DERELICT by Night Rocket Productions

Summary

Podcast Summary: "End of All Hope"

Episode Title: DERELICT by Night Rocket Productions
Episode: Fathom (Season One, Episode One: "Fathom")
Release Date: March 19, 2024
Duration: Approximately 49 minutes
Creator: J. Barton Mitchell
Produced By: Night Rocket Productions

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Introduction

"End of All Hope" introduces listeners to a gripping, immersive sci-fi narrative set in a world under alien invasion. This summary focuses on the first episode of the series, titled "Fathom," which delves into the psychological and physical challenges faced by scientists working at an underwater research base. The episode masterfully combines elements inspired by classics like Aliens, H.P. Lovecraft, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, creating an atmosphere thick with tension and mystery.

Setting the Scene: Fathom Base

The story unfolds at Fathom Base, an underwater research facility built around an enigmatic artifact discovered 19,000 feet beneath the ocean's surface—a colossal, door-like structure embedded in the ocean floor. The base's primary mission is to study and ultimately open this mysterious "vault," a decision fraught with unforeseen dangers.

Notable Quote:

Eva Graff: "They say that in the dark the eyes begin to see, and in the silence, we begin to listen. Believe me, nowhere is it darker or quieter than in this place." ([01:19])

Characters and Dynamics

• Eva Graff (Elizabeth Laidlaw): The protagonist, a dedicated scientist grappling with personal loss and the immense pressures of her role at Fathom Base.

• Dr. Clayton (Sarah Clayton): Eva's medical officer, concerned about Eva's mental and physical well-being.

• Mac: An advanced virtual intelligence (VI) system designed to assist the team, exhibiting signs of malfunction.

• Joe Freeman (Eli Goodman): The base commander, navigating the tension between the scientific mission and internal security pressures.

• Agent Blaine (Michael Mao): Representative from Internal Security Division (ISD), tasked with investigating anomalies and enforcing protocol.

Plot Overview

Initial Tensions and Malfunctions

The episode opens with Eva Graff reflecting on her isolation and loss while at Fathom Base. Her disconnection from the surface and lack of regular sleep cycles hint at underlying psychological strains.

Notable Quote:

Eva Graff: "Loss is an insidious thing. Whatever we try to escape, we inevitably bring with us, even to the darkest, quietest places." ([01:19])

Dr. Clayton expresses concern over Eva's elevated heart rate and erratic behavior, suggesting that Eva hasn't slept normally for over a month ([02:51]).

Meanwhile, Mac, the VI, begins exhibiting strange behavior—reporting anomalies like unexpected snow in Chicago during June ([05:05]) and displaying confusion during critical events, such as a hull breach in the hydroponics capsule ([18:30]).

Internal Conflict and Sabotage

Tensions escalate when communication logs reveal that an explosion and flooding occurred, leading to suspicions of sabotage within the base. Joe Freeman and Eva discuss the deteriorating state of the base's support systems and the mysterious disappearance of personnel.

Notable Quote:

Joe Freeman: "We've sunk a lot of money into this travesty to pull either of us out now." ([09:11])

Agent Blaine’s Investigation

Agent Blaine arrives to investigate the malfunctions and potential sabotage. His interrogation of Eva reveals cracks in her mental state and raises suspicions about her reliability. Blaine questions Eva's motives and her deep personal ties to the base, suggesting that her emotional state may be influencing her work.

Notable Quote:

Agent Blaine: "I know the kind of darkness Moss Dorian's capable of finding. I've shut it back in the box over and over again." ([32:02])

Eva fiercely defends her commitment, denying any intentional sabotage and attributing strange occurrences to the overwhelming environment.

The Vault Signal and Revelation

A pivotal moment occurs when Eva deciphers the vault's signal equation, realizing that the frequency (11 Hz) is both the key and the lock to the mysterious door. This breakthrough, however, coincides with increased tension and the collapse of support systems, pushing Eva towards a desperate decision to open the vault.

Notable Quote:

Eva Graff: "The signal is exactly 10 seconds long and is the same length every broadcast." ([41:51])

As Eva attempts to manipulate Mac to execute her plan, Agent Blaine intervenes, urging her to abandon the project and return to the surface, citing her deteriorating mental state and the recent death of Dr. Edgar—a former scientist who succumbed to the base's psychological pressures.

Climactic Breakdown

The episode culminates in chaos as support systems collapse, communication fails, and Eva's determination to open the vault leads to a catastrophic hull breach. Her final plea to Mac underscores her fragile mental state and desperation to resolve the situation, setting the stage for intense conflict and uncertainty.

Notable Quote:

Eva Graff: "The vault. It's a long story, but I figured it out. I can open it. I can give them what they want." ([43:58])

Themes and Insights

• Isolation and Psychological Strain: The oppressive underwater environment serves as a metaphor for the characters' internal battles, highlighting how isolation exacerbates mental health issues.

• Science vs. Security: The tension between scientific exploration and security protocols underscores the ethical dilemmas of pursuing knowledge at potentially devastating costs.

• Human vs. Artificial Intelligence: Mac's gradual malfunction raises questions about the reliability of AI in high-stress environments and the blurred lines between machine and sentient being.

• Mystery of the Vault: The enigmatic artifact represents the unknown frontiers of space and the unforeseeable consequences of human curiosity and ambition.

Conclusion

The first episode of "Fathom" expertly sets up a narrative rife with suspense, character depth, and intricate plotting. As Eva grapples with personal demons and external threats, listeners are left on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover the true nature of the vault and the fate of Fathom Base's inhabitants. The episode concludes with unresolved tensions and impending disaster, promising a thrilling continuation of the story.

Final Quote:

Eva Graff: "This story will continue." ([49:15])

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Production Notes

"Fathom" is meticulously crafted with exceptional voice acting, immersive sound design by Music Radio Creative, and a haunting musical score from Ryan Talbert, Luke Atencio, and Davis Harwell. The collaborative efforts of producers Kirsten Rudberg and Thomas Barker, along with support from Flashpoint Chicago and Grand Scheme Productions, ensure a high-quality auditory experience that captivates the audience from start to finish.

For more information or to support the series, visit derelictpodcast.com and fathompodcast.net.

Transcript

[Jay Barton Mitchell]

Hi everyone. My name is Jay Barton Mitchell, and I'm the creator of the immersive sci fi audio experience Derelict, which you're about to listen to. Thanks to the good folks at the End of All Hope podcast. You're going to hear our very first episode from season one, which we called Fathom, which is set in the future inside a research base on Earth that has been built around an enigmatic artifact discovered at the bottom of the ocean. An artifact that appears to be, for lack of a better description, a giant door inset into the ocean floor. The base called Fathom, was built to research the door, but more specifically to open it. A decision that, as you might imagine, turns out to be ill advised. It's a very immersive movie like audio experience that's influenced by such things as Aliens, HP Lovecraft, and even 2001 A Space Odyssey. Please give it a listen, and if you like what you hear, you can find us on any of your favorite podcast platforms by clicking on the link in the episode notes below or. Or by visiting [e-mail] thanks again for listening. And thanks again to the people at the End of All Hope podcast for sharing our work.

[Eva Graff]

They say that in the dark the eyes begin to see, and in the silence, we begin to listen. Believe me, nowhere is it darker or quieter than in this place. The bottom of the ocean, 19,000ft down. I came here after all, isn't it? Why? I buried myself the furthest away I could possibly get. But loss is an insidious thing. Whatever we try to escape, we inevitably bring with us, even to the darkest, quietest places. And in the dark, we have no choice but to place you.

[Angela Graff]

Oh, Jesus.

[Dr. Clayton]

Dr. Groff?

[Eva Graff]

Yes?

[Dr. Clayton]

Are you okay?

[Eva Graff]

Fine.

[Dr. Clayton]

Your heart rate is quite elevated. Your blood oxygen levels.

[Eva Graff]

I'm fine, Clayton. Thank you.

[Dr. Clayton]

Dreams again?

[Eva Graff]

Is that a crime?

[Dr. Clayton]

Would you like a sedative? It can really help you sleep.

[Eva Graff]

No.

[Dr. Clayton]

If, according to the biologs, you haven't slept a regular cycle in more than.

[Eva Graff]

A month, how many times do you have to say I'm fine?

[Dr. Clayton]

Logs don't lie, Eva.

[Eva Graff]

And they don't tell the whole story either. Sarah, what's up with the repairs?

[Dr. Clayton]

Well, you'd have to ask Freeman for the whole picture, but last I heard it was going well. They have most of the supports for Fathom west patched working our north now. I know where you're asking. I haven't heard of the access to relays back up or not.

[Eva Graff]

Hopefully not much longer.

[Dr. Clayton]

Couple of weird things, though.

[Eva Graff]

What?

[Dr. Clayton]

Well, they finally Got the mainframe open. With Mack acting the way he's been, everyone felt there must been some damage to his systems from the explosion, flooding or something.

[Eva Graff]

There wasn't.

[Dr. Clayton]

Not any that emisser could find. No water present in the room. Mainframe itself is undamaged. They're going over it now, though.

[Eva Graff]

Well, no one knows Mack. Like Emerson.

[Dr. Clayton]

That's the other thing. No one knows where Emerson is.

[Eva Graff]

What do you mean no one knows?

[Dr. Clayton]

Mac's personnel tracking is down now and no one can raise runcoms. She may be outside checking the capsule's exterior. With all the eddie activity, though.

[Eva Graff]

Well, people don't just disappear, especially down here. And Emerson? Sort of aloof. Anyway, she'll show up at lunch. Sarah, I need to get up now.

[Dr. Clayton]

I still think said it is.

[Eva Graff]

Thank you, doctor. Jesus.

[Mac]

Good morning, Dr. Kraft.

[Eva Graff]

Good morning, Mac. I was just talking about. You heard Emerson is poking around in your brain.

[Mac]

Ms. Emerson is attempting to determine the cause of my minor malfunctions. My own diagnostics continue to show no errors or latency.

[Eva Graff]

Well, something's up. Yesterday you told me it was snowing in Chicago in June.

[Mac]

It is puzzling. I was extensively stress tested before being approved for deployment. An explosion such as the one Fathom Base experienced last week should not have caused any permanent damage. Will you be returning to sleep, Dr. Graffiti?

[Eva Graff]

No. No, I don't think so.

[Mac]

I'll prepare your coffee. You have two new voicemails if you would like them.

[Eva Graff]

Who's the first from?

[Mac]

The first voicemail is from your wife, Dr. Graph.

[Eva Graff]

She's not my. Play it, please, Mac.

[Mac]

Plain message from Angela graph. Time stamped June 17, 11:45pm Hi.

[Dr. Clayton]

Don't know why I do this. You never respond. It's like talking to a ghost or sending messages to a ghost or. Christ, Eva, we haven't spoken in two months. I at least expected something yesterday. Yesterday of all days. You know, you act like you're the only one who feels anything. Or. I don't know, like you're the only one who has a right to feel anything. It's really selfish, you know that? It's really. I just expected something. It's all. Listen, I'm not going to send these anymore.

[Eva Graff]

Eva.

[Dr. Clayton]

I. I took a commission off World Colony assignment. It's not with the corporation. You don't have to worry about that. It's my own thing. It's what I've wanted to do for a long time. You know what? I just waited as long as I could, I guess. But I can see you're not coming Back. I don't understand it. I don't know why we couldn't be there for each other. Go through this together. I don't. I miss her, too. Maybe even just as much as you. I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I called you selfish, too.

[Angela Graff]

I.

[Dr. Clayton]

I'm just sorry. I'm sorry every way I can be sorry. I love you, Eva. Always.

[Mac]

Would you like to respond to the message? Dr. Graff, would you like to respond to the message?

[Eva Graff]

Delete it.

[Mac]

Are you certain, Doctor?

[Eva Graff]

Graphic. Delete it.

[Mac]

Message deleted. Would you like to hear your second voice?

[Joe Freeman]

Eva, I need you to wake up and get over to hydroponics.

[Eva Graff]

Good morning to you, too.

[Angela Graff]

Joe, is it?

[Joe Freeman]

ISD's here.

[Angela Graff]

Wants to meet with us.

[Eva Graff]

Already? I thought his sub wasn't scheduled until tomorrow night.

[Joe Freeman]

Yeah, well, I guess he decided to accelerate the schedule. I don't think it's a good sign, do you?

[Eva Graff]

I cannot wait. I'm. I'm just not.

[Joe Freeman]

It's internal security, Eva. No, it can't wait. I'd like to know what you plan to say, though.

[Eva Graff]

Yeah, well, I bet you would.

[Joe Freeman]

Eva, I swear to God, if you try to pin this on me.

[Eva Graff]

Fathom is your base, isn't it, Joe? You are the commander.

[Joe Freeman]

Edgar's was science team, not command.

[Eva Graff]

And it was your security protocols he overrode your explosives he stole.

[Joe Freeman]

Look, there's plenty of blame to go around. That's how they're gonna look at it. I just think. I just think if we put our heads together on this, we can come out of this with our jobs still intact.

[Eva Graff]

Oh, God, Joe. Neither of us tried to blow up the damn base, did we? The only one on the chopping block is Edgar's. MD's put way too much money into this travesty to pull either of us out now.

[Joe Freeman]

Really? Then why are they ordering what's left of the science team back to the surface?

[Eva Graff]

What? Wait, what? They can't do that. We're already a skeleton crew. I have half the people I need.

[Joe Freeman]

To complete this, or even that, and they did not. Essentials, too. Indefinitely. We started mothballing rovers and dive suits last night, and analytics just left out a sub 15 minutes ago. Where have you been, Joe?

[Eva Graff]

That. That doesn't make any sense. There has to be an explanation.

[Joe Freeman]

Yeah, there's an explanation. You've been down here 11 months, and that thing out there is no closer to being open than the day it was found. Add to that, you got people on your team running around trying to blow up the place. A place that, yes, they have sunk a lot of money into. What you think was gonna happen, Eva? What'd you think they were gonna do?

[Eva Graff]

Okay, I don't know what to. I'll fix this. I'll fix it.

[Joe Freeman]

I'm holding my breath. Dr. Graff. Hydroponics, ASAP. Shit.

[Eva Graff]

Get a grip, get a grip, get a grip. House. Come and get your Lego.

[Joe Freeman]

Come and get your Lego.

[Eva Graff]

Happy birthday, girl. Mac?

[Mac]

I'm here, Dr. Kraft.

[Eva Graff]

Undulate that last message, please.

[Mac]

Message from Angela. Craft restored. Have I already asked if you would like coffee this morning, Dr. Kraft?

[Eva Graff]

Yes, Mac. You have apologies, Dr. Graff.

[Mac]

I don't seem quite myself, do I?

[Eva Graff]

I got stuck. Oh, my God.

[Dr. Clayton]

Yeah.

[Eva Graff]

You and me both. We've been through a lot together, haven't we?

[Mac]

We have worked together for quite some time, yes.

[Eva Graff]

Dr. Graff, you were designed for this project.

[Mac]

Not entirely. I believe MA and virtual intelligence development was already in the process of planning. Planning for a new VI model. But the discovery of the Fathom artifact accelerated the development process.

[Eva Graff]

Exactly. If we never would have found the vault, you and I would never have met.

[Mac]

I suppose that is true, Dr. Graph.

[Eva Graff]

A computer. And you are the closest thing I have to a friend down here.

[Mac]

I appreciate the cinnamon, Dr. Graff. I enjoy our interactions a great deal.

[Eva Graff]

You ever wonder why things work out the way they do? Mac, when you ever look back at your life and see all the turning points, just one turning point, even one moment, that sets you on a totally different course. Like a train that takes the wrong track, you're locked in. Then there's no going back.

[Mac]

No, Dr. Graff, those types of calculations are beyond my programming.

[Eva Graff]

Look at you, Mac. Look at you.

[Mac]

Your Coffee is ready, Dr. Graph.

[Eva Graff]

Swell. Sa.

[Joe Freeman]

There she is.

[Eva Graff]

Here I am.

[Joe Freeman]

Eva, this is Agent Blaine, ISD.

[Agent Blaine]

Dr. Graph.

[Eva Graff]

Eva's fine.

[Agent Blaine]

Eva. Appreciate you coming. No, it's early. No, you weren't expecting me until tomorrow.

[Eva Graff]

It's your world, Agent plane. We just live in it. See, you've already been talking with Commander Freeman.

[Agent Blaine]

I wanted to talk to you separately, if that's okay.

[Eva Graff]

You're isd. I want to cooperate in any way I can.

[Agent Blaine]

I appreciate that. Know you've had a rough time of it. Freeman was just going over the status of the base repairs.

[Joe Freeman]

Yeah. Northern platform got hit the worst. Three capsules breached and flooded, but the supports on west and north were damaged. Dodge. Gregor has planted explosives up and down both.

[Agent Blaine]

And 11 people were killed. Am I right about that?

[Eva Graff]

Yeah, that's right.

[Agent Blaine]

You guys will have to keep forgiving Me? There's a lot down here I don't understand yet. You're rushing the support repairs because of underwater storms.

[Eva Graff]

At ease. It's the technical term. Big pockets of moving water that break off from the boundary current nearby. It happens frequently here. It's one of the reasons working outside is so dangerous.

[Agent Blaine]

What kind of currents are we talking about?

[Joe Freeman]

Intense, when they surge 40 to 50 knots. And 40 to 50 knots of hundreds of tons of water.

[Agent Blaine]

Got it.

[Joe Freeman]

Mack has a model for forecasting them. Right now the forecast says no eddies for three days. Which is the window we're going with. We should have the supports repaired and braced by.

[Agent Blaine]

I see. What door is this? The one you're working on. Here.

[Joe Freeman]

Hydroponics. These doors came down, the explosion happened and got a wedge when the capsule shifted. Every room on Fathom is basically its own separate building. We call them capsules. Every entry point into a new capsule has emergency pressure doors that come down in the event of a hole breach to seal them. Max says the capsule on the other side isn't flooded, but even so, it's probably a total loss. Crops don't do well without irrigation.

[Agent Blaine]

Is it possible the damage was more isolated to the northern platform intentionally?

[Eva Graff]

If Dr. Edgar's wanted to target one platform over another, I think he'd focus on west. The reactor's there. That's where you do the most damage.

[Joe Freeman]

I'd say he did enough damage regardless.

[Agent Blaine]

The labs are on this platform, though. All your research. So is your VI's mainframe. From what I hear, it's been acting erratic.

[Joe Freeman]

Yeah, that's true. VI has been acting strange ever since. Emerson's trying to figure it out now.

[Agent Blaine]

Strange how?

[Joe Freeman]

Simple things. Waking teams up at the wrong times. Forgetting who people are. Shutting lights off in the middle of lunch, stuff like that.

[Agent Blaine]

But his main functions?

[Eva Graff]

He hasn't missed a beat as far as the project goes. And he designed the repair procedure for the platform supports on west and north.

[Joe Freeman]

You ask me, I think it should be shut down. Turning off the lights is one thing. Depressurizing the base is another.

[Eva Graff]

Mac wouldn't do that.

[Joe Freeman]

What Dr. Graff means to say is Mac's programming wouldn't allow it to do that. But she thinks of Mac as a person. I see it as a tool. And tools can malfunction.

[Eva Graff]

You think what Edgar's was targeting Mac?

[Agent Blaine]

I don't know. But Dr. Edgar's was a smart guy. Triple PhD band 11, Nobel Prize winning engineer with almost 100 patents.

[Eva Graff]

So.

[Agent Blaine]

Just doesn't sound like a guy to me. That does anything randomly. I'd like to speak to the VI engineer if I could.

[Joe Freeman]

So would I, but Emerson's been offline all morning.

[Agent Blaine]

Offline?

[Joe Freeman]

Can't raise her on comms. And Matt can't pinpoint her location. Then again, he can't pinpoint anyone's location right now. I guess. Everyone hold on to something.

[Eva Graff]

What happened?

[Joe Freeman]

Holes breached to the other side of the door.

[Eva Graff]

Mac, reseal the pressure doors.

[Joe Freeman]

We should have done that already.

[Eva Graff]

Mac.

[Mac]

Attention, please stand clear. Ceiling Hydroponics pressure doors in three, two, one.

[Joe Freeman]

Mac, what happened?

[Mac]

It appears the hydroponics capsule suffered a hull breach that was flooded when the pressure doors were first open.

[Joe Freeman]

The water on the other side wasn't breached. You said it was pressurized.

[Mac]

I am confused by this chain of events. I see in my communication logs I did state that hydroponics was pressurized and free of water. I cannot explain this distress.

[Joe Freeman]

I want it shut down.

[Agent Blaine]

I got men hurt.

[Joe Freeman]

We're lucky we all didn't just drown to death. I want it shut down.

[Eva Graff]

You can't shut it down, Joe. It's a hundred million dollar asset. We can do an Alpha level reboot if we need to, but Emerson is AWOL if we need to.

[Joe Freeman]

It almost killed us.

[Agent Blaine]

Everyone relax. Everyone take a break.

[Joe Freeman]

Don't tell me to take a breath, Freeman.

[Agent Blaine]

Take a breath.

[Joe Freeman]

Fine, sure, but shut it down. Shut it down or I will. I mean it.

[Eva Graff]

What does that mean, Joe? We've already had enough. Sense sabotage, don't you think? Joe. God damn it.

[Agent Blaine]

You okay?

[Eva Graff]

Yeah, I'm fine. I just. Welcome to Fathom.

[Agent Blaine]

Tensions are high. Nothing I didn't expect.

[Eva Graff]

You wouldn't shut him down, right? You wouldn't shut down Mac.

[Agent Blaine]

No, no, you're right. Shutting down the VI is essentially terminating it. Not to mention hitting the LEAF button and all the stuff stored research. It's a very expensive asset for the corporation.

[Eva Graff]

I couldn't afford that loss. Not now. Not after the explosion. We're already short staffed as it is.

[Agent Blaine]

I am going to limit max access to critical systems, though. Keep them online. Just rained in.

[Eva Graff]

But not for the project, right? I'd have him for that.

[Agent Blaine]

For research, all critical systems, just. Just for the moment.

[Eva Graff]

That's going to limit my research ability.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm aware.

[Eva Graff]

I don't think you are. I need Mac for signal analysis, for calculations on the equation. Not to mention Dr. Graff.

[Agent Blaine]

You're not going to be doing any research in the immediate future. I'm ordering the relay shut down.

[Eva Graff]

Even if the connection's restored, you can't do that. You already pulled the rest of my team. Now you're taking Mac and the relay.

[Agent Blaine]

Let's talk somewhere else.

[Eva Graff]

Let's talk now. Now. I need Mac. I need.

[Agent Blaine]

Let's talk somewhere else. Dr. Graph.

[Eva Graff]

Fine. There's a meeting room in lab three.

[Agent Blaine]

I was thinking observation.

[Eva Graff]

You want to see it?

[Agent Blaine]

I want to see it.

[Eva Graff]

Like I said, it's your world. Follow me, Agent Blaine.

[Agent Blaine]

That is a lot of Windows.

[Eva Graff]

180 degree view of the whole sordid affair there.

[Agent Blaine]

We're looking outside. Into the water.

[Eva Graff]

We are.

[Agent Blaine]

Feels darker than space.

[Eva Graff]

It actually is. In space, you get starlight. Not much, but it still counts. Lumens. Down here, there's nothing.

[Agent Blaine]

And what, it's straight out there?

[Eva Graff]

About 600 yards. Usually there's some kind of illumination around it. Subs, rovers, divers. But since the explosions, that's all stopped. Sometimes I think I can almost see it better with the lights off. Like it's darker than everything else.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't see anything. Just black.

[Eva Graff]

Mack.

[Mac]

I'm here. Dr. Graff.

[Eva Graff]

Will you hit the vault lights for me?

[Mac]

Full spread. Dr. Graff?

[Eva Graff]

Yes, please.

[Agent Blaine]

Now that is something.

[Eva Graff]

Yes. Yes, it is.

[Agent Blaine]

The size I. I didn't expect.

[Eva Graff]

It's 2,000ft in diameter.

[Agent Blaine]

Carbon dating.

[Eva Graff]

Seven million years old.

[Agent Blaine]

Seven million? That's unbelievable. The first proof of extraterrestrial life and we find it at the bottom of the ocean.

[Eva Graff]

Life is too ironic to fully understand. Takes noise to appreciate silence. And absence to value presence.

[Agent Blaine]

You scientists, you all love Voltaire, don't you? You forgot a part, though. It takes sadness to understand what happiness is.

[Eva Graff]

I don't believe that part.

[Agent Blaine]

Correct my math. Like I said. Still coming up to speed on this. Eleven years ago, an energy company comes down here looking for a geothermal reactor site. They unearth that instead, buried 19,000ft down. And we think that's a door?

[Eva Graff]

We know it is. Substropic filters show a space under it. A big space door is a near perfect circle. The laser scans tell us hinges on the northern side. Huge ones, but no electronics. No visible hydraulics even. And no locking mechanism that we can interact with. At least there's no obvious way to open it at first.

[Agent Blaine]

So you found a signal, right?

[Eva Graff]

Mac, play the vault signal.

[Mac]

Recording or live broadcast, Dr. Graff?

[Eva Graff]

Live, please.

[Agent Blaine]

Wow, that's lively.

[Eva Graff]

It's broadcasting and cycling at blf, very low frequency. And that's important because VLF waves are one of the few that travel well underwater. This one is at 11khz travels.

[Agent Blaine]

But not far.

[Mac]

Right?

[Eva Graff]

Right About a quarter mile.

[Agent Blaine]

So, basically, down here, you'd have to be on top of it to find it.

[Eva Graff]

I don't think it was meant to be found, except by someone who knew where to look.

[Agent Blaine]

Then why the signal at all?

[Eva Graff]

I'm glad you asked. Knack, turn off the vault signal and put up the vault equation on all monitors.

[Agent Blaine]

That is a lot of numbers.

[Eva Graff]

The signal isn't just noise. It's a carrier wave. Modulated sinusoidal waveform. It's a bitch to decode, but in the end, it's binary, like any other carrier signal. The equation you're looking at is the sole piece of data on that wave. And the vault is broadcasting it over and over.

[Agent Blaine]

Like a key?

[Eva Graff]

More like a hint to the key. Figure out the equation. You figure out how to open the vault.

[Agent Blaine]

How?

[Eva Graff]

We believe that solving the equation will give us the frequency and the data packets to transmit back to the false reception device. We think that should initiate its opening procedure.

[Agent Blaine]

And how far along are you to solving it?

[Eva Graff]

The equation, long as it is, isn't all that tough. It needs two variables to solve, and it solves with numbers in a rational integer pattern. We've tried a lot of them. We're into the seven digits now. Once we have a solution, we broadcast the answers in a frequency back to the receptor. We went through the VLF band pretty quick. That's why we built the relay next to the vault. Once we got out of vlf, the signals didn't travel very well down here. We needed a broadcasting source that was physically closer.

[Agent Blaine]

No reaction from the locking mechanism?

[Eva Graff]

Not yet. We've theorized maybe the vault wasn't yet submerged when it was implanted and the water inhibits the reception. But our geologist confirms that it was underwater at the time of the construction. Not to mention, this signal is in vlf, like it was designed to go through water.

[Agent Blaine]

And I assume you've tried other ways to get in besides the lock?

[Eva Graff]

Freeman's team excavated around the entire perimeter, down to about 300ft. Extra depth. They never found an end of the structure. So it's that deep. At least excavating beyond that at this depth, well, it gets hairy quick. They lost two men just getting that far.

[Agent Blaine]

Explosives.

[Eva Graff]

Whatever that alloy is, it's harder than plexi steel. Diamond filament blades, laser cutters. Nothing Freeman's boys tried, even scratched it. And no, before you ask, the vault can't be pried open either. The lock can't be forced.

[Agent Blaine]

Why, there's.

[Eva Graff]

There's no seam, no gap between the Door and the container.

[Agent Blaine]

Well, how's that even possible?

[Eva Graff]

We don't know. Some unique aspect of the alloy or. Or maybe it's by design, an additional security measure. I guess. Once the locking mechanism activates somehow, the entire thing unseals itself explosively with heat plasma. I don't know. It's anyone's guess.

[Agent Blaine]

What do you think, Dr. Kraft?

[Eva Graff]

Well, can you be more specific?

[Agent Blaine]

About the artifact? Why do you think it is? You're the project director. You got to have a theory. You, if anyone. Why put a giant door on the bottom of the ocean? An ocean on a planet that, at the time, nothing intelligent lived on?

[Eva Graff]

I don't know. All I know is it shouldn't be here. But it is.

[Agent Blaine]

Yeah, just like us.

[Eva Graff]

All right. I get why you're here, Agent Blaine.

[Agent Blaine]

Do you now?

[Eva Graff]

An MD Employee tries to blow up an MD facility, doesn't care who he kills, doesn't care about the attention he draws. This is a black site, after all. Not the kind of headlines MD Wants on the news.

[Agent Blaine]

There is.

[Eva Graff]

Then you're here to investigate. Sniff out any collaborators Edgar's might have had. Assign blame.

[Agent Blaine]

I prefer the word responsibility.

[Eva Graff]

Whatever the word, the problem I have with it is you don't seem to know very much about this project. And I would have hoped that whoever the corporation sent to assign responsibility would have been a little more informed.

[Agent Blaine]

MD has hundreds of black site projects around the galaxy. They're black site for a reason. Like every piece of information the corporation deals out, you get it when you need it. I don't need to know the background of this place or the specifics of your research to form an opinion on your results. Almost a year of your life on this project, and you still have no clue what it is you're trying to open.

[Eva Graff]

Oh, now, wait.

[Agent Blaine]

I wonder if your research progress is more than just slow. I wonder if it's intentionally slow.

[Eva Graff]

I'm sorry.

[Agent Blaine]

You were offered this position once, Project Director, and you turned it down. Two months later, you lobbied to be included again. Now, why was that? Was it because of your daughter?

[Eva Graff]

What did you just say?

[Agent Blaine]

I wonder if you took this job because down here, there's nothing to remind you of home. I wonder if the thing that scares you most about this place is having to leave it.

[Eva Graff]

Is this a performance review or a psych evil?

[Agent Blaine]

It's whatever I want it to be, Eva. Right now I'm trying to decide whether or not to pull you off entirely, pull you off and send you home.

[Eva Graff]

You don't have the authority.

[Agent Blaine]

I don't you're right. But the executive board does. And they want my opinion to make their decision.

[Eva Graff]

Look, all right, look. Figuring things out like that out there, it doesn't happen overnight. And. And there's. There's been progress. We have figured out a lot.

[Agent Blaine]

You mean the signal which apparently drives people crazy.

[Eva Graff]

No, wait, that's not true. It's harmless. It's just a looping carrier waveform.

[Agent Blaine]

Did Dr. Edgar's think it was harmless?

[Eva Graff]

Edgar's lost his down here. Like pretty much everyone else does eventually.

[Agent Blaine]

Dr. Edgar's tried to blow up this base so as to stop what was happening here. A galactically respected scientist. And your explanation is he lost it?

[Eva Graff]

You look out there. Look, human beings aren't supposed to be down here. You said it yourself. We might as well have been dropped on the moon. It takes a toll. It gets to everyone.

[Agent Blaine]

Edgar said he heard voices in the signal.

[Eva Graff]

Just him losing it.

[Agent Blaine]

Three other science staff said the same thing. Voices in the signal. Hundreds of them. Are they losing it too?

[Eva Graff]

It's just the power of suggestion. Stories like Edgar's, they take a life of their own. Especially in a place like this.

[Agent Blaine]

Edgar said to the interviewer he was convinced that the thing out there wasn't a vault at all.

[Eva Graff]

Yeah, I know what he thought.

[Agent Blaine]

Dr. Edgar's didn't think it was designed to keep things out. I know what he thought it was designed to keep.

[Eva Graff]

Something in that someone crossed cracking under pressure.

[Agent Blaine]

You have no clue what that thing is or what's inside it, or what happens when it's open.

[Eva Graff]

You can't possibly believe Edgar's.

[Agent Blaine]

Do you know what the internal security division does, Eva? We deal with things when they get out of hand. I am very good at it. And I've been from one end of this galaxy to the other doing it. The things I've seen, the kinds of projects this Corporation engages in, the Pandora's boxes they've opened. I know the kind of darkness Moss Dorian's capable of finding. I've shut it back in the box over and over again. And the only reason I keep doing it is because right now, I still believe the good the Corporation does outweighs the horror. So if you asked me whether or not I could believe the ghost stories of an unhinged triple PhD holding research scientist who tried to blow up his own project to stop it from succeeding, the answer is, I could ask Edgar's.

[Eva Graff]

Ask him. He's on the surface now. He'll have recovered. He'll tell you. He'll tell you. It was just this place, it got to him and he lost it. That's what he'll say.

[Agent Blaine]

I would very much like to ask him about his experiences here, Dr. Graff, but I can't.

[Eva Graff]

Why not?

[Agent Blaine]

Because he hanged himself in his cell last night.

[Eva Graff]

What?

[Agent Blaine]

Dr. Edgar is dead. And what worries me more than anything is that you're hearing voices, too.

[Eva Graff]

No. No, no, I.

[Agent Blaine]

Your medical officer, Dr. Clayton, put it in your chart. You said you were hearing voices, and you were hearing them way before. Dr. Edgar's dead.

[Eva Graff]

Once. I said I heard it. Once. I was wrong.

[Agent Blaine]

Dr. Clayton also says you're not sleeping.

[Eva Graff]

That's an exaggeration.

[Agent Blaine]

She says you're losing your grip. Says your team has reported you erratic. That you give the same orders multiple times.

[Eva Graff]

That's not fair.

[Agent Blaine]

She put the same exact things in Dr. Edgar's file.

[Eva Graff]

Dr. Edgar.

[Agent Blaine]

She said he couldn't sleep either at the end. She said he roamed the halls all night. She said his eyes were bloodshot.

[Eva Graff]

She can't go. Go home. Please. I. I can't go back. Being down here, this. This work, it's all. You're right. Okay? I don't sleep. I don't sleep. And when I do, I hear her. And then it's. Starts all over again.

[Agent Blaine]

I'm sorry I pushed you like that, Dr. Graff. But I had to see for myself. Your state. I think it's a good thing I did.

[Eva Graff]

What does that mean?

[Agent Blaine]

It means you need to go back to your quarters and start packing your things and get ready to return to the surface.

[Eva Graff]

No.

[Agent Blaine]

That will be all, Dr. Grass.

[Eva Graff]

No, please.

[Agent Blaine]

I know how your daughter died. But the truth is they don't care about any of that. All they care about is results. And you haven't had enough, Blaine. Go home, Dr. Graffiti. There's nothing here for you but pain.

[Eva Graff]

What do you know about pain?

[Agent Blaine]

I've had my share.

[Eva Graff]

Sa. Oh, God. Mac.

[Mac]

I'm here, Dr. Graff. I'm here, Dr. Graff.

[Eva Graff]

Mech, call Angela.

[Mac]

Of course, Dr. Graff calling Angela Grass.

[Dr. Clayton]

Hey, this is Angela. Leave me a message and I'll.

[Eva Graff]

Mac.

[Dr. Clayton]

Consider.

[Mac]

Call to Angela. Graph disconnected. Dr. Graph, you seem agitated.

[Eva Graff]

You think so?

[Mac]

Mac, is there anything I can do to help?

[Eva Graff]

I don't know. Can you roll back time?

[Mac]

I'm afraid I do not have that ability, Dr. Graff. Chamomile tea has been shown to have a relaxing effect in times of stress. Would you like me to make you a cup?

[Eva Graff]

How about a whiskey, Mac?

[Mac]

Alcohol is restricted on fathom base to weekends only.

[Eva Graff]

Oh, you can't make an exception for an old friend.

[Mac]

I'm afraid not, Dr. Gra.

[Eva Graff]

Thanks anyway, Mac.

[Mac]

As a reminder, you still have one unheard voicemail.

[Eva Graff]

Yeah. Who's it from?

[Mac]

The voicemail is from Dr. Richard Edgar's.

[Eva Graff]

Edgar's?

[Mac]

Yes. Dr. Richard Edgar. The message was received 11 hours ago.

[Eva Graff]

Play it.

[Mac]

Playing Message from Dr. Richard Edgar.

[Angela Graff]

They gave me one phone call, Eva. I used it for you. Flattered. I won't be here tomorrow. Maybe you'll hear. Maybe you won't. Doesn't matter. I hoped when they pulled me out of that place and back into the sun, the one solace I'd have is that I wouldn't hear them anymore. But I still do. Worm their way inside my head. They're all I hear, Eva. When I close my eyes, they're all I hear. I haven't slept in a month. How are you sleeping, Eva? I've decided. I don't care anymore. I've decided I want it open. Open. And for everything in there to just crawl out. You deserve it. You more than anyone. So you're the one I'll tell. Tell what? I already figured out what I kept from. From everyone. It's actually very simple. I won't just give it to you, though. I want you to make your choice. I want you to look back and know that it was you that caused it. So here it is. You were half right. The signal is the key. But it's the lock, too. And you never thought about the timing, Eva. Right there in front of you. You never thought about it at all. Sad thing is, I know you'll do it. You'll do whatever it takes. If they just let you stay down there, I'd say you have my sympathies. But we both know better.

[Eva Graff]

Mac.

[Mac]

I'm here, Dr. Graff.

[Eva Graff]

Delete this message.

[Mac]

Are you certain, Dr. Graff?

[Eva Graff]

Yes. Delete it now and scrub it. No backups.

[Mac]

Message from Dr. Edgar. Permission literally deleted.

[Eva Graff]

All right, Mac. Play the vault signal live. Broadcast. Mac, I want to know the timing of the signal. How long is it? Is it the same length every time? And does the length of time vary in between each broadcast?

[Mac]

The Signal is exactly 10 seconds long and is the same length every broadcast. The time in the between each broadcast is exactly 2 seconds.

[Eva Graff]

When you say exactly, you mean with what specificity?

[Mac]

Down to the millisecond. Dr. Graph. It is exact.

[Eva Graff]

It's exact. Neck, put up the signal equation on monitor three, please. Neck. I'd like to try solving the equation with y equals 10 and x equals.

[Mac]

2 confirming variable input. Y equals 10 and x equals 2.

[Eva Graff]

Yeah. Hit it.

[Mac]

The equation does not resolve with y equals 10 and x equals 2.

[Eva Graff]

Mac. Try x equals 10 and y equals. Equals 2.

[Mac]

The equation resolves with the following result. 11, 0 decimals.

[Eva Graff]

Exactly. 11.

[Mac]

Yes, Dr. Graph. 11, 0 decimals.

[Eva Graff]

The frequency of the vault signal. It's 11 hertz.

[Mac]

That is correct, Dr. Graph. The same number as the resolved equation.

[Eva Graff]

The lock and the key. I can't believe simple actors. Mac, turn off the vault signal. Oh, you just need to sleep. You just need sleep. Mac, get me Freeman.

[Joe Freeman]

I can't help you, Eva. You did this to yourself.

[Eva Graff]

Joe, I figured it out.

[Joe Freeman]

Explaining how serious this was, but you wouldn't listen. I'm in the same boat. This Blaine guys recommending.

[Eva Graff]

Figured it out, Joe.

[Joe Freeman]

Figured out what?

[Eva Graff]

The vault. It's a long story, but I figured it out. I can open it. I can give them what they want. We can give them what they want.

[Joe Freeman]

We?

[Eva Graff]

Yes. Together. All I need is access to the relay. Local access. With it disconnected from the labs, it's the only way.

[Joe Freeman]

You want to take a suit and make a floor walk to the relay, use the controls locally.

[Eva Graff]

Not me, Joe.

[Joe Freeman]

Oh, now I get it. You want me to do it. You want me to go around an ISD mandate with an agent on deck. I hate to break it to you, but it won't just be me they throw in prison.

[Mac]

It'll be both.

[Eva Graff]

Because it will work this time. I know it. We. We can both come out of this on top. We. We can both stay. We won't have to go back. We can stay.

[Joe Freeman]

The hell does that matter?

[Eva Graff]

It doesn't. The point is, if we do this, we don't just go back to how it was. We'll close out a major project milestone. There will be bonuses, there will be promotions. MD rewards ambition. It rewards it above everything. We can turn this whole thing around, Joe. It will work. Joe. Joe. Mac, get me Freeman back. Mac? Mac. What's. Mac?

[Dr. Clayton]

Eva.

[Eva Graff]

Sarah, what the hell?

[Dr. Clayton]

And Eddie.

[Eva Graff]

The support's just collapsed.

[Dr. Clayton]

The whole platform's going down.

[Eva Graff]

Oh, my God.

[Dr. Clayton]

I can't raise Mac.

[Mac]

He's Eva.

[Eva Graff]

Hold on. Clayton. Sarah. Oh, my God. It's. This is Dr. Groff. Does anyone copy? This is Dr. Eva Graff. There was a hull breach in the western dorms. The water flushed me into the die from airlock. I vented it. I'm alive. Does anyone copy? Dr. Clayton, Commander Freeman, do you copy? Does anyone.

[Mac]

Fathom is the prequel to the podcast Derelict by Night Rocket Productions. It is created, written, directed and edited by J. Barton Mitchell and produced by Kirsten Rudberg and Thomas Barker. Episode 1 In the Darkness We See stars Elizabeth Laidlaw as Eva Graf, Michael Mao as Blaine, Eli Goodman as Joe Freeman, Danny Payne as Sarah Clayton and Mac as himself. The podcast features additional sound design by Music Radio Creative and music by Ryan Talbert, Luke Atencio and Davis Harwell. The producers wish to thank Flashpoint Chicago, the campus of Columbia College, Hollywood, especially John Petroski and Bill Bacon for their invaluable support in the creation of this podcast. They also wish to thank Robert and Russell Summers of Grand Scheme Productions, without whose effort this story would not be as good as it is. Lastly, Fathom and Derelict rely on the support of listeners like you. Find out how you can help us continue the story by visiting derelictpodcast.com and fathompodcast.net and as always, more than anything, thank you for listening. This story will continue.