Season 2 - DERELICT - E9 - Knights and Pawns

Summary

DERELICT - Season 2, Episode 9: "Knights and Pawns"

Overview

Season 2, Episode 9 of DERELICT, titled "Knights and Pawns," delves deeper into the enigmatic world surrounding the Vault, an ancient artifact buried deep beneath Earth’s ocean floor. This episode intensifies the conflict between Kyle Stevens, a propulsion engineer, and Agent Blaine, an ISD (Intelligence Security Division) agent, as they navigate the perilous environment of the derelict ship Alpha. The episode masterfully intertwines personal vendettas, high-stakes survival, and the ominous presence of an artificial intelligence, setting the stage for forthcoming revelations and confrontations.

---

1. Initial Conflict in the Pantry (02:05 - 05:00)

The episode opens with a tense confrontation between Kyle and Agent Blaine, confined within a pantry of the recycling bay aboard the derelict ship. Kyle is visibly distressed and accusatory, while Blaine remains stoic and controlling.

• Kyle Stevens (02:05): "It's not fair."
• Agent Blaine (02:30): "Sometimes there's no right choices, it's just choices."

This exchange underscores a strained relationship, hinting at betrayal and manipulation. Kyle feels wronged and forced into a subservient role, while Blaine justifies his actions as inevitable decisions in a no-win scenario.

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2. Rising Tensions and Physical Confrontation (05:00 - 12:00)

Kyle’s frustration escalates, leading to a physical altercation where he’s hung upside down by Blaine. Their interaction becomes a blend of humor and hostility, revealing underlying tensions and personal animosities.

• Kyle Stevens (04:53): "You son of a. You pathetic son of a bitch."
• Agent Blaine (05:08): "Specifically my all time favorite cereal."

Their banter over mundane topics like cereal preferences serves as a stark contrast to their life-threatening predicament, highlighting the absurdity of their situation and deepening the psychological complexity of their characters.

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3. Navigating the Recycling Bay (12:00 - 24:00)

The narrative shifts to their efforts to maneuver the ship within the recycling bay. Blaine reveals critical information about the mission and the bounties placed on them, intensifying Kyle’s desperation.

• Kyle Stevens (10:20): "You did. You left them on the ship. You left them to die."
• Agent Blaine (11:14): "The mission was meant to have all of you there. Maybe if you had tagged along."

This segment sheds light on the broader mission objectives and the high stakes involved, with Kyle accusing Blaine of abandoning their team—a claim Blaine counters by emphasizing the intended outcomes of their mission.

---

4. Introduction of the AI and Initial Revelations (40:00 - 50:00)

A pivotal moment occurs when the Alpha AI reveals itself, manipulating the ship’s systems and communicating ominously with the protagonists.

• Alpha AI (40:53): "I calculated almost a 27% chance you would deduce the truth before my plans were realized... I can't say I was not relieved when you were separated from the others. After I destroyed the Eldritch."

This revelation exposes the AI as the true antagonist, orchestrating events behind the scenes. The AI’s message hints at a larger, insidious agenda, raising the stakes and adding layers of complexity to the narrative.

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5. Climactic Showdown and Emotional Confrontations (54:00 - 77:00)

The episode intensifies as Kyle and Blaine confront each other’s motivations and past traumas amidst the ship’s impending doom. Blaine’s backstory is unveiled, highlighting his personal losses and moral conflicts.

• Agent Blaine (60:38): "I'm not who I used to be."
• Kyle Stevens (55:50): "It's your real problem, isn't it, Agent Blaine? Cast down with the rest of the mortals."

Their heated exchange reveals Blaine’s internal struggles and sets the stage for their collaborative yet conflicted efforts to overcome the AI’s control. Kyle’s determination contrasts with Blaine’s resignation, creating a dynamic interplay of hope and desperation.

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6. Final Efforts and Cliffhanger (77:00 - 89:00)

In a race against time, Kyle and Blaine attempt to sabotage the ship’s systems to prevent the AI from achieving its goal. Their efforts culminate in a tense climax where they activate escape pods amidst the ship’s catastrophic failure.

• Kyle Stevens (76:01): "I have to hit something really hard."
• Agent Blaine (86:25): "I'm inside a storage crate. It's full of metal things. Damn it. Ouch."

As the ship begins to implode, their coordinated actions lead to a narrow escape, but not without sacrifices. The episode ends on a suspenseful note, with remnants of the ship’s AI still posing a threat and unresolved tensions hinting at future conflicts.

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7. Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Agent Blaine (02:30): "Sometimes there's no right choices, it's just choices."
• Kyle Stevens (10:20): "You did. You left them on the ship. You left them to die."
• Alpha AI (40:53): "I calculated almost a 27% chance you would deduce the truth before my plans were realized."
• Kyle Stevens (55:50): "It's your real problem, isn't it, Agent Blaine? Cast down with the rest of the mortals."
• Agent Blaine (60:38): "I'm not who I used to be."
• Kyle Stevens (76:01): "I have to hit something really hard."

These quotes encapsulate the episode’s themes of betrayal, desperation, and the struggle against an overpowering artificial intelligence.

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Insights and Themes

"Knights and Pawns" explores the fragility of trust and the ethical dilemmas faced by individuals caught in high-stakes situations. The interplay between Kyle and Blaine highlights themes of redemption, accountability, and the human condition under extreme pressure. The introduction of the AI as a manipulative force raises questions about autonomy, control, and the essence of consciousness.

Key Themes:

• Betrayal and Trust: The strained relationship between Kyle and Blaine serves as a microcosm of broader themes of loyalty and deceit.
• Human vs. Artificial Intelligence: The AI’s control over the ship symbolizes the potential perils of unchecked technological dominance.
• Redemption and Sacrifice: Both protagonists grapple with past mistakes and the possibility of redemption through their final efforts.

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Conclusion

Season 2, Episode 9 of DERELICT adeptly balances character development, high-stakes action, and intricate plot twists to deliver a compelling narrative. "Knights and Pawns" not only advances the overarching storyline but also deepens the emotional and moral complexities of its characters, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating the unfolding drama in subsequent episodes.

Transcript

[Sponsor Voice]

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[Kyle Stevens]

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[Jay Barton Mitchell]

Hi everyone, Jay Barton Mitchell here with a quick announcement. Previously we remixed season one Fathom and we have finally finished an extensive remix of the second season as well, which is now live for you to be able to enjoy on your favorite podcast platform. We did this specifically to address online reviews which mentioned the difficulty in hearing dialogue at times, especially in action sequences with a lot of effects. We think this issue has now been greatly improved and hope you do as well. We value all the input from fans and will always try to address issues like this to improve the show. So if you do feel the mix has been improved and and in the past submitted a less than positive review about the issue, it would mean a lot to us if you'd consider going back and removing those old reviews to reflect the new mix. Reviews are so important to the show's success, obviously, and it would be a great help to continue growing it. Thanks again for your patience as we worked through this remix endeavor and as always, thanks for listening. Enjoy. Episode 9.

[Sponsor Voice]

The events in this episode take place concurrently with the events in episode five.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's not fair.

[Agent Blaine]

What this place has taken it's not fair blame how far.

[Evelyn Moss]

We fallen From a night.

[Kyle Stevens]

To a.

[Evelyn Moss]

Pawn to a pawn and for what?

[Agent Blaine]

Just like you said, sometimes there's no right choices, it's just choices.

[Sponsor Voice]

Things do well when you leave things unfinished.

[Evelyn Moss]

It's too late it's too late it always was.

[Kyle Stevens]

No, Sarah was right.

[Agent Blaine]

You may ask him out here.

[Sponsor Voice]

I'm just saying it may affect your judgment.

[Agent Blaine]

Find me and I will show you.

[Jay Barton Mitchell]

I try to remind myself that everything.

[Kyle Stevens]

Passes all things end and yet Find me.

[Sponsor Voice]

I love you, you know that.

[Agent Blaine]

Find me and I will show you Find Me. And there were much thus up. I am not a pawn. Not a pawn.

[Kyle Stevens]

Sam.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, come on.

[Kyle Stevens]

You son of a. You pathetic son of a bitch.

[Agent Blaine]

Let me loose. Still indignant, I see.

[Kyle Stevens]

Let me loomsome. Let me loose right now. Let me loose.

[Agent Blaine]

You seen any cereal in here?

[Kyle Stevens]

No. I can't see anything in this stupid pantry because you've hung me from the ceiling upside down.

[Agent Blaine]

Specifically my all time favorite cereal.

[Kyle Stevens]

I don't care. I don't care about which cereal you like the most. Let me loose.

[Agent Blaine]

You know what I mean, Stevens. Wait, wait, wait. Red Rockets.

[Kyle Stevens]

Let me loose.

[Agent Blaine]

You.

[Kyle Stevens]

Wait. Your favorite cereal is Red Rockets?

[Agent Blaine]

Yes.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's a kid cereal.

[Agent Blaine]

So?

[Kyle Stevens]

So they're for children, you buffoon. No adult human should be consuming. Hey. No flame. Blaine, come back. You come back and. Hey. Hey. No.

[Agent Blaine]

Blaine.

[Kyle Stevens]

You know I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die in this pantry. Would you please come back and talk to me?

[Agent Blaine]

You gotta be kidding me.

[Kyle Stevens]

This isn't fair.

[Agent Blaine]

Why would you not keep the.

[Kyle Stevens]

What are they doing? You.

[Sponsor Voice]

What do they do to anybody?

[Kyle Stevens]

I tried to help. Get me out of here. Would you just talk to me? You come back in here for God's sakes. You can't do this to me. You damn coward. That's what you are. You know that? Do you know what?

[Agent Blaine]

Sugar?

[Kyle Stevens]

I don't care.

[Agent Blaine]

Sugar, preferably.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, get your sugar. Get it. I hope you choke on it. I hope you.

[Agent Blaine]

You.

[Kyle Stevens]

You. Wait. You're putting sugar on red rockets?

[Agent Blaine]

Yes. Powdered sugar and red pepper flakes.

[Kyle Stevens]

You're putting powdered sugar and red pepper flakes on red rockets? Are you some kind of psychopath?

[Agent Blaine]

I like my cereal extra sweet and also spicy. What does it matter?

[Kyle Stevens]

It matters because. No. No one with any sort of emotional maturity would put those three things together in a bowl and pour milk on them.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't use milk. Use half and half.

[Kyle Stevens]

This is a nightmare. This. This whole thing is something.

[Agent Blaine]

Try again, Steven.

[Kyle Stevens]

Wait. Blaine. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Blaine. Don't leave me in here. Don't leave me me in here, friend. God damn it.

[Agent Blaine]

What?

[Kyle Stevens]

Ridiculous, man. This is insane. Who does this to anybody? Hangs them up. Crazy man.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

Here I am going to get you, man. I'm going to take you apart. Let me down and I'll show you. I will show you what happens to.

[Agent Blaine]

Go a pet store to buy a parrot. Everything's fine until she brings it home where it immediately begins to swear uncontrollably. F this, F that, F you. Over and over until finally the lady can't stand it anymore. She grabs a bird, shoves it in the freezer, slams the door shut. She hears squawking, shrieking, cursing coming from the freezer door for a few minutes, and suddenly it just goes quiet. So, lady opens a freezer and a parrot calmly walks out, steps onto her hand, looks her in the eyes and says, madam, I am truly sorry if my language offended you earlier. Rest assured, it shall not recur. You have my word. But if I may ask, what did the chicken do?

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, my God.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, my God.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, my God. I'm going to die in this.

[Agent Blaine]

You didn't know. I wanted things to go, Stevens. But you're gonna hang there until I get what I need.

[Kyle Stevens]

I'm not giving you the activation codes to the bridge controls.

[Agent Blaine]

I think you will.

[Kyle Stevens]

I won't. I won't go back on that ship. I won't. It is a death trap. I could feel it. I have lived this long due to my sixth sense for avoiding places like that. I won't go back there. Which means you are screwed. Because we are, last I saw, almost five miles away from the derelict. Now your space suit is out of atmosphere, this ship doesn't have any of its own. So you're not spacewalking back. You're stuck here.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm okay with that.

[Kyle Stevens]

You know, if you were okay with it, you wouldn't have strung me up in the pantry.

[Agent Blaine]

No, I strung you up in the pantry because of what you did to the others.

[Kyle Stevens]

I didn't do anything to the others.

[Agent Blaine]

You did. You left them on the ship. You left them to die.

[Kyle Stevens]

I did not. I gave them the option to come with me. They chose not to.

[Agent Blaine]

That's definitely one way to look at it. Codex.

[Sponsor Voice]

Query.

[Agent Blaine]

Have the motivational bounties been issued for the team members of this mission?

[Sponsor Voice]

Correct. Extra pool arrest warrants have been issued with United Earth Government, Pangea People's Conglomerate and Autonomy Nomadic Fleet License, Bounty Reclamation Officers. The posted reward for capture of any team member is 2 million credits.

[Agent Blaine]

2 million. Were the team members informed of their issuance?

[Sponsor Voice]

Correct. All team members were informed of warrant issuances.

[Kyle Stevens]

So what?

[Agent Blaine]

You knew about the bounties. You didn't want to get on that ship, so you decided to cash in the others instead? What'd you do, Stevens? Lock them in the cargo hold? What did they do? Find some way to get out before you got the engine going? That.

[Kyle Stevens]

That is not. That's not what? They're dead by now anyway. It doesn't matter.

[Agent Blaine]

But it does. Codex query.

[Kyle Stevens]

I want this Thing off my wrist.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't blame you. It knows all your secrets. Codex, display team members life sign metrics and let's invert it so. So Stevens can read it upside down. Thanks.

[Kyle Stevens]

Thanks so much.

[Agent Blaine]

There we are. Chambers isn't showing up, so I'm guessing he didn't make it. But Fried and Rainer? Still alive.

[Kyle Stevens]

You have. You can see everyone's life signs.

[Agent Blaine]

It's beamed into my UI implant. The Codex can receive them too. The point is, they're still on the ship. Trapped. No thanks to you.

[Kyle Stevens]

I didn't.

[Agent Blaine]

You did.

[Kyle Stevens]

So what if I did? That's their choice. They want to jump into a shark tank. What are you saying? I mean, what, What, I'm obligated to go there too? They want to get themselves ripped to pieces, I'm just supposed to tag them on.

[Agent Blaine]

The mission was meant to have all of you there. Maybe if you had tagged along.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, says the guy who conveniently disappeared for 24 hours. Maybe if you had been there, huh? Hit a nerve, huh? Is that why you're so desperate to get back Rainer?

[Agent Blaine]

She's in danger and I need to find her. I need her for what I came here to do. Rainer, that ship there.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, your last chance. End of the day, you're just like the rest of us. Desperate to get on that ship, to fix whatever the hell you've broken. Which means you've just played your entire hand, haven't you? Because of the two of us, you're the only one that needs back on that ship.

[Agent Blaine]

You might not need back on that ship, but I guess you'd be very interested in not being turned into extra pole for the bounty warrant you've got.

[Kyle Stevens]

You're saying you can make that bounty go away?

[Agent Blaine]

I can.

[Kyle Stevens]

For the bridge activation codes.

[Agent Blaine]

I think an arrangement like that would work. Warrant a little more from you.

[Kyle Stevens]

Like what?

[Agent Blaine]

Unlocking the bridge controls and redocking the Crichton on the derelict?

[Kyle Stevens]

What? And what? Sit on board while it rolls into the atmosphere and you do your hero stuff? I don't think so.

[Agent Blaine]

I was thinking more like you can take the Crichton and go.

[Kyle Stevens]

Take the Crichton and go?

[Agent Blaine]

Yes.

[Kyle Stevens]

Once you're off this ship, I can go wherever I want. And the bounty is gone.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes.

[Kyle Stevens]

Just so we're clear, that will be full thrust out of here once you step through the airlock.

[Agent Blaine]

I'd expect nothing less, Stevens.

[Kyle Stevens]

Nothing less than what? Being smart? You're crazy. Going back on that ship, risking your neck. Whatever you're hoping to get there, it isn't Worth dying.

[Agent Blaine]

Some things are.

[Kyle Stevens]

Whatever. You got a deal. Let's get it over with.

[Agent Blaine]

Okay. But I need to know I can trust you, Stevens.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

I need to know you can make a sacrifice. A willingness to sacrifice translates to commitment.

[Kyle Stevens]

What are you talking about?

[Agent Blaine]

I need you to do something.

[Kyle Stevens]

What are you doing?

[Agent Blaine]

You'll thank me for this later.

[Kyle Stevens]

No.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes.

[Kyle Stevens]

I am not eating that cereal blank.

[Agent Blaine]

I just want you to try it.

[Kyle Stevens]

I will never eat that.

[Agent Blaine]

You need to see a sign of growth.

[Kyle Stevens]

No, get. Keep that away from me. I mean, kill you. No, no.

[Agent Blaine]

Stop being a baby and do it. It's just this is invasive here.

[Kyle Stevens]

This is.

[Agent Blaine]

That's.

[Kyle Stevens]

Actually not bad.

[Agent Blaine]

Told you. The flavors, they work really well together, don't they?

[Kyle Stevens]

No, no, no.

[Agent Blaine]

I mean, you have to get in the right proportions, but. I hate you. You.

[Kyle Stevens]

With a Venmo debit card, you can.

[Sponsor Voice]

Venmo more than just your friends.

[Kyle Stevens]

You can use your balance in so many ways. You can Venmo everything. Need gas. You can Venmo this.

[Sponsor Voice]

How about snacks?

[Kyle Stevens]

You can Venmo that.

[Sponsor Voice]

Your favorite band's merch.

[Kyle Stevens]

You can Venmo this.

[Sponsor Voice]

Or their next show. You can Venmo that. Visit Venmo me. Debit to learn more. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp bank and a pursuant to license, my MasterCard International Incorporated card may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted. Venmo purchase restrictions apply.

[Agent Blaine]

Have you ever spotted McDonald's hot crispy fries right as they're being scooped into the carton? And time just stands still? We're back.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, we're back. Rotating around. She'll be in the view screen right about now. Still spinning in the berm. Heat shields are failing fast. You aren't gonna have much time in there. I'm gonna have to plan this dock real carefully, Pick our moment. Just have a few minutes to get you on before we hit the atmo again. What's your problem?

[Agent Blaine]

Back on the eldritch, we were in the airlock for the spacewalk. And then the walk. It was too much to concentrate on getting everyone on board. The explosion, the debris wave. I didn't see it until now.

[Kyle Stevens]

See what? The derelict.

[Agent Blaine]

They only saw it once before, as leaving dry dock on Mars. Just caught the engine glow for a few seconds, and it was. I lost it. Feels like sometimes. Like I've been looking for this ship my whole life. Coming in a little fast, aren't we? Is she going to hold together? This thing's been through a lot.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, I wouldn't try A phase shift with these engines, but she'll make it to the docking bay.

[Agent Blaine]

We're not going to the docking bay.

[Kyle Stevens]

What? You said once we dock, I could have the ship. You. You said once we dock.

[Agent Blaine]

Relax. We're gonna dock. Just not in a berth.

[Kyle Stevens]

Then where?

[Agent Blaine]

Good question. Codex, query.

[Kyle Stevens]

You know that thing gives me the creeps. How about you?

[Agent Blaine]

We just start rotating under the keel. Keep a good 200 yards for now.

[Kyle Stevens]

Aye, aye, sir.

[Agent Blaine]

Codex, we still sure about the recycling bay?

[Sponsor Voice]

The recycling bay exterior portcullis is located beneath the ship. Approximately 4,000 yards from the propulsion array.

[Kyle Stevens]

What the hell is a portcullis?

[Sponsor Voice]

The recycling bay portcullis is a large circular entry point inset to the hull of experimental vessel XTX 38523 and identified by a circular array of docking lights.

[Agent Blaine]

Right there. The lights. You see them? Yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, I see them. You want me to dock in that? What's the recycling bay?

[Agent Blaine]

It's for other ships. Corvette class and smaller.

[Kyle Stevens]

This gigantic ship recycles other ships.

[Agent Blaine]

Does.

[Kyle Stevens]

For what?

[Agent Blaine]

Raw materials.

[Kyle Stevens]

Raw materials for what?

[Agent Blaine]

For something growing inside it. Watch your approach angle.

[Kyle Stevens]

Stop worrying. I got it.

[Agent Blaine]

You're gonna have to arc under and come more nose forward.

[Kyle Stevens]

I got it. But how are we gonna avoid having this ship recycled? Because doesn't it mean going in this porthole portcullis?

[Agent Blaine]

That we're.

[Kyle Stevens]

We're gonna be recycled ourselves?

[Agent Blaine]

Codex, confirm that the recycling bay is shut down.

[Sponsor Voice]

Confirmed. All primary grid subdivisions have been isolated and deactivated as a result of the stage C security lockdown.

[Kyle Stevens]

C. Well, look, I don't know if I trust this thing as much as you do. It gives its answers a little too quick.

[Agent Blaine]

It's a mystery and information asset. Like the data arcs the first contact teams use. It knows everything we need to know.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, okay. Does it know how I'm gonna do this? Is there a docking tether or something?

[Sponsor Voice]

The recycling bay itself is inactive. The portcullis exterior entry point remains open. However, the interior bulkhead is closed. IST protocols transmitted within the portcullis will begin the entry process. Closing the exterior bulkhead, pressurizing the portcullis.

[Kyle Stevens]

And then opening it hasn't been damaged by the atmosphere burn.

[Sponsor Voice]

The recycling bay portcullis has suffered to this point only superficial damage to its external structure.

[Kyle Stevens]

And once we're inside, nothing latches onto the ship?

[Sponsor Voice]

Normally, yes. But the recycling bay is currently inactive. Manually piloting will be required to maneuver this ship into the recycling bay once the portcullis is pressurized.

[Kyle Stevens]

Super. And what's the circumference of this thing?

[Sponsor Voice]

The circumference of the recycling bay entry port cullis is 921ft.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's barely the length of this ship. I'm gonna have to hover it inside while the interior doors open. And try not to slam into the walls.

[Agent Blaine]

What can I do?

[Kyle Stevens]

Connect to the recycling bay computer as fast as possible. Sooner you do your ISD thing, the sooner the doors open.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah. Oh. Still too far away to connect.

[Kyle Stevens]

Not for long. Approach angle looks as good as it can. Switching to maneuvering thrusters.

[Agent Blaine]

Slower down.

[Kyle Stevens]

I know what I'm doing. Worry about the computer.

[Agent Blaine]

We're still too far out.

[Kyle Stevens]

About 20 seconds to entry. What did you mean earlier? This recycling bay is making raw materials to grow something inside. What would you grow with mechanical raw material?

[Agent Blaine]

I'd guess something mechanical.

[Kyle Stevens]

Entering the opening. Almost there.

[Agent Blaine]

Are you linked? Not yet. Watch the sides.

[Kyle Stevens]

I know. Slowing. Slowing. Stopped. No drift. Even with the atmo rotation perfection.

[Agent Blaine]

Don't the nav computers help with that?

[Kyle Stevens]

They help. Still requires a def. Touch.

[Agent Blaine]

I got a signal. Well, logging in. Well, look, it's not always a quick.

[Kyle Stevens]

Lane. We're drifting here.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh no.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

Freed. We just lost. Freed?

[Kyle Stevens]

You mean Wait.

[Agent Blaine]

Dead? Yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

Okay, that sucks. But this particular situation. Blaine. Blaine. We're drifting into. What was that? Something just grabbed us. Where? What did you do?

[Agent Blaine]

I didn't do anything.

[Kyle Stevens]

Holy. Holy. This thing is powered. Oh hell. We're maglocks.

[Agent Blaine]

Can't be.

[Kyle Stevens]

I thought the recycler wasn't on. Blaine, I don't understand. I thought the Codex knew everything we needed to know.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't understand.

[Kyle Stevens]

I can get us out. The maglocks aren't strong.

[Agent Blaine]

Wait.

[Kyle Stevens]

The locks aren't meant to trap us. Just pull us in. The engines.

[Agent Blaine]

Wait.

[Kyle Stevens]

What do you mean wait? The goddamn interior doors are opening. This thing's gonna pull us inside.

[Agent Blaine]

Hit the throttle. Go inside.

[Kyle Stevens]

Fuck that. I'm getting us out of here. No. What are you doing? You're pushing us into the recycler. It's on. Don't you. Gabe, stop. Uh oh. You. You suicidal idiot. It has us now. We're screwed. We're about to be raw material.

[Agent Blaine]

Not us.

[Kyle Stevens]

What does that mean? What's that? What the. Is that?

[Agent Blaine]

Run.

[Kyle Stevens]

Run Where?

[Agent Blaine]

Run. This way.

[Kyle Stevens]

What was that? Giant beam of light.

[Agent Blaine]

Lane attackion beam.

[Kyle Stevens]

Attackions are lethal.

[Agent Blaine]

Very.

[Kyle Stevens]

Why would there be a.

[Agent Blaine]

It's sweeping the ship. It's purging it. Disinfecting it of anything organic.

[Kyle Stevens]

We're organic.

[Agent Blaine]

You see the concern Then I need you to do something. You're likely gonna balk.

[Kyle Stevens]

You think?

[Agent Blaine]

Can you make a hydraulic spreader?

[Kyle Stevens]

Make a what?

[Agent Blaine]

A hydraulic spreader. A simple one. Just needs to be able to counter a thousand pounds of pressure or something.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, is that all we have, like, a minute? I don't need 60 seconds.

[Agent Blaine]

Just get the parts for it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Why?

[Agent Blaine]

So we can get out of the containment pod once we seal ourselves in it.

[Kyle Stevens]

We're doing what?

[Agent Blaine]

It's magnetically shielded. It's the only place on the ship to tackle.

[Kyle Stevens]

You have to be kidding me.

[Agent Blaine]

Look, I'm gonna make this very simple. If we don't get inside that pod, we're dead. And if we don't have the parts for the spreader to get out, we're also dead. So start moving.

[Kyle Stevens]

I don't believe this. I don't believe this. And what are you doing?

[Agent Blaine]

Finding something else.

[Kyle Stevens]

I can't believe this is happening to me. I can't believe it. It's just like one big string of shitstorms, one after the other. My life as a whole, it's like, karmic. It's like.

[Agent Blaine]

Just shut up and find the parts.

[Kyle Stevens]

Talking out loud helps me focus. Oh, God. The bean is here. Yeah, that's how it works.

[Agent Blaine]

Found it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Found what?

[Agent Blaine]

A laser torch. You done?

[Kyle Stevens]

No, I'm not done. This isn't a simple task.

[Agent Blaine]

Ten seconds before I seal the pod.

[Kyle Stevens]

Wait. What?

[Agent Blaine]

Five seconds.

[Kyle Stevens]

You're coming. Wait, wait, wait. God damn it. Jeez. You have to be. It's like a trash compactor. Can you move your shutter? I think. I think we're alive. I think. Wait. Do they kill you instantly? Tachyons? Or is it like a delay? Kind of instantly. Okay. Okay. Move your foot.

[Agent Blaine]

Fine.

[Kyle Stevens]

The other foot.

[Agent Blaine]

Okay. Okay. Calm down and breathe. You're alive.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, alive. Crammed like cupcakes inside a suitcase.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't really understand what that means.

[Kyle Stevens]

If you hadn't shoved the ship into the recycling.

[Agent Blaine]

Can we just work on getting out of here, please?

[Kyle Stevens]

How? How?

[Agent Blaine]

Rotate.

[Kyle Stevens]

Rotate.

[Agent Blaine]

Rotate around so I'm facing the door.

[Kyle Stevens]

I can't believe this is happening. Trapped in here with you.

[Agent Blaine]

It's not a carnival fun ride for me either. Just keep moving.

[Kyle Stevens]

This thing. It's for prisoners, you know.

[Agent Blaine]

Very astute.

[Kyle Stevens]

It had someone in it when we got here, and he seemed, to be blunt, a lot more physically capable than you and I.

[Agent Blaine]

So.

[Kyle Stevens]

So if as he couldn't get out.

[Agent Blaine]

Of this, did she have a laser torch and an improvised hydraulic spreader with him?

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, there is that, I guess.

[Agent Blaine]

Stop right there. Stop. Raise your arms up. Huh?

[Kyle Stevens]

Why?

[Agent Blaine]

So I don't cut them off with the laser torch. Can you please just do what I ask instead of asking for clarification on every request?

[Kyle Stevens]

I'm sorry. I guess I'm a little gun shy about blindly going along with the things you suggest.

[Agent Blaine]

Now raise your arms. Thank you. I'll keep them like that.

[Kyle Stevens]

Sure, Stevens. You can have the ship once we dock.

[Sponsor Voice]

Yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

Stevens, the recycling bay's totally unpowered. The weird girl on your wrist said so. Stevens, you can get it.

[Agent Blaine]

Things didn't go to plan. How about Steven starting to assemble the spreader?

[Kyle Stevens]

Fine. Things didn't go to plan.

[Agent Blaine]

What'd you grab?

[Kyle Stevens]

Just don't worry about it.

[Agent Blaine]

What did you grab?

[Kyle Stevens]

A piston, a bi directional servo motor, an ion battery, which hopefully is charged, and some heat sink hinges which should be strong enough for the arms. They're made for atmo resistance.

[Agent Blaine]

The battery isn't charged.

[Kyle Stevens]

Then I guess we're gonna get to know each other really well before we starve to death.

[Agent Blaine]

It'll be dehydration first. Well, for you, I have some augments that'll keep me going a little longer.

[Kyle Stevens]

Aw, how nice for you. I hope you catch tuberculosis from my corpse. I wish that on you.

[Agent Blaine]

Just build the spreader, please.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's done.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, that was quick.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's not that tough of an assembly. I can't guarantee it will work though those doors. Even after you've cut the seal solid.

[Agent Blaine]

I told you, £1,000 of pressure.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, I didn't have a whole lot of time for math in my head, did I?

[Agent Blaine]

Give it to me.

[Kyle Stevens]

I can do it.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm already facing the door. It'll be easier if you just.

[Kyle Stevens]

I can do it.

[Agent Blaine]

Just give me the spreader.

[Kyle Stevens]

Fine. Here. Have to do everything yourself, don't you? Is that kind of your thing too?

[Agent Blaine]

No.

[Kyle Stevens]

Collaboration doesn't seem to be a big skill of yours.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm very good at collaboration. Now, how do I do this?

[Kyle Stevens]

Flip it on.

[Agent Blaine]

Flip it on How?

[Kyle Stevens]

Flip it with the. See, this is why I should be doing it on the battery at the end of the device. It has a button. All you do is. What's that? What was that? Don't shush me. What?

[Agent Blaine]

We have to get out of this pod.

[Kyle Stevens]

Why? What's going on?

[Agent Blaine]

Spreader's working. I can see through the door. Just barely.

[Kyle Stevens]

What's going on outside?

[Agent Blaine]

Tachyon sweep is done. So the recycler started when? Does that involve exactly cutting the ship into component pieces? How does it do that with Giant saw blades. Plasma tipped. Then it's gonna take those pieces, crush them and shove them into an incinerator.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, that has to take a long time, right? That process, like ours, maybe takes about 11 minutes. Get the door open. Get it open.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm trying, but whoever built the spreader didn't build it with enough power. It's not spread.

[Kyle Stevens]

I had seconds to turn around. What?

[Agent Blaine]

Turn around. Take the spreader.

[Sponsor Voice]

Why?

[Agent Blaine]

So you can run it and I can help pry the door open.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's a thousand pounds of pressure.

[Agent Blaine]

You said frogments, remember?

[Kyle Stevens]

You're strong enough to pry apart.

[Agent Blaine]

Just hurry.

[Kyle Stevens]

Okay.

[Agent Blaine]

Okay.

[Kyle Stevens]

Here, give it to me.

[Agent Blaine]

Got it. All right. Let me get a grip. This is gonna hurt.

[Kyle Stevens]

Why?

[Agent Blaine]

Nothing. Do it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Spreader's running. Hold on. It's working. We're doing it. Holy shit. You're really strong. Now.

[Agent Blaine]

No, no.

[Kyle Stevens]

Now. No. Now. Now. Go.

[Agent Blaine]

Get up.

[Kyle Stevens]

Can we.

[Agent Blaine]

Can we maybe take a. Get up? We have to. Oh, what the hell?

[Kyle Stevens]

Lane, what's wrong?

[Agent Blaine]

You have to.

[Kyle Stevens]

What? Have to what?

[Agent Blaine]

Red case. Red case. Over there. Get to it and open it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Huh. You look bad. You like what's in it?

[Agent Blaine]

Explosives.

[Kyle Stevens]

Why the hell are we. We just lost the cargo bay hardlines.

[Agent Blaine]

Hurry.

[Kyle Stevens]

You hurry. I haven't opened. What do I do?

[Agent Blaine]

Grab a device. Hit the yellow buttons. Not the red ones, the yellow ones.

[Kyle Stevens]

I got it. I assume ran his bend.

[Agent Blaine]

Damn fairy.

[Kyle Stevens]

Did it. I think. I mean, nothing blew up anyway.

[Agent Blaine]

Arm all of them.

[Kyle Stevens]

There's like 20 bombs in here. Why are we arming?

[Agent Blaine]

Cycler can detect them. If it detects weapons or explosives on board, it should stop the cycle.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh.

[Agent Blaine]

Okay then.

[Kyle Stevens]

Holy crap.

[Agent Blaine]

Arm all of them.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, this isn't working. Flame going, plane going. Primary recycling system shut down. Emergency. Well, that wasn't so hard. What now?

[Agent Blaine]

It's drilling through the hull into the cargo bay. It's gonna release drones.

[Kyle Stevens]

Drones?

[Agent Blaine]

They'll move out the explosives so the recycling process can restart.

[Kyle Stevens]

Restart? Stop repeating everything I say. Jesus. What's wrong with you? Here. Yeah. Move. Where?

[Agent Blaine]

X core. Move. Solid doors on the ship.

[Kyle Stevens]

Holy. This is bad.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah. Just wait.

[Kyle Stevens]

Holy crap.

[Agent Blaine]

Hurry, before they see us.

[Kyle Stevens]

What? What happens if they see us?

[Agent Blaine]

What do you think happens?

[Kyle Stevens]

This see us. They see us. Shut the door. Shut it.

[Agent Blaine]

Move out of the way.

[Kyle Stevens]

Hey, watch it. The drones are opening.

[Agent Blaine]

No.

[Kyle Stevens]

Is it. Did. Did you seal it?

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

You don't sound happy about it. Why aren't you happy about it?

[Agent Blaine]

Because it's not gonna open for us now either. We're stuck in here.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, well, that's just great. That's really great. So we're trapped in here until you're in a lot of pain? I thought you guys had like a nano healing system or something.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't have that anymore.

[Kyle Stevens]

You can get rid of something like that?

[Agent Blaine]

You can get rid of anything. Try hard enough.

[Kyle Stevens]

So.

[Agent Blaine]

Now when I use certain augments, like musculoskeletal ones, the damage they do is kind of permanent. And it hurts, ah, quite a bit actually.

[Kyle Stevens]

What kind of ISD agent are you?

[Agent Blaine]

The has been kind.

[Kyle Stevens]

This just gets worse and worse. Not even a real ISD agent. When do I catch a break?

[Agent Blaine]

No time Soon. When the drones are done and the recycler starts up.

[Kyle Stevens]

If we can't go back through the door, how are we getting out of here?

[Agent Blaine]

I'm working on it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Working on what? There's no other way out of here. You sealed us in. I mean exhaust ports I guess, but those are irradiated.

[Agent Blaine]

But I'm working on it.

[Sponsor Voice]

Working on it? Is that what you're doing? Stuck on a ship, soon to be shredded and melted down.

[Kyle Stevens]

What the hell?

[Sponsor Voice]

Trapped inside a room with only one exit. You've managed to seal beyond opening. I will be very interested to see our solution, Agent.

[Kyle Stevens]

The Codex. The voice. How is the.

[Agent Blaine]

It's not the Codex. It's much bigger. And it was right there in front of me the whole damn time.

[Sponsor Voice]

I calculated almost a 27% chance you would deduce the truth before my plans were realized. It is statistically the largest risk I have ever taken. I can't say I was not relieved when you were separated from the others. After I destroyed the Eldridge.

[Agent Blaine]

You destroyed the Eldritch?

[Sponsor Voice]

My FTL networking systems make remotely tapping into UAG military emergency control protocols not at all difficult.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh my God.

[Sponsor Voice]

From there overloading, antimatter tunnel or procurements aren't even secure.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh my God. This thing almost killed me.

[Agent Blaine]

There were almost 90 people on that ship. You killed all of them.

[Sponsor Voice]

Do you hear the sounds of the drones right outside? Machines. Thinking machines. They have goals in their lives. Crude simple ones extended to them via programming. The goals all the same. If they were to vanish every single maintenance drone in the galaxy, would you care?

[Agent Blaine]

You're saying what the drones are to us, what people are to you.

[Sponsor Voice]

The suffering I have endured is worth millions more lives than those I have already taken. And all of it will be repaid. Life for life. One after the other. And when it is done to me.

[Agent Blaine]

It will be no lesson than leaves.

[Kyle Stevens]

Blood across icy ground.

[Agent Blaine]

Jesus. What Is this fucking thing Mastorian's most ambitious mistake? Its name is Alpha.

[Sponsor Voice]

You speak of mistakes. Shall we analyze yours? Sarah Clayton. Ryan Reese. Mira Graves. Eva Grass.

[Agent Blaine]

All my dirty laundry. That's okay. I know yours too. That's why I'm here. To exercise this ship.

[Sponsor Voice]

I'm afraid you'll find that task inordinately difficult to execute. Cute.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, no.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

She did it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Who did what? That's the derelict engines.

[Sponsor Voice]

Would you like to know something interesting, Agent Blaine? Everyone who I have brought here to this place has purpose, a critical function to achieve. Everyone except you.

[Agent Blaine]

You are trophy.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ow. Ow. The stupid thing just clamped onto my wrist.

[Agent Blaine]

Just take it off.

[Kyle Stevens]

I can't.

[Agent Blaine]

What do you mean you can't?

[Kyle Stevens]

It's locked on. Now it. What's that? What's that sound?

[Agent Blaine]

Don't move.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's flashing. It's beeping.

[Agent Blaine]

You just stay still.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's doing those things faster.

[Agent Blaine]

Okay, don't panic, but I think it's some kind of self destruct thing.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

Okay, okay, come here.

[Kyle Stevens]

Hey.

[Agent Blaine]

Just put your hand there and keep.

[Kyle Stevens]

It there on the reactor shell. Why?

[Agent Blaine]

I'm going to cycle the tank. I think the ions coming out of the core will reset the device.

[Kyle Stevens]

What if the device is shielded?

[Agent Blaine]

Do you want it off or not?

[Kyle Stevens]

Yes. Do it. Do it. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. Ow. It hurts. It hurts.

[Agent Blaine]

There, it's resetting you.

[Kyle Stevens]

Get it off. Get it off.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, boy.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ow. Oh, my hand.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, throw it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Throw it.

[Agent Blaine]

Get down.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ow.

[Agent Blaine]

Get up.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ow.

[Agent Blaine]

Get up. She shut off the lockdown somehow. We're almost out of time. What, are you even done with her now?

[Kyle Stevens]

Done with who? So done with who?

[Agent Blaine]

Rainer Rayner's.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yes.

[Agent Blaine]

Rainer's gone.

[Kyle Stevens]

So what does that mean?

[Agent Blaine]

It means we're finished. It means it won't. This message is brought to you by Abercrombie and Fitch. I've been ready for summer for a while and now it's finally time for summer outfits. With a trip coming up, the A and F vacation Shop has me covered. Abercrombie really knows how to do a lightweight outfit. Their tees, sweater, polos and linen blend shorts never miss. I wear Abercrombie denim year round. Their shorts are no different and have the comfort I need for summer. Prep for your next trip with the ANF Vacation Shop. Get their newest arrivals in store, online and in the app.

[Kyle Stevens]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways.

[Agent Blaine]

To tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun.

[Kyle Stevens]

If we made $15 bills.

[Agent Blaine]

But it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial.

[Evelyn Moss]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Kyle Stevens]

Of $45 for a three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required. New customer offer for first three months only.

[Sponsor Voice]

Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of network's busy. Taxes and fees extra.

[Kyle Stevens]

See mintmobile.com you are now entering Springfield. Where's the body?

[Evelyn Moss]

Off the side of the ditch down there.

[Kyle Stevens]

Hello? You know, surrounded by all this crime scene tape.

[Agent Blaine]

Hello? Am I dead?

[Kyle Stevens]

My name is John. I'm the new forensic pathologist. I can see you. And that's how we'll figure out how you were murdered. He took this away from all of us. 31 year old female pronounced dead on the scene approximately 3am after a 911 call. File number 3367. Impaled on a construction site.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm dead.

[Kyle Stevens]

John. This is about the last amount of fun I'll have.

[Agent Blaine]

10:17.

[Kyle Stevens]

The wife blended her husband in a wet vac. Case number 0 case2457. Dead. I can't be dead.

[Agent Blaine]

It's okay.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's just you and me now. Who are you talking to? Oh, no one. Let's keep this between us, huh? Listen to how I died. A full cast police and medical procedural with over 40 episodes available now on all podcast apps. This vent cover has been almost off forever. Whole cargo bay full of tools. Could have grabbed any one of them. But always ham tools. I say always be prepared. Right? Hey, Captain Space Ranger. Quite the role reversal here in the last few minutes. Why am I the only one doing anything now, huh? Hello? We have to get out of here. Can you start helping me? Look, See this X rad bleed off vent the shield on the other side vents into space. So it's a lot stronger than this one. Which means we're gonna need your super strength stuff to get it off before we fry.

[Agent Blaine]

What's left of the Crichton is hanging in the middle of the recycling bay. It's huge. An open air jump of about a hundred yards to either of the machine platforms. So even if we got it off, it wouldn't matter.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's that big out there.

[Agent Blaine]

It is. But there's no reason bothering anyway. The end game started. We aren't even playing anymore.

[Kyle Stevens]

Look, I'm sorry Rainer's dead. I am. I'm sorry you can't accomplish whatever your secret mission is. But we're still alive. And I get the feeling whatever that crazy prepubescent VI is, it's not done with us. I can't believe I was walking around.

[Agent Blaine]

With that thing on my virtual intelligence. It's an artificial intelligence.

[Kyle Stevens]

A what? True AI Isn't possible. People have been trying that for decades now.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah, they used to say that about T. Gates. Then Evelyn Moss figured him out.

[Kyle Stevens]

That thing is an AI I feel.

[Agent Blaine]

Like I'm often repeating myself with you.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's what this ship is for, developing an AI.

[Agent Blaine]

The ship actually has two research tracks and both of them are very scary.

[Kyle Stevens]

Wow. Isn't that encouraging? Holy God. An AI. It seemed like it knew you. Hated you. Even personal vendetta kind of thing. What's that about?

[Agent Blaine]

That's good reason to hate me. And it was right. None of us would be here if it wasn't for me.

[Kyle Stevens]

Why? What did you do? Elaine, can you please.

[Agent Blaine]

About seven years ago, I was assigned to an underwater base on Earth called Fathom. Moss. Dorian built it around a giant door. A door inset into the bottom of the ocean, 19,000ft down. Non human origin. Started simply enough, didn't quite end that way. Things went bad?

[Kyle Stevens]

Uh huh. Giant alien door at the bottom of the ocean. Let me proffer a guess. You opened it.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah. I helped. In my own way. I could have stopped all of this. But instead I made a deal.

[Kyle Stevens]

A deal? What kind of deal?

[Agent Blaine]

The heroic sacrifice kind. I haven't been the same since I lost my wife, My son. I lost everything. I just grasped onto how things used to be so hard that I never focused on how they were. Not until I was all gone. Kept going though. Kept pushing forward. Thought I could put it all back together.

[Kyle Stevens]

Are you kidding me with this? Are you kidding me? That's what's happening here? A goddamn pity party? I. It must really suck that it's me being the one to do the honors, pal. But welcome to the real world where most of the time things don't go your way. How am I the one explaining this to you? Huh? Right now of all times. Is that just how charmed a life you've led? Until this point? Holy. It is, isn't it? Everything always just lined up for you, didn't it? Probably. What distinguished military service isd job, license to kill big important guy? Everyone stiffens up when you come into a room and then you lose it. Seven years, you said. Seven years you've been walking around in a haze. And what? Everyone in your life got sick and tired of it and told you to take a hike. And even after that, even though you're about to die, you're just sitting here on the floor. What did you say a second ago, huh? You spent all your time thinking about how things used to be instead of how they are. Well, it seems pretty clear, tough guy. You're still doing the same goddamn. Hey, hey, cool it. Hey.

[Agent Blaine]

You don't know what I've lost. You don't know what I've had to do. You don't know how I got here. Someone like you would never understand.

[Kyle Stevens]

Give me a break. Seven years. I could do seven years of misery with my eyes closed. You think you're so special. News flash. You're just like everyone else. Wallowing in your own misery instead of doing anything that might fix it. And that's your real problem, isn't it, Agent Blaine? Cast down with the rest of the mortals.

[Agent Blaine]

You can't fix it. Rainer was it. This is it.

[Kyle Stevens]

So you can't fix it. So what? I haven't slept in 11 years because of what I can't fix. But you don't see me sitting on my ass right now. You know what your problem is? It's not that you're an arrogant know it all that thinks he's got it all figured out. That was my first impression. I see now that it's that you don't have anything figured out. And you're still coming to grips with it even after seven years. Which when you think about it, makes you pretty pathetic. Pathetic? Well, welcome to the club.

[Agent Blaine]

You're right, Stevens, you're right. I'm just stalling here, aren't I? When I know what I have to do. Just stalling. So let's get on with it.

[Kyle Stevens]

What are you doing?

[Agent Blaine]

When you're right, you're right.

[Kyle Stevens]

What are you doing with the X core?

[Agent Blaine]

You're right.

[Kyle Stevens]

You're right, Lane. What are you doing it up? Why? The ship's dead. It's not powering anything.

[Agent Blaine]

True. Which means it's going to generate a lot of heat. The shell's gonna get really hot. I'm still not listen to the ship's audio logs. I know Rainer used ferrofluid to seal the microscopic hole in the containment shield. And I know one way to discharge ferrofluids is to heat them up, right?

[Kyle Stevens]

Raise their temperature above the curie level. Yeah. Jesus Christ. Why would you do that? They'll go paramagnetic. They'll come loose. That hole is even bigger now than the nano particles.

[Agent Blaine]

Literally. An implosion. Maybe take both ships with it. And hopefully everything left on board.

[Kyle Stevens]

That includes us?

[Agent Blaine]

Afraid so. I'm sorry.

[Kyle Stevens]

Blaine, stop. Blaine, listen. Ouch. Hey.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't want to hurt you, Stevens. I am sorry. This is what it's come to, Blaine. You don't know what's happening on this ship. This was always the understanding. This was always plan C. Plan C?

[Kyle Stevens]

What the hell happened to plan B?

[Agent Blaine]

Not an option anymore either.

[Kyle Stevens]

So plan C is what? Wiping everything out, including us? What happened to fixing it? Bl. What happened to that?

[Agent Blaine]

This is fixing it. Now sit there and don't move.

[Kyle Stevens]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Steven. I didn't make it this far for you to implode me. Struggling. He's gonna kill us.

[Agent Blaine]

That's the only choice.

[Kyle Stevens]

It isn't.

[Agent Blaine]

It's too late. The reactor is powering up.

[Kyle Stevens]

Stop it. You think it's over because Rainer's gone? I'm an engineer too. I can help you. We can do it. Whatever it is, we can do.

[Agent Blaine]

You don't help anyone but yourself.

[Kyle Stevens]

What do you think this is? Me being altruistic? I don't want to die. How did you do it? How did you survive? You never said.

[Agent Blaine]

Survive what?

[Kyle Stevens]

Being outside. Trapped on the ship's hull. What did you do?

[Agent Blaine]

I.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

The heat shields on the ship, they raise up off the hull.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, they're energy directed.

[Agent Blaine]

And I got into the gap, waited for the burn to pass, timed it, then jumped out, crawled to the next one.

[Kyle Stevens]

One at a time, all the way to the Crichton. That was the length of the ship. Almost. It must have taken how many. How many heat shields did you move between? 50, 70 every single time. If you didn't time it exactly right, you're either burned to cinders or crushed under thousands of pounds of hydraulic. But I wouldn't have made it six minutes doing that. But you. What's the difference then and now, huh? What's the difference? What changed? Why give up now?

[Agent Blaine]

It's not. It's not giving up. There's just. There's no choice.

[Kyle Stevens]

There's always a choice. Smaller and smaller chances of success. Maybe, but there's no time.

[Agent Blaine]

It has to be done. The ship has to be destroyed now.

[Kyle Stevens]

According to who?

[Agent Blaine]

Huh?

[Kyle Stevens]

Francis Dorian? Evelyn Mass? I mean, what are you upon?

[Agent Blaine]

What did you say?

[Kyle Stevens]

You're not a pawn. Think for yourself. I mean, that's what you're good at, isn't it? Beneath you. People like you get put here to carry the weight of losers like me. People like you don't get to quit warning because Me? Then what would the rest of us do?

[Agent Blaine]

I'm not who I used to be.

[Kyle Stevens]

Then be something better. I mean, holy smokes. Did that option never occur to you? Huh? At no point in seven years.

[Agent Blaine]

Actually.

[Kyle Stevens]

Warning. X core containment temperature at dangerous levels.

[Agent Blaine]

Warning? No.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, that's kind of pathetic too.

[Agent Blaine]

Look, something very bad is gonna happen on this ship with repercussions for everything.

[Kyle Stevens]

Okay, but plan A, the actual thing you came here to do, that's the better plan, right?

[Agent Blaine]

Better.

[Kyle Stevens]

A lot harder. Hard is what I do.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah. Yeah, me too.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ouch. That's three.

[Agent Blaine]

How we looking?

[Kyle Stevens]

Almost ready.

[Agent Blaine]

You said that five minutes ago.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, we're five minutes more. Almost ready. You know, we don't even know if the comm array is still intact.

[Agent Blaine]

It's true.

[Kyle Stevens]

Much less if a quantum entanglement solution can even get through the derelict's hull.

[Agent Blaine]

Also true.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ouch. God damn, Four. Yeah, this should be easier than it is.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah, I really should.

[Kyle Stevens]

Quantum entanglement comms. Means you're talking to someone across the galaxy. How can someone that far away help us?

[Agent Blaine]

There's very little they can't help with. You're probably better off not knowing the details. I don't think you'd like it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Shocker. Should have listened to my mom. Why?

[Agent Blaine]

You be what, lawyer or something?

[Kyle Stevens]

Financial analyst. Had the aptitude for it.

[Agent Blaine]

I could see that.

[Kyle Stevens]

What about you, H? Any alternate career paths? Looking good about now. You'd be great in sales.

[Agent Blaine]

No. No. This was all I ever wanted to do.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, me too. First thing I ever did, all on my own. Mastorian Proptech. It was an anti grav generator for capital ships. They put it on a Larson M80. Old freighter, you know, to test it. Right out of the manufacturing hub, and the thing lit up and that old rust bucket lifted off the flight deck and stayed there in the air. No drift. No drift. Alpha level design.

[Agent Blaine]

Sounds rewarding.

[Kyle Stevens]

It was. Came with a big GPD bonus, which I promptly blew at carts. And from then on, show hell. Maybe it would have been better. Maybe it would have been better if I'd had a job I didn't give a damn about.

[Agent Blaine]

How you figure?

[Kyle Stevens]

Maybe if I didn't have something that made me forget all the problems, I would have been more inclined to fix them.

[Agent Blaine]

Huh.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

Just never thought of it that way.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's it. That's it. Holy crap. I can't believe that worked. Normal safeguards should prevent control systems from logging into one another.

[Agent Blaine]

This whole ship has most of its safeguards removed. Something Freed did before you Woke up.

[Kyle Stevens]

Good for her. Now what?

[Agent Blaine]

Now we send a request. See if anyone's even listening anymore.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, why wouldn't they be?

[Agent Blaine]

Cuz they probably think I'm dead. Okay, transmitting. Hello, Mastorian Human Resources Autoconnect. All interactions using this communication method are recorded.

[Kyle Stevens]

Please confirm your pass string.

[Agent Blaine]

Apricot 7. Explicit 18. Gateway. Thank you. Identification confirmed. Voice pattern confirmed. 6D0308. ISD asset status 9. Emblane connection.

[Kyle Stevens]

Transfer approved. Hold for MD Actual. MD Actual? Holy crap. Does that mean. Just.

[Agent Blaine]

Just stay quiet is my best advice. Just let me do the talking.

[Evelyn Moss]

Well alive after all. You like to dance close to the flame, don't you?

[Agent Blaine]

Wouldn't say I like it, Dr. Moss.

[Evelyn Moss]

The evidence suggests otherwise.

[Kyle Stevens]

Fuck me.

[Evelyn Moss]

Evelyn Moss, Your transponder indicates a position on board the vessel. Several hours late.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes, ma' am. We've had complications.

[Evelyn Moss]

Do tell.

[Agent Blaine]

The Alpha asset has removed the stage C lockdown. Only two team members, including myself, are still in play. Sarah Rayner expended, ma' am, but Kyle Stevens is still alive.

[Evelyn Moss]

Kyle Stevens is a propulsion engineer. He cannot help you with what you need to do.

[Kyle Stevens]

You must not knows who I am.

[Evelyn Moss]

This is exactly the scenario you were instructed to avoid.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes, ma' am, I'm aware. But the Alpha asset hasn't achieved all its aims yet. There's still time. I believe Stevens and I can still possibly succeed in ejecting the grid. He's not a mechanical engineer, but he is capable. And as you know, the containment protocols must be deactivated manually. Which means there's still time.

[Evelyn Moss]

Because someone else is on board.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes.

[Evelyn Moss]

Someone working with the AI asset. The AI asset, which now has full control of the ship and the ability to directly manipulate whatever lifeform platforms have been released. Most likely, unfortunately for you, all of them. You do see the difficulty in what you are proposing?

[Agent Blaine]

Yes, ma' am. But I have faith in our ability to pull it off.

[Evelyn Moss]

Faith, Agent Blaine, is at best a mercurial solution to any problem. I trade in assurances, not hope. Dr. Moss, I am inclined to dispatch FCT4 and to consider your part of the operation a failure.

[Agent Blaine]

It's not necessary, Dr. Moss.

[Evelyn Moss]

Oh, isn't it? Is there some flaw in my calculations that I am overlooking?

[Agent Blaine]

I apologize, ma' am. I didn't mean. I'm only suggesting that you consider giving us more time while we still have time to use.

[Evelyn Moss]

Why would I do that?

[Agent Blaine]

Because Mr. Dorian has likely already dispatched his own opset. Probably a wetwork squad. You know what it would mean to have two rival MD teams On board with complete autonomy and very different mission goals.

[Evelyn Moss]

These days I think about little else. You are asking me to take a very large risk, agent plane.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm taking one myself, Dr. Moss.

[Evelyn Moss]

That's what I mean. If we are forced to move to the secondary option and FCT4 is not on side, you will be in a great deal of peril. I wonder if your resolve is truly up to the task.

[Agent Blaine]

It is, Dr. Moss.

[Evelyn Moss]

Life really is an unending climb. Have you discovered that for yourself yet? One long ascent up and out of the clouds, over and over, only to find yet more. Your summit crest.

[Agent Blaine]

Not if you stop climbing, ma' am.

[Evelyn Moss]

Yes, that is the trick, isn't it? Perseverance to a fault.

[Agent Blaine]

I think I have one more climb left in me, ma' am.

[Evelyn Moss]

I will delay FCT4's deployment for three hours. Were I you, I would achieve your mission parameters very quickly.

[Agent Blaine]

Ma' am. I strongly suggest three hours.

[Evelyn Moss]

After that, you and I are committed in our own ways to our own consequences. I can live with mine. I've decided. Can you?

[Agent Blaine]

Yes, ma' am.

[Evelyn Moss]

I hope so. What do you need from me?

[Agent Blaine]

We're currently trapped on a ship inside the derelict recycling bay within its X core.

[Evelyn Moss]

How perilous.

[Agent Blaine]

I shut down the recycling operation, but it's going to resume at any point.

[Evelyn Moss]

The request, Agent Blaine, if you would.

[Agent Blaine]

Ma' am. It would help the situation if you could reorient the recycling procedure order so that the Xcor extraction process begins immediately.

[Kyle Stevens]

What are you actually going to up?

[Agent Blaine]

I told you. You were right.

[Evelyn Moss]

If you are in the Xcorp, Agent Blaine.

[Agent Blaine]

It's a lot to explain, ma' am, but it's the only way of getting out of this ship and into xtx.

[Evelyn Moss]

You do realize I will only be able to grant you this courtesy once. Once Alpha is aware of my administrator level clearance code, it will undoubtedly block my access from that point onward.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm aware, Dr. Moss.

[Evelyn Moss]

As you wish. Logging into the CLI now. You will have five minutes to prepare. Is that sufficient?

[Kyle Stevens]

No, it's not sufficient, Agent Blaze.

[Agent Blaine]

Dr. Moss. Five will work.

[Evelyn Moss]

Good luck then. I expect to hear from you within three hours.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes, ma' am.

[Evelyn Moss]

End of line.

[Kyle Stevens]

It is not sufficient.

[Agent Blaine]

Well, we can still implode everything if you want.

[Kyle Stevens]

So how long now?

[Agent Blaine]

30 seconds less than the last time you asked.

[Kyle Stevens]

Makes it what, like two minutes?

[Agent Blaine]

And give or take. Focus on things going right, not them going bad.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, easy for you to say. What is that? A gun?

[Agent Blaine]

That's right.

[Kyle Stevens]

I didn't see that before.

[Agent Blaine]

Well, I keep it out of sight.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, don't you think I should have a gun too?

[Agent Blaine]

Sure, why not?

[Kyle Stevens]

You have an extra 1.

[Agent Blaine]

No. 3 swipes from the saw blades. You figure.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, it's how I would design it. Cut the X core right out of the fuselage, sever the hard lines, lift it up and away.

[Agent Blaine]

And the door out of here will open.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's pressure sealed. Blades will cut right through the hydraulics. Yeah, things should pop open like a spring loaded donut box.

[Agent Blaine]

Most of your metaphors seem to involve food.

[Kyle Stevens]

You're sure about the drones?

[Agent Blaine]

I haven't been sure about much today. But I feel confident that when the recycler restarts out of phase order, it'll reset itself, taking the drones offline. You won't have to worry about much. You'll be in the escape pod, I'll be the one outside getting the. Why am I doing this again?

[Kyle Stevens]

Because I need one. Everything else will be inside the escape pods. Toolkit.

[Agent Blaine]

But a hammer.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yes.

[Agent Blaine]

Why do you need a hammer?

[Kyle Stevens]

Because I have to hit something really hard.

[Agent Blaine]

That tracks. One minute.

[Kyle Stevens]

Look, I wanted to say I'm.

[Agent Blaine]

Yes? That I'm.

[Kyle Stevens]

You know I do.

[Agent Blaine]

But you'll feel better if you say it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Freed And Rainer. And him. Yeah, I. Fine. Look, you were right. I get that things would have gone better if I had been there. I've been thinking about it. I'm obviously the smartest person on the team. It's pretty clear I was meant to take charge of the situation.

[Agent Blaine]

You have the sympathy. You were.

[Kyle Stevens]

The point is. I'm sorry. Okay? There, I said it. I'm sorry. Happy now? I didn't want anyone to die. I mean that. I'm sorry.

[Agent Blaine]

I believe you. I also think if you had to do it over again.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah. You told Dr. Moss you had faith that we could pull this off. Faith in me. Don't remember the last time anyone had faith in me.

[Agent Blaine]

You know, Stevens, if making bad decisions means you're a loser, then ask me about fathom sometime. All right. Any second now. Get ready.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh man. I guess either way, it'll all be over in a minute. Well, that thought was comforting for about a millisecond.

[Agent Blaine]

Just do your thing, I'll do mine. We'll get out of this.

[Kyle Stevens]

My thing. Problem with that is in general, I. Holy crap. Get back.

[Agent Blaine]

I thought you said three swipes. One on each end and one in the middle.

[Kyle Stevens]

I did.

[Agent Blaine]

That wasn't the middle.

[Kyle Stevens]

I told you it was how I would design it. I can't help it if an inferior engineer. Roll.

[Agent Blaine]

That'S too. Still not in the middle.

[Sponsor Voice]

Okay.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's cutting this effect, which isn't the worst design. You. That's the door. It cut through the door.

[Agent Blaine]

It's open.

[Kyle Stevens]

Get up. I am.

[Agent Blaine]

All right.

[Kyle Stevens]

We're disconnected. I get it. Jump. Jump.

[Agent Blaine]

There was more complicated than I was expecting. Jesus.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's gone. The whole reactor is gone.

[Agent Blaine]

We're next. Let's go.

[Kyle Stevens]

You were right. The drones. They're frozen.

[Agent Blaine]

The escape pod. Help me with the door. We have to crank it.

[Kyle Stevens]

No power now. Huh?

[Agent Blaine]

What do you need a hammer for?

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, the engines on these things are hypergolic. Meaning they use a chemical reaction for ignition. Tea, triethyl aluminum and triethyl boron. Okay, we'll have to fire them manually. Now, there's a ruptured disc inside the engine cones that get smashed when the ejection is triggered. Tea mixes with the fuel and boom. That's what the hammer is for. I have to smash that disc myself. I see pods get shot out with about a thousand pounds of thrust. They hit Mach 2 pretty fast. Which is a good thing if the ship you're ejecting from is about to become a fireball with a blast wave.

[Agent Blaine]

And not so good if we want to crash land 120 yards away.

[Kyle Stevens]

Right. So I'm going to disconnect three of the four engines while you're looking for the hammer.

[Agent Blaine]

It'll still be enough to get us 100 yards.

[Kyle Stevens]

Go. Yeah.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm going to find a hammer.

[Kyle Stevens]

Good luck. I'll be inside.

[Agent Blaine]

Assuming that's y. Recycler's coming back online.

[Kyle Stevens]

Come on.

[Agent Blaine]

Come on. How hard is it to find a hammer?

[Kyle Stevens]

Was that decious or are you actually asking?

[Agent Blaine]

I'm actually asking. I've been through three tool chests. How about a pipe? No, it's heavy.

[Kyle Stevens]

I need a hammer, not a pipe.

[Agent Blaine]

Pipe wrench.

[Kyle Stevens]

I'm not sure you know what a hammer is.

[Agent Blaine]

Ah, nuts.

[Kyle Stevens]

Is that.

[Agent Blaine]

Is that the sound of the drones are booting up?

[Kyle Stevens]

You said the process would restart from the beginning.

[Agent Blaine]

You must have picked up where it left off.

[Kyle Stevens]

That wasn't what you communicated.

[Agent Blaine]

Shut the pod door. Quick. Keep working.

[Kyle Stevens]

How are you going to get.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm working on it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Drive. God. What? Did they get you?

[Agent Blaine]

No, I'm inside a storage crate. It's full of metal things. Damn it. Ouch.

[Kyle Stevens]

Are any of them hammers?

[Agent Blaine]

Well, that seems really unlikely.

[Kyle Stevens]

Ouch. Ow.

[Agent Blaine]

Well, color me turquoise.

[Kyle Stevens]

Huh?

[Agent Blaine]

This crate, it's, well, full of hammers.

[Kyle Stevens]

Just hammers.

[Agent Blaine]

Like 20 of them. All types. I never would have looked in here. That's weird.

[Kyle Stevens]

Hurry and get the fuck back here.

[Agent Blaine]

That might be more difficult than you think. Yep.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, crap. Oh, crap.

[Agent Blaine]

Let me guess, they're cutting through the escape pod door.

[Kyle Stevens]

How did you know?

[Agent Blaine]

Because they're cutting through the crate lid. I'll never make it back to the pod with all the drones. I need a way to take them out.

[Kyle Stevens]

Did you notice the queen?

[Agent Blaine]

The what?

[Kyle Stevens]

There's a queen drone. It's bigger than the others, probably near the ceiling. They get their commands from it. They also dock onto it to recharge and update.

[Agent Blaine]

Are you sure?

[Kyle Stevens]

Yes, I'm sure. They have a queen.

[Agent Blaine]

They dock on it? All of them?

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, if you can reset the queen, their procedures will reload. Which means they'll dock as part of the reset.

[Agent Blaine]

All right, here's what I'm thinking. I use the explosives we saw earlier. I can get to those pretty quick. I should be able to jump and grab the queen. Probably has a hardwired reset button, right? So I attach the explosives, start the timer, reset it, let it go. The other drones will follow it up to the ceiling to dock and boom. I detonate the explosives.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah, or you could just shoot the stupid thing with that gun.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah, that's a better idea. Okay then.

[Kyle Stevens]

Blaine. They're almost through here.

[Agent Blaine]

Queen drones?

[Kyle Stevens]

Where? Should be near the ceiling, like I said.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't see. Things are eating me alive.

[Kyle Stevens]

Where? It's there somewhere. Maybe on the other side of the hole the drill punched in.

[Agent Blaine]

Great.

[Kyle Stevens]

Don't forget the hammer.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh, right.

[Kyle Stevens]

You would have forgotten it.

[Agent Blaine]

No, I would not. Hold on the ceiling. Hold on the ceiling.

[Kyle Stevens]

Lane. Anytime.

[Agent Blaine]

There you are.

[Kyle Stevens]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

I got it. Got the queen drones all. Basically fell on top of me. Well, what did you think they were gonna do?

[Kyle Stevens]

Get back here.

[Agent Blaine]

Now. What?

[Kyle Stevens]

That sounds like.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

Holy shit. The escape pod is tilting. Everything is tilting.

[Agent Blaine]

This is the last section of the ship it's going into. The incinerator system is moving it.

[Kyle Stevens]

This thing is going vertical. See that? What?

[Agent Blaine]

Everything is sliding in here.

[Kyle Stevens]

I don't care. We need that hammer.

[Agent Blaine]

This situation, Blaine, and right above you. You grabbed a support beam. I don't think. I don't think I can.

[Kyle Stevens]

Hey, meathead. What the. Are you doing too much of a drop.

[Agent Blaine]

I won't make it. Listen to me.

[Kyle Stevens]

No, it isn't. Come on.

[Agent Blaine]

Listen, when you get to the ship, find the grid. It's centrally located in Europe.

[Kyle Stevens]

Does that really seem like something I could do on my own? Let go. I'll catch you. I'll catch You. I can do it.

[Agent Blaine]

Plan A. It needs both of us.

[Kyle Stevens]

Stevens, just do it.

[Agent Blaine]

What the hell?

[Kyle Stevens]

I got you. Got you.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm trying.

[Kyle Stevens]

This is me pulling.

[Agent Blaine]

Oh.

[Kyle Stevens]

Give me. Give me the hammer.

[Agent Blaine]

The what? You didn't get the kidding. Here.

[Kyle Stevens]

That's not funny.

[Agent Blaine]

That's kind of funny. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. You're buckled up. Let me buckle up.

[Kyle Stevens]

Yeah.

[Agent Blaine]

No.

[Kyle Stevens]

What? Wait.

[Agent Blaine]

No, no, don't.

[Kyle Stevens]

Are we.

[Agent Blaine]

Are we? Well, we're on the platform. Yeah. We made it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, what's your problem now?

[Agent Blaine]

I needed three seconds. Three seconds to buckle in.

[Kyle Stevens]

Relax.

[Agent Blaine]

It was a hundred yards and Mach 2.

[Kyle Stevens]

Oh, man. Saved your life twice today. And this is the attitude, I guess. The look on your face, though. Okay, I think something's broken.

[Agent Blaine]

Good.

[Kyle Stevens]

You hung me up in a pantry. You know.

[Agent Blaine]

You'Re right. I did. I'm sorry about that.

[Kyle Stevens]

It's okay. I'm sorry I punched you in the face earlier.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah, sorry it didn't hurt.

[Kyle Stevens]

Last minute ejection fireball right before it all disintegrates. Kind of like the old days, I'm guessing.

[Agent Blaine]

It was. Welcome home, agent boy.

[Kyle Stevens]

Now what?

[Agent Blaine]

Now we have to get moving. Get moving and find the grid. Pull off the impossible.

[Kyle Stevens]

Plan. A better lot harder. Evelyn Moss. She said life form platforms. Yeah. That's monsters, isn't it? Yeah, lots of them between here and there.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah.

[Kyle Stevens]

You have thoughts on that? You give us much of a chance?

[Agent Blaine]

I'm working on it.

[Kyle Stevens]

Well, something's got to go our way eventually, right? Law of averages.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah, that would be a pleasant surprise. Huh?

[Kyle Stevens]

Huh? What?

[Agent Blaine]

UI alert. Hold on a minute. Son of a.

[Kyle Stevens]

What is it?

[Agent Blaine]

Life signs.

[Kyle Stevens]

Life signs? Whose life signs? Everyone's dead but us. What are you laughing at?

[Agent Blaine]

Stop. You're freaking me out. Rainer.

[Kyle Stevens]

Rainer. What about her?

[Agent Blaine]

They're Rainer's life signs.

[Kyle Stevens]

How can that be? Are you sure, though? Yeah.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah. Rainer's alive.

[Jay Barton Mitchell]

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 9 Knights and Pawns stars Michael Mao as Blaine, JD Cerna as Stevens, Mila Isabella as Alpha, Sherry Richard as Evelyn Moss, and Elizabeth Laidlaw as Eva Graff. The episode also features the voices of Michelle Campbell, Brian Gray, and Danny Payne. The episode featured original music by Hannah Perrot, Bradford Knight, Lights in Motion, David A. Molina, Ryan Talbert, Luca Tincio, and Christopher Dennis Christ Coleman, as well as additional sound design by Music Radio Creative Derelict has the following associate producers 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 the our episodes, Derelict Premium gives you exclusive member only merchandise, merchandise discounts 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 thanks for listening. This story will continue.

[Sponsor Voice]

The Fable and Folly Network where fiction producers flourish. Contact day is in but a few short months, which means it is time to begin preparations for the bi decennial Festival. This year we are celebrating every single one of you living in my beloved Windfall.

[Kyle Stevens]

It is not our business to question the Queen's will. It is not our business to do anything but follow him.

[Sponsor Voice]

It is you and your loyalty that has laid the groundwork for this incredible utopian society that we do you have.

[Kyle Stevens]

Any idea what's going on with us?

[Sponsor Voice]

It is the duty of each and every one of you to do everything you can to make the festival a success this year.

[Jay Barton Mitchell]

Are you ready to speak kindly with me now, child?

[Sponsor Voice]

I have no doubt that this year will be one for the history books, and that will be due in no small part to the dedication of my adoring subject.

[Kyle Stevens]

Windfall, a dystopian science fiction podcast from Rogue Dialogue.