Episode 13.9 - Downfall - Part 9

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Strata – Season 13, Episode 9 – "Downfall, Part 9"

Date: March 3, 2026
Host: Mark R. Healy

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Strata delves deep into the escalating dangers facing Detective Kavanagh and Jade, both hunted and isolated in a dystopian city dominated by power plays and underworld threats. A tense confrontation with authority, revelations of betrayal, and the weight of buried memories all come to the surface. As personal and professional worlds collide, the characters navigate risks from both the criminal underground and the institutions meant to protect them.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Surveillance and Escalating Threats (00:39–03:12)

• Jade wakes to find Detective Kavanagh absent, but he quickly reassures her. They're watching security footage of a suspicious figure in a hoodie—the same one appearing in one of Jade’s psychic paintings.
• Revelation: The figure in the hoodie slips away before Kavanagh can confront him.
• Notable Insight: Archer, the "man with green eyes," has put a bounty on Jade's head, intensifying the threat.

"Archer’s put a bounty on your head, Jade, so more people than ever are gonna be out looking for you."
— Detective Kavanagh (02:19)

2. Strained Loyalties and Psychic Blanks (02:49–03:30)

• Kavanagh presses Jade for more details, frustrated that her usual psychic visions have "gone blank" regarding the man in the hoodie.
• Jade admits honestly she has no additional insight, highlighting the limits of her abilities when it matters most.

3. Sudden Visit from Captain Graham – Authority’s Hammer (03:35–13:41)

• Captain Graham, Kavanagh’s boss, arrives unexpectedly. Jade hides as they have an icy, loaded exchange.
• Graham delivers an ultimatum: Kavanagh faces a performance review for multiple past failings and is encouraged to resign or face public disgrace.

Key Charges against Kavanagh:

• Mishandling a surveillance operation leading to a young detective's injury (Walker incident).
• Redirecting department resources for personal projects (Ripshaw Island event).
• General insubordination and declining job performance.

"Your recent record leaves a lot to be desired, Detective. There’s been a sharp decline in your efficiency… Your judgment is slipping."
— Captain Graham (06:44)

"Once I lay out your failings in front of the regulators … I could bury you ten times over with room to spare."
— Captain Graham (09:23)

• Kavanagh refuses to resign:

  "This job is my life. Always has been, always will be."
  — Detective Kavanagh (10:29)

• Graham closes with a threat with a hint of enjoyment:

  "You will watch because I am the one who's pulling the strings. I'm light years ahead of you, you pathetic, pathetic dinosaur."
  — Captain Graham (10:51)

4. Aftermath – Mistrust and Legacy (13:04–14:41)

• Jade emerges. She and Kavanagh debrief, suspecting Graham's motives—possibly gathering intelligence on them for someone else, like Archer.
• Enduring mutual distrust and ethical disagreements have defined Graham and Kavanagh’s relationship.

"You're trying to get rid of her, just like she's trying to get rid of you."
— Jade (13:16)

5. The Toll of Isolation and Memory Loss (15:13–18:26)

• Jade shares new paintings, one depicting Kavanagh in a reflective moment and a self-portrait that feels alien to her as she struggles with her amnesia and lost identity.

"I'm saying I don't see myself in this painting because I don't really know who I am. I have no memory of my life."
— Jade (17:28)

• Kavanagh reassures her they'll find answers:

  "We're going to get the answers, all right? We're going to find out the backstory, fill in the blanks. Someone out there has to know."
  — Detective Kavanagh (17:49)

6. Gathering Allies: Summers’ Mission (18:26–19:09)

• Kavanagh coordinates with Summers to pursue a longshot plan. Details are not fully revealed, but it hints at upcoming action.

7. Rust and Crow: Trouble in the Clinics (19:42–25:23)

• Elsewhere, Rust reports to Crow about a violent break-in at Dr. Stiller’s clinic, potentially linked to illegal "neuroshard" technology.
• Evidence points to a targeted attack for records not stored on the network—patient records connected to experimental procedures.

"From what I can tell, this was a targeted attack. They came looking for something specific."
— Rust (20:41)

• Discussion shifts to body augmentation. Crow offers Rust a chance to undergo biological regeneration—a reversal from prosthetics to natural body parts—underscoring themes of identity, aging, and friendship.

"Going back to organic body parts gave me a new lease on life."
— Crow (24:05)

• Rust refuses, comfortable with his steel limbs but appreciative of the sentiment.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Confrontation between Kavanagh and Captain Graham:

• "You went behind my back, you undermined my authority. That is insubordination. Straight up." (08:35, Captain Graham)
• "You think a few minor infractions are gonna put so much as a dent into my reputation, you've got another thing coming." (09:08, Detective Kavanagh)
• "You will sit there and you will watch because I am the one who's pulling the strings." (10:51, Captain Graham)

Jade’s Crisis of Identity:

• "I'm saying I don't see myself in this painting because I don't really know who I am. I have no memory of my life." (17:28, Jade)

On Legacy and Regret:

• "Bridges I've burned. Mistakes I've made. The scumbags that got away. Friendships that have gone down the toilet for one reason or another." (16:15, Detective Kavanagh)

Medical Black Market and Human Upgrades:

• "There are some bad ombre involved. We found blood at the scene, too. Not on the operating table, either. On the wall. Splatter pattern." (21:39, Rust)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:39–03:12: Jade and Kavanagh watch the footage, discuss threats.
• 03:35–13:41: Captain Graham confronts Kavanagh with performance charges.
• 15:13–18:26: Jade and Kavanagh reflect on identity and loss through art.
• 19:42–25:23: Rust warns Crow about danger, discuss past upgrades, and future options.

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Tone & Atmosphere

The tone remains gritty and conspiratorial, laced with urban dread and emotional rawness. The exchanges crackle with tension: Kavanagh’s rugged defiance, Graham’s icy calculation, Jade’s aching uncertainty, and Rust and Crow’s stoic camaraderie. The episode mixes noir grit with sharp social commentary, holding the listener in a suffocating grip of suspense and empathy.

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This summary provides a comprehensive recount of "Downfall, Part 9," spotlighting the episode's climactic confrontations, existential doubts, and the haunting dangers lurking in The Strata’s shadowy cityscape.

Transcript

[Narrator]

You're listening to the strata A Beyond The Dark production Season 13 Downfall Part 9.

[Jade]

Detective Kavanagh. Is everything okay? Where have you been?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Jade, I. I had to go downstairs for a minute. Everything's fine.

[Jade]

When I woke up and found you were gone, I. I wondered if.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Hey, don't. Don't worry. I told you, I'm. I'm not gonna walk out on you. It's just something came up and. Well, come over here. Take a look at the terminal and tell me what you see.

[Jade]

It's the guy in the hoodie.

[Detective Kavanagh]

You got it. He looks almost exactly the same as your painting. The footage was taken just a few minutes ago.

[Jade]

Is that why you went downstairs? To confront him?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Yeah, but by the time I got there, this slimy bastard had already slipped away. There was no sign of him.

[Jade]

The footage here, it's. It's still too grainy to see his face.

[Detective Kavanagh]

He stayed a fair distance from the surveillance, whether by luck or by design, and I'm not sure either way, there's. There's not enough detail here to pinpoint his id. And this is bad. I feel like the net is starting to close in around us. If this guy knows you're here, it's only a matter of time until he comes back. Maybe with some friends. I can't defend this place against an entire assault squad.

[Jade]

You think the man with green eyes might show up here next?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Archer. That's his name.

[Jade]

How do you know that?

[Detective Kavanagh]

My friend Summers called me earlier. She managed to find a video that's being circulated among some low life mercenaries out there. Archers put a bounty on your head, Jade, so more people than ever are gonna be out looking for you.

[Jade]

Did he say why he wanted me? Or anything about who I am?

[Detective Kavanagh]

No, nothing about that. Maybe if we could figure out more about the guy in the hoodie, that might help.

[Jade]

I told you, I don't know anything else about him.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Come on, for real. I mean, you can pull stuff out of thin air about every damn stranger who shows up here. Summers and the others, their whole life stories, but you're telling me that when it comes to this guy in particular, you're a blank slate.

[Jade]

I know this is frustrating for you, Detective, but I'm being honest. Apart from that one vision of him standing in the shadows, I've got nothing.

[Detective Kavanagh]

It's. It's all right, kid. You're doing your best. I. I know that.

[Rust]

It's just.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Shit. What the hell is she doing here?

[Jade]

That's your boss on the monitor. Captain Graham.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Yeah, it looks like she's coming up to the apartment then. And that ain't normal. She's never been here before. Not even once. Come on, help me clean up these paintings. The rest of this stuff, too.

[Crow]

We.

[Detective Kavanagh]

We've got to get you out of sight.

[Jade]

Don't forget that one.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Yeah, got it. Here. Take this stuff with you and hide in the bedroom. Do not come out for any reason. You hear me?

[Captain Graham]

Detective Kavanaugh. Sorry to drop in on you unannounced.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Oh, Captain Graham. What brings you here?

[Captain Graham]

I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd check in on you. It's not like you to take time off for illness.

[Detective Kavanagh]

I ain't dead yet, if that's what you were hoping.

[Captain Graham]

Not at all. So are you going to leave me standing out in the corridor all night?

[Detective Kavanagh]

No. No, of course not. Come on in.

[Captain Graham]

How are you, Kavanagh? Can we expect you back at your desk anytime soon?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Oh, yeah. You're getting better every day. I'm sure it won't be long before you see my happy, smiling face bounc past your office door again, just like normal.

[Captain Graham]

Great. Looking forward to that. You're not contagious, are you?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Oh, not to my knowledge.

[Captain Graham]

Well, I have to admit, this affliction of yours has come at a bad time. I was hoping to sit down with you this week so we could talk. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me on purpose.

[Detective Kavanagh]

You want to talk?

[Rust]

About what?

[Captain Graham]

Something that's been coming for a while now.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Is. Is there a reason you couldn't tell me over the phone?

[Captain Graham]

No, no, no. This. Well, this is something I wanted to do face to face.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Okay, so let's hear it.

[Captain Graham]

Straight to the point, as always. Hey, Kavanagh. All right, here it is. You have a review coming up next week, in fact.

[Rust]

Review?

[Detective Kavanagh]

How come?

[Captain Graham]

Certain things have come to light that need immediate attention. The internal regulators will be present. So this is serious. As a valued member of the team, I wanted to give you a little advance notice about the hearing.

[Detective Kavanagh]

A valued member of the team.

[Captain Graham]

Let me cut to the chase, Kavanagh. It's not going to be pretty in there. Certain incidents are going to come to light. Incidents that won't paint a good picture of your performance over the last few years.

[Detective Kavanagh]

My record is up there with any detective in the whole damn division, Graham. You know that.

[Captain Graham]

I think you might be deluding yourself a little there, actually. Your recent record leaves a lot to be desired, Detective. There's been a sharp decline in your efficiency and your ability to make effective Choices out in the field. Your judgment is slipping.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Like hell it is.

[Captain Graham]

You want me to get specific? All right, let's do this. For a start, I have details of an incident where a young detective under your supervision was almost killed in the line of duty during a simple surveillance operation. He subsequently quit the force due to the incident being so poorly mishandled.

[Detective Kavanagh]

The thing with Walker. Yeah, sure, the kid got shot, but you can't lay all that at my feet. He was green. Should have never been assigned that kind of operation. I complained the first morning they put us together, but no one listened.

[Captain Graham]

I've reviewed the incident report. It was a gross case of negligence on your part. You put him in the firing line on purpose.

[Rust]

Who?

[Captain Graham]

It was a miracle he even survived.

[Detective Kavanagh]

That's bullshit and you know it.

[Captain Graham]

Incident number two. The debacle at Ripshaw Island. I have evidence that you went through unsanctioned channels in order to redirect department resources to your own little pet project. Significant resources.

[Detective Kavanagh]

That situation was time sensitive. I needed the manpower, so I called in a few favors. Sometimes that's the only way to get things done around here.

[Captain Graham]

Those resources were already alloc to some very important tasks, Detective. You stole them. And in doing so, you caused setbacks to other ongoing investigations.

[Detective Kavanagh]

I spoke to the people in charge of those operations personally, and they told me.

[Captain Graham]

I don't give a shit what they told you, Kavanaugh. You went behind my back, you undermined my authority. That is insubordination. Straight up. Another black mark against your name.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Look, Captain, if you have some sort of problem with me, that's fine. I can live with that. But this whole review of yours, it's not going to amount to shit. I've been a detective in this department for decades now, and in that time, I've taken down some of the meanest scumbags this side of the Deadlands, including a couple notable gang lords. If you think a few minor infractions are gonna put so much as a dent into my reputation, you've got another thing coming.

[Captain Graham]

On the contrary. Once I lay out your failings in front of the regulators at that meeting, they're going to have you for breakfast. Oh, do you think Walker and Ripshaw are the only files I have on you? I have reams of this shit, Kavanagh, like you, so proudly brag. You've been around for decades, and all those little failings add up. I have so much ammunition, I could bury you ten times over with room to spare.

[Detective Kavanagh]

So why are you telling me this? Are you trying to make me sweat or something.

[Captain Graham]

Believe it or not, I'm not totally without compassion. I won't derive any joy from watching you suffer through that hearing as your legacy crumbles away before your very eyes.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Sure you won't.

[Captain Graham]

I am trying to give you an option, Kavanagh. Resign. You do that, and I'll cancel the review. You get to walk away on your own terms with your head held high and your reputation intact. All you have to do is submit your resignation papers to me before the hearing. That's it.

[Detective Kavanagh]

I can't do that. This job is my life. Always has been, always will be.

[Captain Graham]

Then I have bad news for you, Detective. Your life is about to go down the toilet. Is that really what you want?

[Detective Kavanagh]

I'll fight you on this, Graham. If you think I'm gonna sit there in that hearing and let you tear

[Captain Graham]

me to shreds, that's exactly what you'll do. You will sit there and you will watch because I am the one who's pulling the strings. I'm light years ahead of you, you pathetic, pathetic dinosaur. You just don't know it yet.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Yeah, we'll see.

[Captain Graham]

You know what? On second thought, maybe I will enjoy watching you go down, Kavanagh. And for your part, you'll squirm in your chair, hating me for every excruciating second of it, but in the end, you'll be powerless to stop me. That is the way it's going to end for you, asshole. And I, for one, would call that fitting.

[Jade]

Detective Kavanagh. What happened? Is she gone?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Jade, come on out. The coast is clear. Our. Our friend Captain Graham has departed, and she's taken her idle threats with her.

[Jade]

I couldn't hear much through the door, but what I did hear, well, it didn't sound good.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Yeah, it's nothing. Just more of the same bullshit I've come to expect from her since she became captain.

[Jade]

She wants to kick you off the force, is that it?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Oh, she'd like to do a hell of a lot more than that. But don't worry about it. I've overcome bigger obstacles than her in the past plenty of times.

[Jade]

Why doesn't she like you?

[Detective Kavanagh]

God, we don't have enough hours in the day to get through all the reasons for that, kid. But I guess it comes down to the fact that we don't see eye to eye on anything. Our methods are slow and ineffective. And I have major concerns about her ethics. Concerns that have only grown deeper in the past few days. In short, I. I think she's a bad apple. And that doesn't sit well with me.

[Jade]

You don't strike me as the kind of person who would sit idly by, given that knowledge.

[Detective Kavanagh]

No. No way. I've made it clear plenty of times that I don't agree with how she runs things. She claims I've been undermining her authority, and that's one thing I can't deny.

[Jade]

You're trying to get rid of her, just like she's trying to get rid of you.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Yeah, we make a nice pair, don't we? And the problem is, she's a captain. She has more authority than. Maybe I'm just fighting and losing battle here. With this review of my conduct coming up, things will get ugly.

[Jade]

Is that the only reason she came here? To talk about your conduct? Or do you think she had an ulterior motive?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Like scoping out the place? Is that what you're suggesting?

[Jade]

Yeah. Maybe this Archer guy put her up to it. He sent her here to look for me.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Did you have a vision of the two of them getting together and talking about it?

[Jade]

No. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

[Detective Kavanagh]

I don't think that's it, Jade. If Graham was here looking for clues about your whereabouts, and she wasn't trying very hard. She barely took notice of anything in the room but me.

[Jade]

Like I said, I didn't get any visions, so it's hard for me to say.

[Rust]

Ah.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Strange, isn't it? The first night you were here, you had a vision that Graham was on the phone to Archer from halfway across midtown. And yet here today, you get nothing when she's on the other side of the doorway.

[Jade]

I know. And I wish I could do better. I just.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Hey, hey, it's okay. Jade, I. I didn't mean anything by it. Why don't we. Why don't we set you up with your watercolors again? Maybe something else will come to you.

[Rust]

Here.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Let's collect up these paintings. Again.

[Jade]

Detective, wait. I don't even know if there's a point anymore.

[Detective Kavanagh]

What do you mean? Of course there's a point.

[Jade]

We're not getting anywhere.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Don't give up on me, kid. Not after all we've been through.

[Rust]

Here.

[Detective Kavanagh]

You. What's this?

[Jade]

It's a stack of new paintings I did this morning.

[Detective Kavanagh]

And this one here, it's. It's me, isn't it? Sitting right there at the window, staring out into the night.

[Jade]

Yeah. It's you.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Did you see me doing that at some point?

[Jade]

No. I got a vision, and it felt like it was from a while ago. Months Maybe years.

[Detective Kavanagh]

The way you captured the lighting is. It's incredible, Jade. It really is.

[Jade]

How many nights have you sat there like that, Detective? Staring out the window for hours on end?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Well, it. It can't have been too many.

[Rust]

I.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Actually, it's more than a few, now that I think about it.

[Jade]

What do you think about?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Lots of things, I guess. Bridges I've burned. Mistakes I've made. The scumbags that got away. Friendships that have gone down the toilet for one reason or another.

[Jade]

Things you've lost that you can't get back.

[Detective Kavanagh]

I guess so.

[Jade]

Were you thinking about your daughter? Annie?

[Detective Kavanagh]

There's a pretty good chance of that. She's never far from my mind. Anyway. Let's. Let's see what else we have here. Another building, A street. Looks like midtown. Here's something different. You did a self portrait?

[Jade]

Maybe.

[Detective Kavanagh]

What do you mean, maybe? It's you. No question about it.

[Jade]

The lines on her face are the same. Sure, her hair and her eye color. But looking at this face, all I see is a stranger.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Are you saying this. This isn't really you?

[Jade]

I'm saying I don't see myself in this painting because I don't really know who I am. I have no memory of my life. No friends or family. No home. It's all gone. So who exactly am I supposed to be?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Look, I. I understand your confusion, Jade. This. This whole experience has been incredibly hard for you. But I'm here to tell you we're going to get the answers. All right? We're going to find out the backstory, fill in the blanks. Someone out there has to know.

[Jade]

What if we never find them?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Injuries like this, sometimes it just takes time. In a few weeks or months, there's every chance it'll come back to you.

[Jade]

I wish I could believe that.

[Detective Kavanagh]

Hang on a second. Jade, I need to take this. Summers, thanks for calling.

[Jade]

No problem. Calf. I just got your message from earlier.

[Captain Graham]

Sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you.

[Detective Kavanagh]

So you understand what I need?

[Jade]

Yeah, you laid it out clearly enough. But do you really think this is gonna work?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Honestly, it's a bit of a long shot, but who knows?

[Jade]

All right, whatever you say.

[Detective Kavanagh]

So you can do this for me? I'd really appreciate it if you can spare the time.

[Jade]

Yeah, I can do it. I'll check in with you later and let you know how I'm doing.

[Detective Kavanagh]

That sounds great. Thanks. Summers.

[Jade]

What was that all about?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Ah, nothing. Just a job that Summers is handling. No big deal. Come on, pick up that paintbrush, huh? Let's get a blank sheet here for you to work on, and we'll see if we can figure this thing out together.

[Rust]

Hey, Crow, Are you here? Crow? Rust.

[Crow]

Sorry. I was just cleaning some of the equipment out back. What's going on? Didn't expect to see you back here so soon.

[Rust]

Something came up that I thought you should know about.

[Crow]

Sounds serious.

[Rust]

No, I mean it, Crow. There's some bad going on.

[Crow]

What's the matter, Rust? What happened?

[Rust]

It's that guy you put us onto. The doctor across town. Stiller. I went to visit him at his clinic a little earlier. Figured he might be able to shed some light on that situation. I'm looking into, but when I got there, it was pretty clear something had gone down. The place was deserted. We were able to walk right in.

[Crow]

That's odd.

[Rust]

Sienna and me went out the back to see if we could figure out what was going on, and we found signs of a disturbance. Equipment strewn across the floor, stuff knocked over. A cabinet had been broken into as well.

[Crow]

A theft? I mean, maybe some lowlifes from another part of town thought Stiller had some valuables there.

[Rust]

I don't think so, Crow. The intruders left jewelry on the floor in plain sight. From what I can tell, this was a targeted attack. They came looking for something specific.

[Crow]

What, like?

[Rust]

I can't answer that yet, but it looked like they'd been going through some offline hard copies of patient records.

[Crow]

That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, Rust. I mean, surely it would be easier to get those records from the grid.

[Rust]

It would be, unless the records these guys were looking for were never on the grid in the first place.

[Crow]

You think Stiller was keeping certain patient records private? Like the ones he was bragging about at that meet and greet?

[Rust]

Right. Those unconventional surgeries he was performing, that sort of illegal activity. It's not the kind of thing you'd want to be easily accessible to anyone snooping on the grid.

[Crow]

So you think this whole situation is tied up in that neuroshard investigation of yours?

[Rust]

It's possible. There are some bad ombre involved. We found blood at the scene, too. Not on the operating table, either. On the wall. Splatter pattern.

[Crow]

Do you think Stiller is hurt or dead?

[Rust]

All I know is he's missing. The rest is up for speculation. Anyway, I thought you should know about it. It's probably a long shot, but if the attackers are targeting clinics that have a known history with neuroshards, I figured you might be at risk, too.

[Crow]

I haven't worked with those in Years.

[Rust]

But you did once, right? And I'll bet you haven't forgotten how they work. So if I was able to track you down, maybe someone else will, too.

[Crow]

Thanks for the consideration, Rust, but I don't think I have anything to worry about. Not here.

[Rust]

Maybe just take a bit of extra care with your security for the time being, huh? I'll see you later, Crow.

[Crow]

Hey, Russ, one more thing before you go. After our conversation the last time you were here, I got to thinking about the old times back when you were running deliveries for me, and how we'd compare steel and talk about upgrades and replacements.

[Rust]

You always had some good quality steel, Crow. I particularly like those legs of yours.

[Crow]

Yeah, with the heavy duty spring coils. Oh, man, those were the best.

[Rust]

What happened to them when you replaced them with your organic legs?

[Crow]

Sold them for scrap, I think.

[Rust]

Scrap? Damn, what a waste.

[Crow]

I guess I should have called you to see if you were interested in picking them up. Sorry about that. Anyway, I was wondering if you ever thought about following in my footsteps, so to speak. Going down the biological regeneration path, getting

[Rust]

rid of my steel. Sure, I've thought about it. Even visited a clinic once to see what they had to offer. Why do you ask?

[Crow]

Well, see, as it happens, I still have a working regen tank back at my old workshop. The one you visited in Midtown.

[Rust]

Hang on one second, Crow. Are you trying to pitch a sale here? Squeeze a bunch of creds out of me? Because I know how much that costs, and let me tell you, I don't have anywhere near enough to pay for it.

[Crow]

Rust, calm down. I'm trying to make you an offer because we're old friends. I could carry out the procedure for next to nothing. A far cry from what all those other bio clinics are charging.

[Rust]

And why would you do that? We haven't even spoken in years.

[Crow]

Look, when I saw you come in here earlier, it was the first time in more than a decade that I'd seen steel. The memories came flooding back to me, you know, of the bad old days.

[Rust]

Bad old days?

[Crow]

Maybe you don't want to hear this, Rust. Being set in your ways and all. But going back to organic body parts gave me a new lease on life. It opened up a world of sensations that I'd forgotten were even possible. Everything from feeling young again to being able to sit down and enjoy real food in a restaurant, to having kids running around the place.

[Rust]

I told you, I don't have the creds crowd, so you can save your breath.

[Crow]

You're not listening to me, Rust. I have A regen tank sitting around doing nothing. With fully stocked cryo vessels, too. I mean, the tanks will need a good stir to mix up the cryogas again, but I have no doubt they'll work. And I'm willing to waive all of my fees. You'd only have to pay for the raw materials to operate the tank, which is next to nothing.

[Rust]

And you'd be willing to do that out of the goodness of your heart?

[Crow]

Like I said, I know what it's like to be trapped inside a body of steel for so many years. I'm in a position to help you move on. So why not take advantage of that?

[Rust]

I'm not trapped, Crow. I'm perfectly fine getting around the way I am. Hey. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Crow]

I didn't mean it like that. I'm just telling you there are options. If that's ever a path you want to go down.

[Rust]

Great. Yeah, I'll keep it in mind. Don't forget what I said about security. Watch your back, Crow.

[Crow]

Sure, I'll do that. Thanks, Rust. See you around.

[Narrator]

This podcast is made possible by my supporters on Patreon. If you'd like to hear ad free early release episodes as well as my exclusive series the Strata of Luna, head over to patreon.com BeyondTheDark your support means I can keep bringing you more seasons of the strata. Season 13 Downfall starring Jason Turoi, Brianny Marshall, Trent Trachtenberg Michelle Mosley, Paul Warren, Jenna Sharp, Chloe Elmore, Rebecca Tamman, Marta Da Silva, Sarah Safarian, Larry o', Blander, Thomas Barker, Marlon Dance, Huey Liz Mori, Kyle Kaczmarczyk, Nicholas Ewan, Brad Gilliam and Alexander Hakim Stravinsky Created by Mark R. Healy A Beyond the Dark production.

[Detective Kavanagh]

The Fable and Folly Network where fiction producers flourish.

[Rust]

Sure I can't get you a drink?

[Detective Kavanagh]

Uh, I.

[Kate]

They'd had a moment, hadn't they? That afternoon when Garrett had smiled just like this. Warm eyed and amused in a way that made Tony want another cigarette, but also want to step forward.

[Jade]

Hey, Kate. What are you writing?

[Detective Kavanagh]

New text post on Thursday, May 21.

[Captain Graham]

Why?

[Kate]

You should be watching Selkirk.

[Captain Graham]

So, Selkirk fandom. Who wants to read my 5,000 word essay? Garrett?

[Jade]

Last name, Secret werewolf.

[Kate]

I'm Kate, by the way.

[Captain Graham]

They kissed.

[Kate]

I think I lucked out when I found Selkirk, because if I'd loved something else, I would have made friends and I would have been able to read a ton of great stories.

[Captain Graham]

But this way I met you, Me

[Kate]

and Day youy A new story about love and fandom from the Procyon Podcast Network.