Satellite Seven - 58-05-02 - 02 - Whispering Voices

Summary

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Satellite Seven – Episode 2: Whispering Voices

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Air Date: January 4, 2026 (Original: May 2, 1958)
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Story by: Angus McVicker
Setting: Hebridean island of Shuna

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Episode Overview

This episode, the second installment in the adventure serial “Satellite Seven,” follows 15-year-old Jake Thompson as he continues to recover after the wreck of his and his brother Tony’s cabin cruiser on the mysterious Scottish island of Shuna. Local hospitality clashes with unease as the brothers uncover whispers of strange happenings, growing paranoia, and secret government activities around a remote rocket research station. A mix of warmth, suspicion, and supernatural intrigue keeps the suspense high.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Developments

1. Recovery and Island Hospitality (00:49–02:20)

• Jake wakes up in Fergus O’Neill’s cottage, feeling something “darn queer was going on” even before Tony expresses concern.
• Billy Hackett and Mr. O’Neill visit to reassure Jake, detailing the night’s rescue after the shipwreck.
• Billy brings comic relief, joking about being called the liaison officer “for some reason we see far more of him than of any of the others. Blimey. The reason sticking out a mile.”
• Granny Stewart brings Jake supper, introducing herself as a lifelong resident of Shuna and reminiscing about past shipwrecks.

Notable Quote (Granny Stewart, 02:26):
“Yours is not the first boat I’ve seen made a prisoner by the rocks.”

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2. Local Lore and Mounting Suspicion (02:20–03:49)

• Alison “Granny” Stewart shares island history, hinting at the island’s decline and the “evil days” that have come.
• She describes the arrival of strangers with “great roaring machines” and the fear and suspicion they brought with them.
• The old woman warns Jake and Tony to “repair your boat and leave this island before it’s too late.”
• She mentions hearing “evil men whispering in the dark… others sobbing and crying like the souls of the lost” by the shore at night.

Notable Quote (Granny Stewart, 03:42):
“Evil days have come to Shuna. A strange mystery I cannot understand.”

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3. Exploring the Rocket Station (05:36–06:53)

• Jake, Tony, Bridie, and Billy survey the rocket site from a distance, observing “tall towers and rows of small white buildings enclosed by a barbed wire fence.”
• Discussion of constant engine noise—likely a dynamo.
• Bridie shares her experience sheltering during previous rocket launches, mentioning key station figures:
  • Professor Max Waters (chief scientist)
  • Roderick McIntyre (chief engineer)
  • Flight Lieutenant Harry Carmichael (RAF guard commander)

Memorable Moment (06:33):
“There’s something pretty big in that middle gantry... like an enormous torpedo standing on its tail.”

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4. The Whispering Voices (07:45–08:32)

• As dusk falls during their return, Jake, Tony, and Bridie suddenly hear “whispering voices… like somebody crying” from seemingly nowhere.
• The eerie sounds fit Granny Stewart’s warning, leaving the group shaken but searching for a rational explanation.

Notable Quote (Tony, 08:09):
“It’s in the air. There’s nowhere else it can be coming from.”

Memorable Moment:
The voices suddenly stop, leaving the trio unnerved and determined to find an explanation:
“Come on, let’s get back to the cottage. We’ll find out about this if it’s the last thing we do.” (08:32)

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5. Suspicion and Interrogation at the Station (08:53–13:26)

• Next day, Billy Hackett delivers a summons from Professor Walters, who interrogates Jake and Tony at the station.
• Walters, Carmichael, and McIntyre scrutinize their identities and motivations, suspecting them of being spies exploiting a staged shipwreck.
• Tension as security staff demand proof and verify the brothers’ backgrounds.
• Jake suggests using Tony’s singing records as a voice match (“Why not compare the voices?” – 10:23).
• The base officials insist Tony and Jake stay on the island an unexpected 10 more days, restricting their movements for security’s sake.

Notable Exchange:

• Walters (09:28): “Our work here is of such a nature that security must be complete until the last possible moment.”
• Tony (10:06): “Tony’s a famous singer. He’s been working hard since he was 18.”
• Station Chief (12:58): “On the contrary, we’ve made arrangements with Mr. O’Neill that you should remain as his guests for another 10 days. It’s not because we’re eager for your company, I can assure you that.”
• Tony (13:09): “But we can’t! We just can’t wait for another ten days. I’ve got a recording session a week tomorrow!”
• Walters (13:15): “Sorry about that, Mr. Thompson. We must insist you remain until the 21st of the month.”

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Notable Quotes Recap

• Granny Stewart (02:26): “Yours is not the first boat I’ve seen made a prisoner by the rocks.”
• Granny Stewart (03:42): “Evil days have come to Shuna. A strange mystery I cannot understand.”
• Tony (08:09): “It’s in the air. There’s nowhere else it can be coming from.”
• Station Chief (12:58): “On the contrary, we’ve made arrangements… that you should remain as his guests for another 10 days.”

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Important Timestamps

• 00:49–02:20: Jake’s recovery, local introductions, and first hints of mystery.
• 02:20–03:49: Granny Stewart’s warning and ominous lore.
• 05:36–06:53: Observing the rocket station; meeting the scientists in absentia.
• 07:45–08:32: Discovery of the whispering voices by the shore.
• 08:53–13:26: Interrogation at the rocket station and enforced isolation.

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Tone and Atmosphere

The episode blends quaint Hebridean hospitality with an undertone of suspicion and supernatural dread. The dialogue is brisk and authentic, alternating between warmth, anxiety, skepticism, and thrill as the protagonists face both earthly and otherworldly mysteries.

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Summary

Episode 2, "Whispering Voices," deepens the intrigue on Shuna, balancing community kindness with growing distrust and unexplained phenomena. The brothers’ movements are now restricted by rocket base authorities as they begin to experience the island’s eerie secrets firsthand. The episode closes with a mood of rising tension—between local legends, government secrets, and the strange voices in the night.

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Transcript

[A]

It.

[B]

The BBC presents Satellite 7 an adventure serial in eight parts by Angus McVicker. The storyteller is 15 year old Jake Thompson. Part 2 the whispering voices.

[A]

That evening after the wreck of our cabin cruiser, as I lay in bed in Fergus o' Neill's cottage in in the Hebridean island of Shuna, I knew in my bones long before Tony said so that something darn queer was going on. Then Bridie's father and Billy Hackett came into the room.

[B]

I'm delighted to see you better, Jake. I was sure you'd come too pretty soon. Mr. Fergus O'. Neill.

[A]

Jake, how'd you do?

[B]

And Mr. Billy Hackett.

[A]

How'd you do?

[B]

How'd you do, son? That was exciting, all right. Here I was settling down on a bit of overtime in the workshop when Miss Bridie comes running up to the fence shouting about a shipwreck. I stuck my finger on the alarm buzzer and 20 of the lads come belting it off to us to the shore. When they see they wasn't needed, back they go inside. You'll meet them all in time, kid. Nice bunch of fellow. We call Billy our liaison officer. For some reason we see far more of him than of any of the others. Blimey. The reason sticking out a mile. Some of the blokes up there will drive you nuts. Talk about eyebrows. Thank goodness for Mr. O' Neill and Ms. Briley. That's all I can say anyway. Don't you worry, Jake. As I told you, brother, we'll have that boat of yours all ship shape in a couple of days. You're all certainly very kind to us. We appreciate it very much.

[A]

I go.

[B]

And cowardice. Peaches. Don't let her give you a thought, Ton. But look, perhaps Jake's had enough of us in the meantime with that head of his.

[A]

Please don't go because of me. I'm feeling fine.

[B]

Sure, but it's time you had a little peace. And time that we had something to eat. Come on, Billy. And you too, Tony. All right. I think Granny and Bridie should have our meal ready by now. See you later, Jake. Granny will bring in a tray for you, Jake, in a few minutes.

[A]

Come in. Oh, there you are now, dear. Looking ever so much better. Ready for your supper, I hope. Well, I do feel a bit hungry. Well, here's a nice plate of eggs and a little bacon and a cup of tea to freshen you up. Thanks, you big Granny Stewart. Ay, that's what they call me here in the island. All my life I'VE lived on Shuna. Yours is not the first boat I've seen made a prisoner by the rocks. Bridie said this was your cottage before her father bought it. Yes, it was. Here the two children were born. Mary and Donald and Fiona. Fiona, my youngest, is a maiden of the skies. Maiden of the skies? Ay. She's an air hostess. And she flies in a great air of plane. A different machine from those up there at the station. Granny, what happens up there at the station? That I cannot tell. But to you, a stranger, I will say this. Evil days have come to Shuna. How do you mean? Well, it's hard to explain. I remember the days when I was young, when Shuna was an island of many families, with no enmity or suspicion amongst us. But the Great War changed all that, and the people could no longer make a living. I was left alone, except for Fergus o' Neill and his darling girl. In the summertime.

[B]

Then the strangers came.

[A]

What strangers, Granny? Oh, strangers whose words were difficult to understand. With great roaring machines to build their towers. They spoke to me and were kind. But fear and suspicion dwelt in their eyes. Ay, my dear, there is evil in Shuna. A strange mystery I cannot understand. Well, Tony says it's a rocket station. Government research. There's nothing to be afraid of in that. I am not afraid. Not of the big machines that go flaming up into the sky. But I am afraid of something else. There is hatred and distrust in Shuna. And to you and your brother, so young and innocent, I would give a warning. Repair your boat and leave this island before it is too late. I don't understand. I also do not understand. But I hear their voices in the night. The evil men. I hear them whispering in the dark. And sometimes I hear others sobbing and crying like the souls of the lost. You mean here in this cottage? Not here. Down by the shore when the moon is full and I walk alone with my thoughts. Next day we worked on the boat, Bridie and Tony and I. And for a while in the afternoon, Billy Hackett helped us. At sunset, Bridie suggested that we should have a closer look at the station. In the gathering dusk, we lay on top of the ridge, looking down at the tall towers and the rows of small white buildings enclosed by a barbed wire fence.

[B]

Does that engine keep running all the time, Brady?

[A]

I think so, but we scarcely hear it. It's become part of our lives. Like the wind on the sound of the sea.

[B]

I expect it's a dynamo. They must use a terrific amount of electricity for light. And power and all that radar equipment.

[A]

Have they launched a new rocket ship, too? In the past six weeks, out into the Atlantic, or so they said. Each time they gave us plenty of warning and asked us along to the station. Granny Stewart and Father and I, we took shelter with the workmen in a safety bunker. The eggheads, of course, were in the firing bay.

[B]

Who are the eggheads?

[A]

Well, amongst others, Professor Waters. Professor Max Waters, who's in charge, and Roderick McIntyre, his chief engineer, and Flight Lieutenant Harry Carmichael, who commands the guards.

[B]

Oh, so there's an RAF guard, eh?

[A]

About 30 men on duty all the time.

[B]

Wouldn't think they'd be so strict about security in a lonely island like this.

[A]

Recently they've been very strict on these. Will they soon be launching another rocket, do you think? I don't know. But if you notice, there's something pretty big in that middle gantry.

[B]

I'll say there is. It's like an enormous torpedo standing on its tail.

[A]

Something brewing, eh? Father thinks so. He tried to get in touch with the professor twice last week. Some technical details he wanted for his new play. But Harry Carmichael stopped him at the gate. Father was quite hurt. Oh. Well, we better make tracks for the cottage before it gets too dark.

[B]

Okay, Brady.

[A]

You bet. I'm hungry. We'll take the shortcut along the cliff top. It's a bit rocky and uneven, so mind you don't slip. Right. Tell me, where do you two come from? I've been bursting with curiosity, and all day I've been too polite to ask. We live in Edinburgh, but Dad was Highland. From a gaucho. Maybe you've heard Tooley on the radio or on a record.

[B]

Shut up.

[A]

No. Oh, no. Not Tony Thompson, who sings those lovely Scots ballad. That's it. But this is marvelous. I never even suspected. And me with stacks of your records. Gosh. Look out where you're going, Tony.

[B]

I didn't notice that big crack in the rock.

[A]

Oh, you're right.

[B]

Yes, yes. I just slipped. No damage done.

[A]

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to warn you. I'm so excited. We've got to keep away from the edge here. Some of the cracks go right down. Wait. What's that? What is it? Tony?

[B]

Listen.

[A]

I heard. There it is.

[B]

Louder now.

[A]

Voice. There's something else. There's nobody here. Not anywhere near us. Nothing but rocks.

[B]

Voice is all right.

[A]

Whispering voices, like somebody crying. Where's it coming from?

[B]

It's in the air. There's nowhere else it can be coming from.

[A]

Bridie, have you ever heard anything like this before. Never. Never remember what Granny Stewart said. Evil men whispering in the darkness. And others sobbing and crying.

[B]

For goodness sake, Jake. There must be some natural explanation.

[A]

Listen.

[B]

It's gone.

[A]

What on earth? Go to the bean.

[B]

I don't know. But take it from me, you two, it was nothing supernatural. Come on, let's get back to the cottage. We'll find out about this if it's the last thing we do.

[A]

We didn't say anything about the voices to Mr. O' Neill or Granny Stewart. And next day we had something else to think about. Billy Hackett brought us a letter from Professor Walters saying he'd like to see us at the station. The professor was sitting behind the desk with two other men beside him. A tall, thin, smiling chap with a fair moustache who was Flight Lieutenant Harry CARMICHAEL. And Roderick McIntyre, the chief engineer, a big dark man about 50 who looked surly and unfriendly.

[B]

And now that we have introduced ourselves, Mr. Thompson, we should like to ask you and your brother a few questions with a view to establishing your identity and the purpose of your visit here. But I've already told you quite in the circumstances, however, verbal evidence is not enough. Our work here is of such a nature that security must be complete until the last possible moment. Well, I think, professor, we can take it that they are brothers, den close relatives whose resemblance is quite marked. I agree. Harry MacIntyre, have you anything to say on this? Nothing, except that this one is only 21. As he says, he looks older and more experienced.

[A]

Tony's a famous singer. He's been working hard since he was 18.

[B]

The point is, can your brother prove that he is Tony Johnson? I don't know. Oh, yes. Wait a minute. I've got a letter here for my agent. There. Seems genuine. If they came here to spy on us, a letter like this would be an elementary precaution. Oh, what absolute rubbish. Jake and I are here on holiday.

[A]

And I tell you what, Brady o' Neill has some records of Tonys. Why not compare the voices?

[B]

That's an idea. It would certainly clinch the matter of identity. It could be Tony Thompson and Sel remain a spy. But this is fantastic. How on earth could we be spies when we don't even know what you're doing here? Besides, do you think we have deliberately wrecked our boat and risked our lives to make a landing? It's the only way you could have made a landing. What do you mean? Well, you see, in the ordinary course of events, if you'd just come sailing into the bay, for instance, we'd have sent you away at once on government authority as it was. You had a perfect alibi for getting ashore.

[A]

An alibi?

[B]

Hackett has made it quite clear that the anchor is missing and that the cable did snap. But then, you know, similar accidents have been stage managed before. Now I. I'm flabbergasted. The whole thing's ridiculous. Do you mean hack? It's been, what do you call it? Screening, of course. Don't pretend to be so naive.

[A]

But my goodness, what about this lump on my head? Can you imagine Tony bonk me one just to make it look more realistic.

[B]

Oh, you talk too much. The bonier. I beg your pardon, Mr. McIntyre, if it comes to the bit, none of you have any right at all to question private citizens in the way you're doing. You are perfectly right, of course, up to a point. But we are under strict orders from the government. We appreciate your cooperation so far. And I want you to believe that the questions we put are for your own good as much as for ours. Exactly. Now, as soon as we're convinced of your good faith, well then we can become friends. Why pander to them? Like all youngsters of the present generation? They're far too big an opinion themselves. Cr I think we can proceed, Mr. Thompson. Now then, I believe you sailed your boat from Leith up around the Pen fir and down the west coast. That's right. Did you call in anywhere? Yes, at Aberdeen, Wick, Ullapool and Tobermory to buy food and petrol. We can use the radio telephone to check up, you know. Check if you like. We've nothing to hide. Where do you live? In Edinburgh? Castleton. Both of you? Yes, and I have your agent's address here. What school does your brother attend, Harriet?

[A]

If you ask old Vicky Brown, he'll not give me a very good character, I'm afraid.

[B]

Why not?

[A]

I blew off his moustache once. An accident in the lab.

[B]

Such things happen even in the best regulated laboratories. It's happened here. Well, unless my colleagues have any further questions. I think that's all. No, no, no questions. I'm trying to believe them. Making time. They're a confounded nuisance in my opinion. I'll keep an open mind and we'll check the story. Right. By the way, Mr. Thompson, how are the repairs going? Well, I reckon we can leave tomorrow and we were hoping you'd let us have a few gallons of petrol just.

[A]

To take us back to Tobermory. I bet you'll be glad to see us gone.

[B]

On the contrary, we've made arrangements with Mr. O' Neill that you should remain as his guests for another 10 days. What? It's not because we're eager for your company, I can assure you that.

[A]

But.

[B]

But we can't. We just can't wait for another 10 days. Look, I've got a recording session a week tomorrow and. I'm Sorry about that, Mr. Thompson. At the same time, we must insist that you remain here until the 21st of the month.

[A]

But why? What's going on here?

[B]

When we verify your story, we'll probably tell you. But I must warn you. Meantime, my men will be watching every move you make. That was part two of Angus McVicker's adventure serial, Satellite 7, produced in the Scottish studios of the BBC.