Escape Pod 1023: Mackson’s Mardi Gras Moon Race

Podcast: Escape Pod (Escape Artists Foundation)
Host: Tina Connolly
Author: David DeGraff
Narrator: Brian Lieberman
Date: December 11, 2025
Duration: ~29 minutes (excluding intros/outros)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Escape Pod brings us “Mackson’s Mardi Gras Moon Race” by David DeGraff—a thrilling, character-driven science fiction story. Set on a near-future, heavily colonized Moon, it follows Maxson Coelho, a working-class miner, as he competes in a grueling, high-stakes race from the lunar South Pole to the North Pole. Inspired by Brazilian Carnival—and fraught with class struggle, lunar danger, betrayal, grit, and underdog ingenuity—the story mixes a classic adventure race with themes of survival, found family, and hope.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Summary

The Race’s Origin and Stakes

• The annual Mardi Gras Moon Race commemorates Joao Silvia Henrique’s legendary 2043 journey, when he defied the odds to celebrate Carnival on the Moon. Since Brazil took over Bird Station, the secret southern-to-northern trek has become a major event.
• Maxson, the protagonist, joins this year’s race with only the bare-bones equipment, competing against well-funded, “nepo baby” scions of lunar corporations.

“We only have the equipment Joao used on his desperate first run when he stole his turtle—no moon suits, no long-range radios other than emergency receivers… Rescue could be too late, like it was in the ’52 race.” -- Maxson (02:30)

The Underdog’s Strategy

• Maxson starts at the back of the group, avoiding attention, letting the elites fight among themselves for the lead.
• His strategy? Take an uncharted, risky route found on a decades-old orbital photo, relying on his navigation intuition and luck.

“Trekking alone across unexplored terrain is the only hope I have to win against my better funded competitors. It also increases my chance of dying.” (03:35)

Life and Death on the Moon

• The race is perilous—the Moon’s desolation, loneliness, and mechanical fragility compound the constant threat of disaster, accentuating Maxson’s resourcefulness and anxiety.
• Vivid reminders of racers who died dot the story, highlighting both danger and the drive for legacy.

"I keep remembering the turtles of those who've died over the years. Turtles. Wheels up at the bottom of a crater. Tracks disappearing into a dark hole..." (05:28)

Nemesis Rivalry & Stalking

• Unexpectedly, Lopez—son of a mining dynasty, a frequent race-winner—starts following Maxson, matching his every move and resting period.
• Paranoia builds as Maxson tries to mislead Lopez, illustrating both the psychological and physical challenges of the contest.

“I use the turtle grapple arm to draw a rabbit and a wolf in the regolith and write, you can’t catch me.” (07:48)

Solar Storm Crisis & Reluctant Rescue

• A sudden solar storm threatens all racers. Maxson remembers training: “Head to a shadow, a cliff base where you block the sun... but we are all in the mare, the smoothest plains on the moon. Where can I hide?” (12:05)
• He races to a lava tube—and risks his own life to warn and rescue Lopez, pulling him to safety just in time.

“Lopez, can you read me?... Silence… I see him up ahead. No dust arcing behind. His turtle stopped. Lopez. No response. He’s sleeping… I point up, then reverse and spin, hoping he’ll follow.” (12:52)

• In the cave, Lopez reveals privilege and motivation, and a tension-filled conversation about honor, risk, and social class ensues.

"The race is supposed to be about honor, not financial gain." —Lopez, (16:51)

"That's easy for you to say. Your family paid for your transport here. I might be able to pay off my fee before I die." —Maxson (16:59)

Betrayal and Grit

• When the storm ends, betrayal: Maxson wakes to find Lopez gone and intentionally blocked in by a boulder, nearly trapping him forever.
• He uses determination and cunning to escape the trap, now burning with resolve to win through ingenuity, not brute force.

“That monkey comber forced me to lose another hour pushing the rock far enough to escape and I'm down to 30% power. I'll need to move a little slower than I'd like, so I'll be fully charged when I reach my secret. If I run out of power there, will anyone ever find me? Would they even bother looking for someone like me?” (18:44)

The Secret Route

• Maxson finds the old American-built tunnel: a relic, long abandoned, smooth and straight, it allows him to make exceptionally good time toward Bird Station.
• As he travels the dark tunnel, Lopez taunts him over the radio, trying to bargain and manipulate, but Maxson tunes him out.

“Don’t tell anyone about what we found... I’ll hire you at five times what you’re making now to help us extract this material.” —Lopez (22:46)

• Maxson focuses on survival first, and the finish line ahead.

Neck-and-Neck Finish

• Despite fatigue and faltering equipment, Maxson emerges from the tunnel with a lead—but Lopez, leveraging his advantages (and perhaps playing dirtier) closes the gap.
• In a heart-stopping finish, Lopez overtakes Maxson at the very last, winning the race by the slimmest margin.

“He rips past me and dust crackles on my roof. He breaks the yellow ribbon and passes the rainbow leafed palm trees and colorful parrots. People inside the second story observation deck raise their hands and jump...” (26:27)

Aftermath: Triumph Beyond Winning

• Heartbroken and exhausted, Maxson is embraced by his husband Bernardino, who celebrates his survival over a hollow victory.
• A mining boss privately congratulates Maxson, recognizing the value and brilliance of his navigation and discovery—a reward that may change the couple’s lives for the better.
• The story ends with Maxson, despite not claiming the victory, set to enjoy the Carnaval as never before, embodying resilience, pride, and hope.

“We could use someone like you in our company... No more endless days cramped in that turtle... Bernadino bounces a foot off the floor... Your pay will depend on what you find, of course...” (27:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On isolation’s haunting:
  “The loneliness of this route is an added factor I hadn’t considered. There’s no chatter on the radio to keep my mind from wandering too far.” (05:54)

• On class disparity:
  "That's easy for you to say. Your family paid for your transport here. I might be able to pay off my fee before I die." —Maxson to Lopez (16:59)

• On betrayal:
  “Lopez left a message in his tracks. I can see where he harvested the big boulder and pushed it into place. Much easier going forward and downhill. But he also moved four smaller rocks like he thought about wedging them in, locking the boulder in the lava tube's mouth... So noble of him.” (19:20)

• On the essence of victory:
  “I may have not won the race, but this is going to be the best Carnaval ever.” (28:34)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – 02:20 — Intro, author and narrator bios, story setup
• 02:22 — Story begins: Race history, protagonist introduction
• 05:28 — Reflections on lunar dangers, racer deaths
• 07:48 — Maxson’s rabbit-and-wolf regolith taunt to Lopez
• 12:05 — Discovery of impending solar storm, desperate dash to shelter
• 12:52 — Rescue of Lopez
• 16:51 — Debate on honor vs. financial gain between Maxson & Lopez
• 18:44 — Maxson escapes Lopez’s betrayal, stakes rise
• 22:46 — Maxson discovers and races through the abandoned American tunnel
• 26:27 — Lopez overtakes Maxson at the finish—crushing defeat
• 27:36 — Employer recognizes Maxson’s feat, offers life-changing opportunity
• 28:34 — Emotional close: Maxson and Bernardino reunited

Tone and Narrative Style

• The narration captures Maxson’s anxiety, determination, and bitterness with wry, self-deprecating humor, peppered with cultural references (Brazilian meals, Carnaval).
• Tense action sequences blend with contemplative passages on class, purpose, and survival.
• The conclusion (with its warm embrace, possibility for upward mobility, and the promise of true celebration) leaves a bittersweet note of hope triumphing over adversity.

Final Thoughts

“Mackson’s Mardi Gras Moon Race” is equal parts lunar adventure, social critique, and underdog anthem—a testament to persistence and smarts in the face of privilege and peril. The Escape Pod team praises it as a “fun action adventure” with cinematic potential, rooting listeners squarely in the underdog’s camp and providing both edge-of-seat thrills and a life-affirming finish.

“There’s a whole lot more to race him than just winning.”
—Tex Dynaco, quoted at episode’s end