10 characters: Ahmadi, Marissa, Stone, Announcer, Centaurian Computer, Mayor, Peters, Human Computer, Maradona, Ambassador Five
Click on a character's name to get their lines highlighted.
Ahmadi (47 lines, 600 words, 24.53%) - [Paul Knierim] Detective Arash Ahmadi is young (24) and eager, but hasn't had a lot to investigate until now. He's infatuated with Larissa Flint.
Peters (10 lines, 271 words, 11.08%) - [David Lotfus] Salish Peters, chief mechanic. Great-grandfather was the first mission commander, and he never tires of telling people so and relating the stories of Earth he remembers hearing from great-grandpa. Sensible, direct, kind of average working Joe. Middle aged, has husband (but shouldn't be played as stereotypically gay) and two grown kids.
Stone (17 lines, 359 words, 14.68%) - [John Gaunce] Doctor Stone. Willing to do whatever it takes to save patients, even if it goes against the laws or morals of society. Is frustrated by societal resistance to experimentation and progress, thinks Earth-sourced ethics need to be updated for life in interstellar space. Just a touch of mad scientist, but really means well and the audience will be torn on whether to approve of the methods.
Mayor (23 lines, 414 words, 16.93%) - [Roger Arnold] The leader of the asteroid, as yet unnamed as everyone just calls him mayor because he's been mayor so long and will continue in the role as long as he wants. Tends to be impatient and sarcastic with underlings but can turn on the charm and make a good speech when needed. In his 60s but not thinking about retirement.
Marissa (16 lines, 174 words, 7.11%) - [Virginia Hargrove] Marissa Flint. 26 years old, older sister of Larissa. Overprotective toward Larissa but means well. Essentially raised Larissa since mother died and father was often absent. Can be a bit antagonistic when she takes a dislike to someone.
Maradona (16 lines, 251 words, 10.26%) - [Matt Ellis] Jesús Maradona, fervent returnist (person who wants to cancel the mission and head back to Earth) and ore processor. Will generally come across as an angry person. Note: no accent, after a century in a small community everybody sounds the same.
Ambassador Five (13 lines, 160 words, 6.54%) - [espeak] Ambassador Five is a Centaurian. They communicate non-verbally, so in order to be understood by humans they wear machine translators.
Centaurian Computer (4 lines, 45 words, 1.84%) - [Virginia Hargrove] The Centaurian computer is an alien computer system designed to interact verbally with humans, as well as non-verbally with Centaurians. Flat and emotionless. Slow, clear and calm. Make sure words are clearly enunciated, don't try to make it too computery as I'll add that effect in post.
Human Computer (2 lines, 7 words, 0.29%) - [Kathleen Li] The voice of 253 Mathilde's central computer. Emotionless, calm. Make sure words are clearly enunciated, don't try to make it too computery as I'll add that effect in post.
Announcer (2 lines, 165 words, 6.75%) - [Erin Suminsby] Reads opening, closing and credits.
Script format: Margined | Marginless (for phone viewing)
Listen along as you read:
1 SOUND: medical center noises
2
Ahmadi:
[softly speaking to unconscious Larissa] I barely know you.
But I feel like I know you. Has that ever happened to you, you meet someone and it’s like you’ve known each other all your lives?
I wanted to talk to you so many times, but your sister was always in the way. Then I get my chance, and a few minutes later you’re lying on the surface with a cracked helmet and no oxygen for eight minutes. This can’t be how it ends. I don’t believe the universe is that sadistic.
3 SOUND: door on left opens, footsteps enter, door closes
4 Marissa: [perplexed] Detective, what are you doing here?
5 Ahmadi: I’m investigating the circumstances of your sister’s… injury. [doesn’t want to call it death]
6 Marissa: Don’t think she’s going to tell you much about it, unfortunately.
7 Ahmadi: [fumbling for explanation] Physical evidence.
8 Marissa: Chief Mech Peters took a kid on the most dangerous mission in a generation, and she paid for his thoughtless arrogance. What is there to investigate? Can’t you just charge him for negligent endangerment?
9 Ahmadi: [struggling] There are other issues here. Some possibility of sabotage. If the reactor explosion wasn’t an accident, it’s possible Larissa’s injury was also intended.
10 Marissa: Whatever. The ultimate responsibility for putting her out there is still on Peters.
11 Ahmadi: [thinking quickly] Don’t tell anyone I mentioned possible sabotage!
12 Marissa: [disinterested non-verbal acknowledgement] Humph.
13 SOUND: door on right opens, footsteps enter, door closes
14 Marissa: Doctor! I’m begging you. You have a reputation for, uh, *unconventional* medicine. Can’t you think of something, anything to fix her brain damage?
15 Stone: I’ve been thinking about that, and I’ve been reviewing the Centaurian medical database. I found a procedure there which might be able to repair the damage to her brain.
16 Marissa: Yes!! I knew you’d find something!
17 Stone: I’d have to break some antiquated laws. I don’t think you’ll approve, detective.
18 Ahmadi: Do it! Anything! If you can bring her back, I swear to you I’ll see to it you’re not prosecuted!
19 Stone: [surprised by the detective’s support] Very well, I’ll need you to get a few items from the Centaurian section for me.
20 Ahmadi: [hurriedly without thinking] No problem, I can get in there without the mayor suspecting anything.
21 Marissa: [somewhat perplexed] Thanks for your help, detective. You’re not what I expected.
22 Stone: I’ll write you a list.
23 SOUND: footsteps go away
24 SOUND: opening theme
25
Announcer:
QuietPlease dot org presents “253 Mathilde”.
At the turn of the 22nd century, with alien assistance, the asteroid 253 Mathilde was converted into an interstellar spaceship. Now 92 years into a 780 year mission, generations have come and gone.
Episode two - New Life.
26 SOUND: some sorta unique soundscape for the boundary section between human and Centaurian areas
27 Ahmadi: [muttering to self] What’ve I gotten myself into here…
28 SOUND: buzzer
29 Centaurian Computer: [automated system voice] State your request.
30 Ahmadi: [nervous] Uh, hello Centaurian computer. This is Arash Ahmadi. Doctor Stone sent me to ask for a genetic resequencer, a growth accelerant and biogel.
31 Centaurian Computer: [automated system voice] That request cannot be handled through the automated system.
32 Ahmadi: [nervous] I have to speak to someone?
33 Centaurian Computer: [automated system voice] Ambassador Five will be brought out of suspension to hear your request. Please return in two hours to be heard. Be prompt.
34 SOUND: short musical transition
35 SOUND: mayor’s office
36 Mayor: So what’s our status?
37 Peters: I’ve worked out the parts list we need to manufacture. It’ll take a couple weeks to get the primary reactor fixed. I’ll need to do another surface walk to complete the fix then.
38 Mayor: I suggest you take someone more experienced this time.
39 Peters: I’ll do it alone, no need to risk another life.
40 Mayor: And we’re not in any danger meanwhile?
41 Peters: As long as the secondary reactor is online, we’re fine. No power conservation needed, and the engine is still accelerating us at a millimeter per second per second. If we lose the secondary somehow, maybe to whatever killed the primary, then we’ll be in serious trouble trying to fix it while on battery backups.
42 Mayor: And are you any closer to understanding how this happened?
43 Peters: I think so. There was a novel material in the combustion chamber, which appears to have ultra-reactive properties. I believe there was only a milligram of it, but it reacted as energetically as a kilogram of what we usually mine for.
44 Mayor: Not a known explosive?
45 Peters: No. I can’t rule out intentional placement, but I think this material may be naturally occurring. Material may be changing as we get deeper into Mathilde, we should have mining sector check and process the ore more carefully before using it in the reactor.
46 SOUND: door opens, Ahmadi walks in
47 Peters: [acknowledgement] Detective.
48 Ahmadi: You wanted to see me, mayor?
49 Mayor: Yes, detective. Peters, you’re dismissed.
50 SOUND: peters exits
51 Ahmadi: Well?
52 Mayor: Detective, how much do you know about the Centaurians?
53 Ahmadi: [nervous] The… the Centaurians? About the same as most people I guess. They came to Earth in an asteroid of their own around the turn of the century. They communicate non-verbally. They have advanced technology. Their bodies are suited to suspended animation in a way ours aren’t.
54 Mayor: Do you remember the story of first contact?
55 Ahmadi: Yes, mayor.
56 Mayor: How a young scientist nearly caused hostilities to break out by bypassing the chain of command to try to get to know one of the Centaurians, and accidentally causing a grave offense?
57 Ahmadi: I don’t recall that part, mayor.
58 Mayor: I suggest you read up on it later. Meanwhile, you can tell me what you were doing in the Centaurian section. Surely you’re aware that requires my authorization.
59 Ahmadi: Sorry, mayor. I didn't go inside, only talked to their computer. I needed some information from it to help with my investigation.
60 Mayor: [skeptical] Surely you don’t think the Centaurians had anything to do with this, haven’t they been in hibernetic suspension the whole time?
61 Ahmadi: But I thought their more advanced sensor tech might’ve detected something about the explosion that we didn’t.
62 Mayor: Did it?
63 Ahmadi: No.
64 Mayor: I realize you've been thrust into this job before you're ready, so I accept you'll make some mistakes. Just don’t go there again without asking me first. Understood?
65 Ahmadi: Understood.
66 Mayor: As it happens, I’ve done a little research to set your investigation on a more fruitful path. There’s an ore processor by the name of Jesús Maradona, are you familiar with him?
67 Ahmadi: No, mayor.
68 Mayor: I’ve got a handful of witnesses who say he’s an ardent returnist. He could’ve sabotaged the reactor fuel, or he could know who did. I’ve taken the liberty of ordering him to report to you for questioning in a half hour.
69 Ahmadi: That’s… [sighs and gives up] Thank you mayor.
70 Mayor: You’re dismissed.
71 SOUND: Ahmadi walks out, door closes
72 Mayor: Computer, place a tracker on detective Ahmadi’s movements. Authorization mayor alpha echo india uniform alpha.
73 Human Computer: Tracker set.
74 SOUND: scene transition music
75 SOUND: interrogation room, not sure if it has a particular sound
76 Ahmadi: Maradona, is it?
77 Maradona: [irritated] Jesús Maradona. Obviously you know that already.
78 Ahmadi: And you work in ore processing?
79 Maradona: Why are you asking me what you already know?
80 Ahmadi: Why did you decide to work there, Jesús? Were you excited to help advance our mission and get us to Proxima?
81 Maradona: Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, detective. You know I want us to return to Earth, otherwise you wouldn’t be harassing me.
82 Ahmadi: [thrown off a bit] But still, why would a returnist work in the sector that enables us to move ever faster away from Earth?
83 Maradona: *Wherever* we choose to go, we’ll need ore to get there. We need the engine, we need the reactors, we need power to live.
84 Ahmadi: But if someone could stop our acceleration, it’d be a powerful statement.
85 Maradona: Would it? Seems to me it would only state their dangerous foolishness and turn everyone rightfully against them. Are you planning to frame us for that reactor problem yesterday, detective?
86 SOUND: pause
87 Ahmadi: Look, I don’t know what happened yet. There are several possible scenarios that fit the evidence.
88 Maradona: No doubt the *mayor* made sure you’d follow up the returnist sabotage possibility.
89 SOUND: pause with uncomfortable clothing rustle and chair squeak
90 Maradona: I’ll take that silence as confirmation.
91 Ahmadi: How long does it take ore to reach the reactor after it goes through your processing area?
92 Maradona: About 3 days.
93 Ahmadi: Did you see anyone behaving suspiciously 4 days ago?
94 Maradona: No.
95 Ahmadi: Has anyone changed their behavior or personality in the last few days?
96 SOUND: chair slide or something for effect
97 Maradona: You. You’re behaving very differently from the few times we’ve met and how everyone has always described you. Haven’t noticed anyone else changing.
98 Ahmadi: How ‘bout Marcus Flint? I believe you work with him.
99 Maradona: I’d like to say he’s a deeply changed man heartbroken by his daughter’s injury and ready to become the father he should be… but you can never tell with that guy, he came into work this morning like nothing had happened.
100 SOUND: multicom alert sound
101 Human Computer: Appointment reminder, ten minute warning.
102 Ahmadi: I’m sorry Jesús, I have to be somewhere. You can go.
103 SOUND: Ahmadi pushing in chair and getting up
104 Maradona: [sarcastically] Aw, and I was having so much fun!
105 SOUND: Ahmadi's footsteps and last thing we hear is door opening
106 SOUND: transition to next scene somehow. Music link indicative of hurrying?
107 Centaurian Computer: The ambassador is waiting for you. You may enter, Arash Ahmadi.
108 SOUND: door slides open. different door sound for their section maybe.
109 Ahmadi: Is… uh, the ambassador is in there?
110 Ambassador Five: [sfx: distant] I am. Don’t be afraid, human.
111 SOUND: footsteps and door closes behind Ahmadi.
112 Ambassador Five: Please be seated.
113 SOUND: pulling up a chair
114 Ambassador Five: I take it you’ve never met one of us.
115 Ahmadi: No, sir. Last time one of you was even de-thawed, I was just a little kid.
116 Ambassador Five: Are you fully grown now?
117 Ahmadi: [taken aback] What? Yes.
118 Ambassador Five: Have I spoken wrong? I don’t trust these verbal translations of my language.
119 Ahmadi: Translating a combination of body language and pheromones can’t be easy.
120 Ambassador Five: Fortunate that your language is simplistic enough that there are less errors translating that direction. Let’s proceed with your request.
121 Ahmadi: A genetic resequencer, a growth accelerant and biogel.
122 Ambassador Five: Why do you want these items, human?
123 Ahmadi: My name is Arash Ahmadi.
124
Ambassador Five:
Apologies. Why do you want these items, Arash Ahmadi?
Are you unable to find a mate?
125 Ahmadi: [shocked] What??
126 Ambassador Five: Is that not the most probable reason to request cloning materials?
127 Ahmadi: [puzzled] Cloning… uh, I didn’t know, Doctor Stone just gave me a list.
128 Ambassador Five: What purpose does this Doctor Stone have for cloning technology?
129 Ahmadi: He said this is the only way to save Larissa.
130 Ambassador Five: The computer has informed me that there was an explosion yesterday at one of your reactors. Does this relate?
131 Ahmadi: Yes, Larissa was badly hurt while on the surface inspecting the damage. Her sacrifice will allow the mission to continue and prevent a slow-down.
132 Ambassador Five: Then we owe her a debt of gratitude for her bravery. May I ask the nature of her injury?
133 Ahmadi: Severe brain damage from lack of oxygen.
134 Ambassador Five: I see. Yes, I can imagine the utility of cloning for brain tissue replacement. Your request is granted.
135 Ahmadi: [relief] Thank you, Ambassador.
136 SOUND: scene change transition music
137 SOUND: arboretum with bird sounds and other nature… but water will be difficult to simulate gravity for
138 Maradona: [sfx: approaching] Salish! Salish Peters!
139 SOUND: footsteps jogging approach on grass
140 Peters: Hey there, Jesús. Lovely day, isn’t it?
141 SOUND: their footsteps on grass under conversation
142 Maradona: It’s always a lovely day in the arboretum. Almost like being on Earth.
143 Peters: In a way. But for my money, nothing can replace walking on a world's surface. That inspection trip yesterday was an amazing experience, real ground beneath my feet and the whole universe right above my head!
144 Maradona: Careful, keep talking like that and the mayor will order the detective to interrogate you. That’s how I spent my morning.
145 Peters: Oh, that’s horrible. The mayor was already pushing his returnist sabotage theory to me over the multicom while I was on the surface.
146 Maradona: I hope he doesn't escalate things to the point where we're forced to act against him.
147 Peters: Got your wings on you? Let’s fly up to the treetops.
148 SOUND: wing flapping, then perhaps majestic flight linking music
149 SOUND: medical center background
150 Marissa: Is there any change in her condition?
151 Stone: No, she’s in a stable coma. But thanks to the Centaurian materials detective Ahmadi brought yesterday, I’m very optimistic that I’ll be able to operate soon. Probably tomorrow.
152 Marissa: Operate?
153 Stone: It’s a transplant, pieces of a healthy brain to replace badly damaged parts of Larissa’s brain.
154 Marissa: [uncomfortable] Where do you get a healthy brain?
155 Stone: See, a cadaver would never work and even a living brain would be rejected by the immune system and fail to integrate properly due to individual differences. So it has to be Larissa’s own brain.
156 Marissa: I’m confused.
157 Stone: That’s where cloning comes in.
158 Marissa: Which nobody knows how to do since it's been against the law for centuries.
159 Stone: Earth law. But the Centaurians have perfected the process.
160 SOUND: door opens, footsteps enter
161 Ahmadi: [sfx: approaching] How’s it coming, Doctor?
162 Stone: I might as well show both of you. Over here.
163 SOUND: 3 sets of soft footsteps a short distance
164 Stone: Here’s where I keep the clone.
165 SOUND: tray slides out, sloshing noise, baby starts crying
166 Marissa: That… that’s my sister’s clone?
167 Stone: That’s right.
168 Ahmadi: From nothing into what looks like a 6 month old baby in less than a day?
169 Stone: Centaurian growth accelerant is quite effective.
170 Marissa: [wrestling with the idea with a bit of horror] So… you’re going to… cut out this baby’s brain?
171 Stone: A baby brain doesn’t do Larissa any good. We’ll wait until it reaches the same age she is. Fortunately with increasing doses of the accelerant I’m projecting that’ll be sometime tomorrow.
172 SOUND: door opens, footsteps approach
173 Mayor: [angrily] Detective, it’s… [confused] why is there a baby in here?
174 SOUND: drawer closes, can no longer hear baby crying
175 Mayor: [wryly] Doctor, I do have object permanence. I remain aware of the baby even when it’s no longer visible.
176 Marissa: Mayor, my sister’s life depends on this baby. Please don’t interfere.
177 Mayor: Ah. The detective’s two unauthorized visits to the Centaurians – yes I know you went back – and now a baby who’s supposed to save apprentice Flint. A clone you’re growing to harvest from?
178 Stone: Your intelligence surprises me sometimes, mayor.
179 Mayor: [growing angry] Your lack of ethics *shouldn’t* have taken *me* by surprise, doctor. Using unauthorized Centaurian technology is illegal, cloning human beings is illegal, and harvesting the brain of a human being is damn sure illegal!
180 Stone: Mayor, our laws are severely out of date. They were made for a planet none of us have been to and a civilization we don’t live in. We have to do what we can to survive out here in interstellar space. Don’t you agree, detective?
181 Ahmadi: I… uh, I think we should be flexible under the circumstances.
182 Mayor: [angry] Flexible about murdering an innocent child?! If only detective Ekholm were still alive, he'd never have let you go down this path.
183 Stone: This creature may have the brain structure of a human, but it has none of the experience needed to make it a person. It can't communicate, it can't understand, it doesn't know anything, it can't really think. Newborn babies have had nine months in the womb to evolve into people, the thing I'm growing has had a day. It's just a potential, not an actual woman like the one lying on the bed over there!
184 Mayor: Detective Ahmadi, I hereby order you to carry out your duty as our law enforcement officer by arresting Doctor Stone.
185 SOUND: music crests for end
186 SOUND: end theme
187 Announcer: You've been listening to Two Fifty-Three Mathilde, episode two - New Life. Created, written, produced and directed by Paul Knierim. Detective Arash Ahmadi is played by Paul Knierim. The mayor is Roger Arnold. Doctor Stone is John Gaunce. Marissa Flint is Virginia Hargrove, who also potrays the Centaurian computer. Jesús Maradona is Matt Ellis. Ambassador Five is espeak. Chief Mech Salish Peters is David Loftus. The human computer is Kathleen Li. Crowd noises include Emily Aichele and Paul Knierim. The announcer is Erin Suminsby. Sound effects and music courtesy free sound dot org and free p d dot com. Additional music by audionautix dot com. This program is licensed for free reuse and redistribution. Hear more episodes at quietplease dot org slash two fifty-three.