[Killian Sager]

Talk about it. Do something.

[Rainer]

This right.

[Killian Sager]

Call under.

[Rainer]

Go.

[Stevens]

Go.

[Killian Sager]

Rainer.

[Rainer]

Killian, we're through.

[Killian Sager]

Stay clear of the doors. Gonna drop the man.

[Rainer]

Do it.

[Stevens]

Rainer.

[Freedom]

We. We did it. I think we did.

[Rainer]

Right. We did. We're on board the derelict new Miss Imperative.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Proceed into ship interior. Normalize degrading orbit.

[Freedom]

Maybe could we have a five minute break first?

[Chambers]

But our escape plan is gone. The Crichton is gone.

[Rainer]

That's right. Either we fix this ship or we die on it.

[Killian Sager]

Always found grim truth. Such as those very, very motivating.

[Chambers]

Should we. Should we bind him somehow? Tie him up?

[Freedom]

Who's gonna do it? You?

[Killian Sager]

Always the same with the civvies. Always blinded by whatever's closest to them.

[Rainer]

What's that supposed to mean?

[Killian Sager]

Means Angel. Many, many more things on this boat you should be worried about. Besides.

[Rainer]

The hell was that?

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Warning. Internal security apparatus on approach. Avoid detection. Seek shelter.

[Rainer]

Security apparatus.

[Killian Sager]

Case in point.

[Chambers]

Maybe we should listen to it.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

Warning.

[Killian Sager]

Avoid detection, Seek shelter.

[Freedom]

Seek shelter. Where?

[Rainer]

I don't know. But something's coming. Something big. Everybody. Everybody run.

[Narrator]

Derelict is the sequel to the podcast Fathom by Night Rocket Productions. It is created, written, directed and edited by J. Barton Mitchell, produced by J. Barton Mitchell and Elizabeth Laidlaw and executive produced by Michael Freiberg. Episode 3 Insidious Consequences stars Chad Morgan as Rainer, Danny Payne as Freedom, Ian Guyberger as Chambers, Mustafa Slack as Killian, JD Cerna as Stevens and Mila Isabella as the Codex. This episode features original music by Ryan Talbert, Dexter Britton and Eric Kinney, as well as additional sound design by Music Radio Creative. Derelict has the following associate Kirsten Rudberg, Thomas Barker, David Trush, Andrew Roper and Tyler Rush. If you're enjoying the show, you can directly support it by joining the Derelict Premium experience. In addition to early and ad free versions of our episodes, Derelict Premium gives you exclusive member only merchandise, merchandise discounts and and access to exclusive bonus content like commentary, episodes and cast interviews. Join us at derelict.supercast.com or click the link on our website derelictpodcast.com help us keep the show going. We can't do it without your support. Most importantly, thanks for listening. This story will continue.

[Rainer]

The Fable and.

[Elizabeth Laidlaw]

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[Chambers]

What's this all about?

[Rainer]

What about Nightmares? You promised. They can't tear out your soul anymore. Stupid.

[Freedom]

The rot.

[Killian Sager]

Ominous Thrill A full cast anthology of horror thrillers and suspense.

[Rainer]

I've done it. Horrible things. Tell them what you did.

[Freedom]

I didn't do anything.

[Rainer]

To me.

[Stevens]

No.

[Killian Sager]

Character driven tales of obsession. I have no sight.

[Rainer]

I'm no sight. Banging on my door and streaming it on the Internet.

[Killian Sager]

Revenge.

[Rainer]

Don't mind if I sit here and watch lights go out, do you?

[Killian Sager]

The unexplained.

[Freedom]

Don't leave me out here.

[Rainer]

We can't help her.

[Freedom]

I have a daughter.

[Rainer]

We're leaving. I need the light.

[Codex]

You want me to fall down the stairs?

[Rainer]

No. I want to push you.

[Freedom]

I love you so fucking much.

[Killian Sager]

Ominous Thrill. Available now on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Amazon Music and everywhere.

[Rainer]

Flesh Splits opened. Oh, yes.

[Killian Sager]

Thrill you later.