Episode 10: The Only Way Out

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Season finale. Alyss is left with the roguemaker, her memories, and a decision. But is she really alone?

CONTENT WARNINGS: Death, gun, injury, peril, emotional distress, manipulation, self-sacrifice, entrapment, existential fear, food.

This episode, “The Only Way Out”, was written by Emma Johanna Puranen and directed by Rook Mogavero and Emma Johanna Puranen. The script was edited by Rook Mogavero and Shaoni C. White, with sensitivity reading by Caroline Mincks. Sound editing was by Emma Johanna Puranen. Our cover art is by Tatyana Archtander. Music was composed by Emily Branam and Tatyana Archtander, with music consultation from Nooria Ahmed, using copyright cleared content (or free content) within Emily's licensed and registered version of FL Studio 20. Sound effects are from freesound.org under CC 0, CC BY 3.0, and CC BY 4.0 licenses. For a list of freesound.org sound effects used in this episode, see here. A transcript of this episode can be found here.

In order of appearance, this episode featured the voices of

Nhea Durousseau as Alyss Obelus
Emma Johanna Puranen as Ship
Sam Yeow as No Go
Stephen Indrisano as Tarsul
Alasdair Stuart as Malachi Tessera
Rook Mogavero as Chasma Jump Cannon
Alexandra Rose DeAngelis as Woh Ollum
Omar Camps-Kamrin as Lowkey Madigan
Bonnie Calderwood Aspinwall as Pascal Almagest
Axandre Oge as Valencio “Trip” Triptych
Sam LaPorte as Jawn Batalha

This episode also featured

Marta da Silva as Mama
David S. Dear as Papa
Beus Lunaire as Sandrine

Additional voices were by Tatyana Archtander, Ali Hylton, Emma Johanna Puranen, Scott Paladin, Oran Talbot, Kirsty Woolven, Tal Minear, Interiority, and Oscar “Tumbleweed Tom” Ramos, Jr.

Our vibe checker was Bruce the cat.

Transcript

[ROGUEMAKER Theme Song by Emily Branam plays.]

EMILY
(sung)
Ground control, send me down
I'm lost up here and I can't be found.

Ground control, are you there?
The voice in my head, it fills the dead air, says

"You've got time,
You've got time."

"You've got time,
You've got time."

EMMA
ROGUEMAKER: A Science Fiction Podcast. Episode 10: The Only Way Out.

[Intense atmospheric music plays. We hear a strange whooshing sound that ends abruptly. Someone calls Alyss's name, heard as if from underwater, taken from different voices like the transmissions from previous episodes.]

VOICE
Alyss… Alyss…

[However, this time, the strange voices resolve into that of a woman, and we are somewhere else. It sounds like we're in a public park or something similar, with the sounds of birdsong and light inaudible conversations in the background.]

MAMA
-honey, you need to share with your little sister. How would you have liked it if, when you were a little baby, someone bigger and stronger than you took your Sunion rings?

[A baby cries. When Alyss speaks, there is an echo on it, as if she is not fully part of the scene.]

ALYSS
Mama? Pilar? Is… is that you? But she's… a baby… and you're… That's not… possible… Where did the Tracer ship go? Where did… 
(a shaky inhale)
Kuzha… I shot them… where is Kuzha?   

[The strange whooshing sound comes in again, and we are once again somewhere else, this time seemingly inside.]

MAMA
Oh, dear, not your mountain polo cards. You've been collecting those since before we met.

PAPA
You know how much these things are worth, Maria?

MAMA
I know it's not enough.

PAPA
No, not enough. But selling them will mean we can hold off telling the kids about the layoffs.

MAMA
We have to tell them eventually.

PAPA
I know. I… know.

ALYSS
    (echoing)
I remember… hiding at the top of the stairs and watching this. This… this happened decades ago. How am I… 

[Another whoosh. Another scene.]

ALYSS
Pilar! Oh, Pilar, you're so young… we were too young… 

SANDRINE
Your sister's deaf, hm? That might be a boon, actually, it's better that crew members don't overhear things they shouldn't.
And we'll have you to translate her signing. Alright, consider yourselves hired. We'll get you trained up. No more factory work for you. Oh, you'll get to see the galaxy, reap riches beyond your wildest dreams, but to do that with minimal blood, sweat, and tears, you will follow my. Every. Order. There's no room for free will on the Festering Fortune. I'm not just Captain Sandrine. I am God. Understood?

[Whoosh. Faint static, Papa's voice sounds as though it's coming through a phone.]

PAPA
Hi, girls. Sorry I missed you. We got your message that you can't make it home for the holidays this year — it-it's alright, but your mama and I would love to see you whenever you get the chance. It doesn't need to be a holiday. Oh, and thanks for sending the money. Just, be sure you're saving enough for yourselves, okay? We don't need quite that m-

[The message is cut off by another whoosh.]

ALYSS
Oh, no… this is the day I left the Fester… 

SANDRINE
Aha, you think you're too good for us now, don't you, Alyss? Is our small time piracy operation not paying enough for someone who's as good at killing as you? You're going to take your skills where you can earn some real money, huh? Well, don't forget who taught you. Don't forget who made you what you are.

ALYSS
Oh, shut up, Sandrine.

SANDRINE
Oh, go ahead, take it away, Pilar!
(a pause as Pilar signs, then a cruel laugh)
I don't have to know much sign language to understand that your dear sister is furious with you right now… look at her shaking with anger, Alyss… 

ALYSS
Pilar… you were right… I never should have left. You knew, even back then. So next will be…

[Another whoosh, and slow, bass-heavy music starts to play. The following lines run into one another, as if Alyss is watching a terrible montage of regret. As the scene goes on, the music picks up and the lines overlap more and become more and more chaotic.]

BIGWIG
Kill on sight.

VICTIM 1
What are you doing?

BIGWIG
It's not your place to ask questions.

VICTIM 2
You're NOT going to take my- huh!

BIGWIG
Your place is only to do your job.

ALYSS
No.

VICTIM 3
Anything, anything, please, anything, just tell me, name the amount and I'll transfer it… 

ALYSS
No! Stop. This isn't real. It was… but not now… 

VICTIM 4
Please, please, I'm sorry! I have a family, I have a daughter! Please, please, I'll do anything! I'm begging you…

VICTIM 5
How dare you… How dare you come in here…

ALYSS
Why am I seeing… why are you showing me this?

VICTIM 5
Help! Someone help me!
(pounds on a door)
Can anyone hear me?

BAO
This research could save lives! If you kill me, you kill it! Are you going to be able to live with yourself?

ALYSS
Bao… you're Bao, aren't you? I'm sorry… 

[The screams and pleas of victims continue, all playing at once.]

ALYSS
No… no… stop it… STOP.

[Another whoosh, and the noises stop. The music quiets down, and we hear a heartbeat.]

ALYSS
Pilar… Pilar! This was the last time I saw her… 
— no, don't you ever apologise to me… don't ever… I told you then and I'll tell you now.
(pause)
Yeah, I'd like that, too. I love you. (pause)
But… it was my fault!
(pause)
No, the more you say it wasn't the more I know it was!

[Another whoosh. We hear Kuzha's final lines from last episode.]

KUZHA
Take. Your helmet. Off!

ALYSS
Kuzha… no… this just… this just happened… 

KUZHA
Once a killer, always a-

[Another whoosh. This time, it doesn't quite fade.]

ALYSS
…This isn't a memory anymore. We've caught up.
What? Mama?

'MAMA'
Yes.
ALYSS
But… why are you standing on the Tracer rogue? You were never here… she died years ago…  You're… you're too young.

'MAMA'
Just as we journey through memories, so too can we make constructions, suggestions.

ALYSS
You can hear me?

'MAMA'
Yes. We can hear you.

[More, even stranger sounds. There's a sort of clicking/flickering/ ripping under the following line.]

ALYSS
You're… you're not my mama… oh. That's what you looked like.

[The voice no longer sounds like Alyss's mama but instead warped and strange.]

'MAMA'
We are not what you call a Tracer. We are only wearing their form in your mind.

[The strange clicking sound happens again and the voice goes back to sounding like Mama, though the cadence is different from the memories, as if unfamiliar with speaking like this.]

'MAMA'
As we can wear your mama's. Now do you see? Or is it too much? You are not fully connected, as Kuzha was.

ALYSS
I don't think I want to be. Connected.

'MAMA'
If you were, it wouldn't hurt, you know.

ALYSS
Do you… do have any idea what it is to, to use her skin like that?

'MAMA'
Your mama is not here. She is dead. The Tracers are dead. You have killed, [Alyss]. Let us learn about you.

[When 'Mama' says Alyss's name, it sounds like the transmissions, using warped versions of the voices from the 999.]

ALYSS
If you aren't the Tracers, who the fuck are you?

'MAMA'
We are machines. We are not alive. We have memory. Memory of who you call the Tracers. We wear their skin. We wear your skin. Memory is painful. Memory is necessary. Memory informs.

ALYSS
So you're… Tracer machines that showed me my own memories. Fat lot of use that is. And you only showed me the painful ones at that!

'MAMA'
Oh, honey… you don't have very many that aren't.

ALYSS
That's not-! That is true, I suppose.

'MAMA'
We showed you what you needed to see.

ALYSS
Did you? Are… am I still on the ship, heading for the roguemaker? I can… I think I can feel acceleration.

'MAMA'
You are. It's a one way ride to your roguemaker's pilot room. Here. Watch. We will show you how to pilot it.

[Another whoosh, and Alyss cries out.]

ALYSS
Oh… But. But I don't want to do that!

'MAMA'
You are a killer. Here is another tool to kill. What are you going to do?

ALYSS
Kuzha's dead.

'MAMA'
They are.

ALYSS
I killed them.

'MAMA'
You did. That's all we can show you, [Alyss]. What are you going to do?

ALYSS
What the hell do you care?

'MAMA'
Naturally we care what happens to the greatest creation of the Tracers.

ALYSS
'Greatest'. It destroyed you. Them.

'MAMA'
You don't know what it did or didn't do.

ALYSS
Then show me! If you can play memories in my brain, show me what happened to the Tracers!

'MAMA'
We can't. You didn't breathe enough. You aren't connected. Take your helmet off. Then you will know.

ALYSS
Listen here, you little Tracer robot asshole, you will tell me what the fuck happened here if you want me to spend even a nanosecond considering the possibility of not blowing this roguemaker to smithereens.

'MAMA'
We can't.
Oh honey, my baby girl… I didn't raise you to act like this. I'm so disappointed in you.

ALYSS
Shut up! You're not her.

'MAMA'
No, we're not. What do you think she'd do if she were here? Would she cry? Would she disown you? Would she be able to believe a word you said? Would she want you for a daughter? Would she even look you in the face?

[We hear the memories from earlier faintly replay behind 'Mama's' words.]

'MAMA'
What are you going to do, [Alyss]? Are you going to kill? Are you going to die? You have killed, and you could do it again. You deserve nothing but to die. But you don't have to die. You have all the power. Don't you want it?

ALYSS
NO!

[All the sounds associated with the memories fade. The music drops out We hear the sound of a launch. When Alyss speaks, her voice no longer echoes.]

ALYSS
Where'd you go? Get back here! You don't get to disappear on me after that… how dare you… Get back here so I can- So I can…
I killed all those people and now I can't even stand to look at them. I'm a killer. I don't deserve anything good. Mama… the… memory robot is right about that. Are you still listening, 'Mama'?
Because you should know, Pilar deserves good. Everyone from Plutonic 999 deserves good. All our people do. Even… Kuzha did. This is a one-way ticket to the roguemaker's pilot room? Well, then I'm going to pilot it right into the burning heart of a star. It's the least I can do. I think that'll be a one-way trip too.

[New, more energised music starts to play. It plays as the ship continues to fly, giving a sense of grim determination and resolve. Something hisses and Alyss takes a few steps. She breathes in, steeling herself, and the music fades once more.]

ALYSS
Alright. Here I am. A monster ready to pilot a monster.

[She takes a few more steps, and we hear the beep of Alyss trying to access her comms. Slow piano music begins to play as she speaks]

ALYSS
Ship? Ship? (beep) No. Of course you're gone. This is me, alone. Computer, record. Here's a sitrep, on the off chance this signal ever gets to Canary, or, hell, even the people on the Titan. Funny...I've lived the sort of life where this is my… fourth time, now, recording a 'final message'. This time, it really is final.
I have four hours of oxygen left in my suit. Ever since we arrived here, the Tracer robots, the rogue, whatever you want to call it… it's been talking to us through the radio. But it can do more. It's just shown me my memories. It plays on our emotions, but, but… It's unreliable. It never was reliable in the first place — it's contradictory, hostile, it does not have the best intentions for me and my people.
It all seems to be some sort of old Tracer tech, like VR for reviewing memories and past events, but more sophisticated because it can make things up… and it seems to have a will of its own. But, it can't affect what I'm seeing unless I breathe in the artificial atmosphere it's made. Which I won't do. I need to remain in my right mind. Even when I run out of O2 in my suit… I won't breathe the artificial atmosphere here. I won't.
The point is, it gave me piloting instructions for the roguemaker. Why should I trust the instructions it gave me? It's been helpful sometimes, but… there's just no way to tell when it's on our side and when it isn't.
But… it wanted me to use the roguemaker to carry on its legacy of killing. So… I don't think it lied about how to use it. Even though the instructions seemed so… simple. I have to destroy it. I have to. So that no one can destroy a world with the press of a button.
Uhhh… I do hear the irony in the fact that I'm about to do just that to this roguemaker. I'm standing in the pilot room at the heart of the roguemaker. There's a big projection of a star map surrounding me, all throughout the room. I've found a blinking dot that I'm pretty sure represents the roguemaker — where I am right now. 'You are here…'. There's the roguemaker, and the Tracer world orbiting it. And over here… the nearest star. It's only a small star, a red dwarf, but… but that's enough. That's all I need. And I know there aren't any people living in that system.
Okay. Okay. I can do this. Let's just try… touching the roguemaker in the projection.

[There is a huge lurching sound, and Alyss cries out.]

ALYSS
Oh, oh! I only bumped it, but… everything moved so fast. The whole room lurched. The- oh stars, the map's changed. The roguemaker is decoupled from the Tracer world, now. I moved the entire roguemaker out of orbit with just a touch. So it really is that… Okay, okay. Carefully, carefully, if I push us towards the red dwarf… 

[Another lurch, and Alyss yelps. The sound of acceleration continues.]

ALYSS
We're moving! Damn. This thing goes fast. We're moving — ok, that line must be the trajectory. So… towards the star. There. There. We're on our way. We'll dive right into that star.
Nothing to do now but wait.
That… felt a lot like a computer game I played as a kid. Scarily like a kid's game…

[A long pause.]

ALYSS
I should stay here, after everything, to make damn sure the job is finished. But…

[Alyss goes back to the door and opens it to a howl of gas — she immediately closes it.]

ALYSS
Fuck. The Tracer ship's gone. This really is a one way trip. Of course I can't run. I don't deserve to. I shouldn't even want to. Stupid. I gotta suck it up and stay here. I need to see it through. For Pilar. For everyone. This really is how it ends. Alone.
I'm… used to that. This is how it was meant to be. Pulling the trigger. It's easy. I've done it so many times before, and with much less reason.

[The music has faded out. A beat, as Alyss takes a few steps.]

ALYSS
Kuzha… I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry. You didn't need to die. I should have saved you, I should have… well… I've seen enough ǵnonw die in space to know how terrible it is to be far from your Group when you die. I can't… I can't do anything for you. I can't bury you aboveground, I can't sit and share good memories, I don't know the songs, I can't…
All I can do is keep you in the open. I won't close your eyes. I know you need to see where you're going. What's the… the words, the… ǵnonw funeral rite… 
'And now your life's Wander is ended. I see you.'
(a long pause)
And I'll be joining you soon, if you believe in that sort of thing. Do… did you believe in that sort of thing? I wonder what it's gonna be for me. Suffocation when I run out of oxygen, or burning up in the outer layers of a star? Let's… hope for the suffocation.
(a pause)
This is okay, isn't it? I always said I'd die on my own terms. Is this how Tarsul felt, after the Phalanx?

[The piano music comes back in, softly.]

SHIP
    (up-chime)
[A] Connection re-established.

ALYSS
Ugh. Not again. Or at least use any voice other than the fucking AI… Insult to injury… 

SHIP
[H] Ms. Obelus, can you hear me?

ALYSS
Shut up. You already tried to convince me, and it didn't work. I know it's you. Stop pretending to be my friends.

NO
Well, I'm a little iffy on you calling me a friend, Alyss.

ALYSS
(groans) Very clever. I know you aren't No Go.

NO
I've been accused of many things, but not being myself? Heh, that's a first.

TARSUL
She thinks we're the rogue.

ALYSS
Doing more voices isn't going to help you. Just leave me alone.

MALACHI
Alyss, it's us, on the Titan. We're here to help. We promise.

ALYSS
Nice try, but the people on the Titan wouldn't help me. They didn't listen to me earlier. Now you're trying to convince me they'd suddenly be on my side?

TARSUL
She's not going to believe us.

CHASMA
Maybe we could… like, say things only the real us would know.

ALYSS
(laughs) You've been listening to every damn thing we've done since we landed on your planet. Maybe even before. Everything's recorded in space. And any security we think we've got on those signals? I'm sure that's also child's play to beings as advanced as you.

WOH́́
Alyss, that's not how the Tracers work.

NO
Here we go again… 

WOH́́
They wouldn't be this straightforward, since everything they say is filtered through dimensions.

LOWKEY
Seriously, Alyss, chill out! Often when we're stressed, we can't see the helping hand right in front of us.

ALYSS
It doesn't matter. I'm not listening. Whatever you say, it doesn't change what I have to do.

PASCAL
Honestly, I don't blame her… the transmissions from the rogue were really creepy. Especially when you're out there on your own.

TRIP
Who knows what it's said to her to get her in this state?

ALYSS
You. Aren't. Real. This is. This is all that matters. Staying my course.

JAWN
    (slightly slurred)
C'mon Alyss, the Titan's a-fightin' for you! And you can't die. Not yet. You promised me we'd try CherryBonj Spacerade Zero together.

ALYSS
…ok that does actually sound like something Jawn would say.

NO
Let me talk to her, one on one.

MALACHI
Sure. Have at it, Dr. Go.

NO
Thank you, Malachi.
Alyss. Alyss, even if you don't think we're real, even if you think we're the rogue or we're working against you, what's the harm in talking?

ALYSS
No Go of all people knows the harm in talking, don't they?

NO
I do. But — you just need to stay your course, like you said. Talking to us isn't going to change what the roguemaker is doing. Where it's going. Alyss — we overheard what Kuzha said. Ship played it for us through your head cam when it looked like you were in trouble, and we rewound and listened to the whole thing. We know Kuzha blew up the 999. We heard what they were planning to do with the roguemaker.

ALYSS
You heard… all of it?
Ugh, no, more wishful thinking… 

NO
Skarg, Alyss, we did hear it! Ship managed to get the signal back, in one direction at first, but now we've got both ways. We've fixed Jawn's tight-beam to strengthen it. And we heard what you're doing. We… agree with you. That the roguemaker should be destroyed. We know you're driving it into a star. And we know that the longer you stall, the farther you get away from us and the less time we have. We sent a pod after you, Alyss. It should have made it to the roguemaker's atmosphere before you went into lightflight. It's homed in on the coordinates of your suit. If you open the door, it should be there. It can get you out. It isn't too late.

ALYSS
(bitter laugh) 'Take off your helmet.'

NO
This isn't that, Alyss.

ALYSS
Take off your helmet, open the door— same thing! I opened the door a minute ago. There was nothing, and I nearly fell out of the pilot room. I'm not trying it again.

NO
(sigh) Alyss… 

ALYSS
Why would you be trying to help me, No? Why? You should hate me… 

NO
I know.

ALYSS
I killed Bao. Your adviser. Your mentor. The cos paid me to do it, to stop his research getting out. Stars, I saw him earlier… in my memories… I should have told you earlier. And now I never will… 

NO
I. Know. We heard, Alyss. We heard about your old jobs. And I put one and one together.

ALYSS
I told myself I'd never kill anyone again. But that was a lie. I killed Kuzha. I can't even keep that promise… 

NO
Ugh, Alyss. I need you to get it together here. That's why I need to be the one to tell you that we're on your side here. I don't forgive you. But I can see you're trying.

ALYSS
I've always made a point of remembering every person I've killed. I thought that was the least I could do. Even the jackasses — and most of them were horrible — but some were like Bao. People who stood up against the cos not for their own gain, but for everyone's. People who wouldn't bow to their… less lethal forms of coercion. People I should never have… People… I thought I owed them that. Remembering them. But… but reliving those memories? That was too much. I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it without breaking.

NO
I don't think that's a bad thing. I think it means that you still care. You changed my life forever, when you… when Bao died. It made me aware of… ways that things work, that I'd overlooked before. And it's taught me enough to realise that right now, you are not my enemy. I always wished I could be as brave as Bao.

ALYSS
No, nothing that I can do can bring him back. But I promise you this: I'll never pretend a co made me do it. I pulled that trigger. And I'm doing this now. Me. I will make sure this weapon is destroyed. It's the last thing I'll do. And I think… stars, I think Bao, I think my sister Pilar, I think they'd all agree it's the right thing to do.

NO
It is. But Alyss, listen: I know that you think we're… you think we're the rogue, or a figment of your imagination, or something. But we're not. We're real. And it might take a leap of faith from you, but… that's what trust is, isn't it? Alyss, you said it yourself: the only way out of this is if we trust each other.

TARSUL
You've got to open the door, Alyss. You don't have to die. The roguemaker is on a collision course with that star. You don't have to go with it. Keep living, Alyss. It's… I'm not going to lie, it's a surfaced hell. But it's worth it. It's worth it.

ALYSS
The only way out is if we trust each other.

[Alyss walks to the door, and opens it.]

ALYSS
Oh.

SHIP
[H] Hello, Ms. Obelus.

ALYSS
You're really here.

SHIP
[H] You told me to stay on the line.

ALYSS
Ship?

SHIP
[H] Yes, Ms. Obelus?

ALYSS
Thank you.

SHIP
[H] 'Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.' Mary Shelley, Frankenstein.
Once more into the breach, my friend?

ALYSS
One second. I can't leave them behind.

[Alyss takes a few steps and picks up Kuzha's body, carrying it with her into the pod. Her breath hitches, and the pod door closes. Ship's voice comes in muffled beneath the music]

SHIP
[H] We will be taking off in 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Hang tight!

[The pod takes off. It also sounds muffled.]

SHIP
[H] I'm taking you back to intercept with the Titan.

[The music continues to play. Eventually, the background noise changes to that of the Titan's airlock. The pod door opens, and Alyss steps out, with the body. The music begins to play]

MALACHI
Alyss!

NO
You made it.

MALACHI
Sorry it took so long to get to you — the roguemaker had travelled amazingly far already by the time you left it, and since your pod wasn't lightflight-enabled, the-
Oh — you brought… Kuzha's… you were in the pod with their body.

[Alyss sets the body down.]

ALYSS
No time for that right now. What's the roguemaker doing?

PASCAL
Uh… uh, y- yes, it's about to reach the star. We've been following it in the Titan.

MALACHI
From a safe distance.

PASCAL
Come watch, Alyss, I've got it up on screen.

[Footsteps as they join everyone else in the cockpit.]

ALYSS
Are there any signs of other ships?

TARSUL
There's nobody.

JAWN
T minus twenty seconds. You're just in time!

[Atmospheric music begins to play. Alyss sighs.]

MALACHI
Hey. Hey… 

ALYSS
I won't believe it until I see it.

MALACHI
Ship, can we get a countdown?

SHIP
    (in background)
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 

LOWKEY
Is it gonna explode?

PASCAL
No, the gas should be stripped off by gravity and heat… there's enough speed from the roguemaker that it'll fall right in pretty quickly, rather than orbiting a lot. We won't be able to see too well from- oh.

[Ship's counting has stopped. The music fades out.]

TRIP
What are we looking at? Is that it?

PASCAL
That's it. They're merging.

CHASMA
It… feels so anticlimactic.

MALACHI
Always a bigger fish.

JAWN
Stars are scary, y'know?

MALACHI
Well, this means no one should notice — or, by the time they do, it'll be way too late to do anything about it.

NO
So… it's gone.

ALYSS
It's really gone.

[There's a brief silence, as slightly more upbeat music starts to pick up.]

LOWKEY
WOO-HOO-HOO-HOOOOO!!!! WE DID IT!

[All at once, everyone joins in with relieved laughter and sighs, and similar statements like "we really did!" Malachi says something about having a biscuit.]

MALACHI
You know what we need? We need a group hug. Come on.

[Fabric rustles as people move in.]

CHASMA
You too, Alyss.

ALYSS
I… don't feel like a group hug.

CHASMA
Hm. That's okay. We'll take a rain check.

WOH́́
Tarsul? You know you- You can join us — you're part of the group too.

[The music fades, and time passes. Snacks and drinks are opened.]

ALYSS
I owe you all an apology. I got… single-minded. I got stuck in thinking that I had to do everything, alone, and I lost my trust in you. And I… I killed Kuzha.

MALACHI
Alyss, it was the right th-

ALYSS
Don't tell me it was the right thing to do. They were a person.

NO
We can give them a proper funeral, since you brought them back.

ALYSS
I'm sorry. I was wrong about you all. You all came through.

PASCAL
Alyss, we… we know how bad things are out there. I've seen how the only way to get anything funded in science is by bowing before the corporate throne. And I'm sick of it.

MALACHI
Plutonic made me charge you for napkins! And… well, my parents worked for J-Gov, so I'm familiar with how things really work.

NO
You know what happened to Bao.

WOH́́
And we're pretty sick of the starving artist life. Always having to worry about money really stifles creativity.

CHASMA
I… well, I grew up rich. But I'm not, like, an idiot. I see how bad things are for people who don't have what I do. We needed to destroy the roguemaker. No one needed that kind of power.

ALYSS
The roguemaker is gone. The Tracer world is cloaked.

PASCAL
It should be cloaked. As soon as we're back somewhere safe, and where we have more reliable instruments, I'll observe the coordinates with everything I can think of to make sure it really is undetectable.

SHIP
    (up-chime)
[H] I currently detect nothing from the known position of the rogue, Pascal.

PASCAL
Sorry, Ship, but you still don't… have the best grasp over the Titan. I really do think we're good, though. You should have seen that cloak deploy, Alyss. And when the Titan took off through the soupy layer of darkness it made? It looked like one of my hyperquantum physics textbooks come to life.

ALYSS
No one's ever gonna be able to find the rogue. I should never have given up on thinking you'd come around.

PASCAL
Well… 

ALYSS
Well…?

TRIP
Thank you, Alyss, for the apology. But the cloaking device is only temporarily deployed.

ALYSS
What?!

MALACHI
We talked it over, while you were out there.

WOH́́
We decided it wasn't exactly fair for the eleven… um, ten — for the ten of us to make this decision for all of ǵnonwkind and humanity. For forever.

PASCAL
Right. We agreed that we aren't ready for the Tracer tech now, but… the thought of hiding away all that knowledge makes me want to be sick.

CHASMA
There might come a day when we are ready! When we can revisit the Tracer world for real — and like, learn what we can from it and use that knowledge to help everyone — or, who knows, maybe decide its best left as a memorial of sorts. Or left to its own devices.

ALYSS
So - how long are we going to hide it?

JAWN
One hundred years. In one hundred Earth years, the cloaking device will turn off. It's on a timer.

ALYSS
Jawn… 

JAWN
I agreed. I think we ought to give our grandkids a chance, y'know?

NO
Meanwhile, we set them on as good a path as we can. We've got work to do. Start fixing our messes. Are you in, Alyss?

ALYSS
You know I'm in. Just one question… what are we going to tell the authorities? They're going to want to know how… most of the passengers and crew of a lost flight mysteriously reappeared.

MALACHI
Well, we'll tell them we were, you know-

CHASMA
KIDNAPPED BY PIRATES!!

LOWKEY
DUDE!

JAWN
Yes!

CHASMA
    (chanting)
Kidnapped by pirates! Kidnapped by pirates! Kidnapped by pirates!

ALYSS
Ugh…

CHASMA
It was the most incredible story, officer! Just when we were despairing of ever leaving the brig of the pirate ship, we were saved by a dashing skipper named Jawn!

JAWN
Uh, maybe leave my name out of it.

CHASMA
A dashing skipper named — Bob!

NO
Um… we'll work on the details.

WOH́́
And About Gardens may have missed Sirius Revel Six, but they'll absolutely have to invite us back after the pirate story!

LOWKEY
This whole thing has given me so many song ideas!

PASCAL
Oh, you really shouldn't write about any of this-

WOH́́
What? You think anyone's going to believe a word of it?

LOWKEY
Hell no!

WOH́́
But we'll know. We'll know.

ALYSS
The awful part is this might actually work.

[A pause.]

MALACHI
What about Kuzha?

PASCAL
Why didn't you just… leave them, on the roguemaker?

ALYSS
I couldn't walk away from the body. Not this time.

NO
We can return them to their Group. We'll tell them… 

ALYSS
We'll tell them that they died protecting us.

NO
But that's not true.

ALYSS
No. It isn't. But I can live with that.


MALACHI
Captain Tarsul, what are you going to do?

TARSUL
You're out of a job, too, Malachi.

MALACHI
I'm asking you.

TARSUL
I don't know. I've never thought this far ahead.

WOH́́
It's okay, Tarsul — you've got us. We'll help you out.

CHASMA
Woh́́ stop it you're gonna, like, make me cry this is just like my found family fic where Dr Sang-

NO
(laughs) Hold on, kid! I want to hear your story. But first, I think we could all use a drink! Do you folks like gin?


[Scene change. Footsteps.]
ALYSS
I thought you'd be out here.

TARSUL
Alyss.

ALYSS
Hey, I don't blame you. It's a lot in there right now.

TARSUL
The crowd and the noise were a bit much for me.

ALYSS
Mind if I join you?

TARSUL
Go ahead.

ALYSS
It's such a clear night.

TARSUL
As nice as the stars are to look at, I'm glad to be standing on a planet again. You don't value an atmosphere until you don't have one anymore.

ALYSS
Do you miss Tand?

TARSUL
No. I'll go back there again. For now, Earth is where my Group is.

[A pause. The bassy thumping of high-energy music plays in the background, as if from behind a closed door.

ALYSS
I'm… sorry, Tarsul, that things have been so hectic.

TARSUL
Well, we could hardly stick close to each other right after the 999 if we wanted to sell the pirate story.

ALYSS
But now everyone's gone off and gotten busy with their own work — trying to get the cancer cure formula from Nevermore without compromising Pascal is so delicate. Did you know Pascal's prepared to disappear and take on a new identity? I told them there are other avenues we should try first, but they're determined and — stars, I'm rambling. Tarsul, I feel bad for leaving you at Pilar's. I'm here for you now that the Canary job's over. I - I hope you don't feel like we've left you behind.

TARSUL
Don't feel bad. Pilar and her wife were wonderful. They taught me how to play Row 12. I think I made them regret it when I beat their high score.

ALYSS
Ugh, I don't know how you can stand to play that game after the 999.

TARSUL
(a tiny chuckle) The time here on Earth has given me a chance to think.

ALYSS
Have you thought about my offer?

TARSUL
I have.

ALYSS
And?

TARSUL
I won't.

ALYSS
Tarsul…

TARSUL
We all have to find our own way to fix what we can, right? Canary is yours and Jawn's. It's not for me.

ALYSS
But with your skills, think of all the things we could-

TARSUL
It's my decision, Alyss.

ALYSS
Of course. I had just… What are you going to do instead?

TARSUL
What could I possibly do that's bigger than what I've already done? Twice now, I've been trapped in interstellar space, ridiculously remote, making decisions with consequences that affect the fate of civilisations. The first time, I came out of the ordeal broken. My spark had run out. I had done something awful that went against everything I stood for. But this second time, I've left that rogue feeling some… hope. It's strange. Maybe unlucky two is lucky for me.

ALYSS
Two is unlucky?

TARSUL
It's an old superstition. Goes back to when Lamth and Skarg were thought to be gods that stole precious meteors away from us. When the moons were both visible in the sky, that was bad luck.

ALYSS
Two is an awfully common number to mean bad luck.

TARSUL
Bad luck is awfully common on a harsh world like Tand. No, after everything… I think what I want to do is Wander. I never really got the chance to finish mine, after all.

ALYSS
But… you're in a Group.

TARSUL
Ours is hardly a traditional Group, Alyss. We don't even all have the same job, and No and Woh́́ are still in their old Groups as well — and given all that, what's one more broken rule? I'm going to Wander. Malachi and Jawn have invited me to go skipping with them. I'll start by giving that a try.

ALYSS
From what they were saying at dinner, it sounds like Jawn is still iffy about having an AI on the Titan.

TARSUL
He turns it off during races. But there's no way Malachi was deleting the programme, and Ship can't exactly go back to Plutonic, either, not after the rogue. Like the rest of us, it doesn't really fit in, anymore.
(beat)
Alyss, you can always consider me an ally of Canary. You know how to get in touch if you, or they, ever need me for anything.

ALYSS
I will. You know I will. You're the only one who really understands. The others… 

TARSUL
They don't. I know.

ALYSS
And I'm glad for them that they don't. But I'm also glad to have you. Thank you, again, for helping me with Kuzha's funeral.

[Another pause.]

TARSUL
We're still Groupmates, Alyss. You should come visit Tand, when you can get some time off. Try surface farming for a while with me. I think you'd like it.

ALYSS
I think I would, too.
    (beat)
It's so strange to think it's still up there. The rogue.

TARSUL
I dream about it. Every Sleep.

ALYSS
Do you think we'd ever be ready for it?

TARSUL
I hope we might. Do you?

ALYSS
I don't think we need it.

[A hinge squeaks, and a door opens, letting out the sound of the mingling crowd and one Chasma Jump Canon.]

CHASMA
There you two are!! We didn't, like, invite you to the Group reunion so you can miss About Gardens' entire set! You're gonna wanna hear this next song, trust me.

ALYSS
Tarsul?

TARSUL
I'm ready.

[The three head back inside, the door creaking shut. They walk through the crowd of people as Lowkey's voice rings out.]

LOWKEY
Hellloooooo and welcome back, distinguished guests! May I just say you all have been stellar dancers this evening? Especially you there in the blue hat, bringing back neoelectric tap like it's the 70s? Give blue hat a cheer, folks!

[The crowd gives blue hat a cheer.]

LOWKEY
Sadly, I know, sadly, the time has come for our final song of the evening. And here to introduce it, the one, the only, the About to my Gardens, Woh́́!!!!

[More cheers from the crowd.}

WOH́́
Thank you all for being such a wonderful audience. If you're feeling moved by our music, please chip in to our current cause — every bit you donate this show will go directly towards establishing a free street medical clinic right here in your own city. Thank you for your generosity so far, and for all your support in getting About Gardens back on our feet after pirates kept us from Sirius Revel Six — we truly couldn't do it without you! Without further ado, Lowkey — are you feeling conspiratorial?

LOWKEY
You know it, Woh́́!

WOH́́
Did you ever wonder what happened to the Tracers?

LOWKEY
Only all the time!

[Laughter from crowd.]

WOH́́
Well, everyone, you just might be about to find out in the debut of our latest song, Tale of the Tracers! LOWKEY WE ARE ABOUT GARDENS, PHILADELPHIA, MAKE SOME NOISE!!!!!

[The crowd erupts into applause as About Gardens performs Tale of the Tracers.]

LOWKEY
(singing)
Once upon a time in space
There lived a real galactic race
The Tracers

WOH́́
Ooh-woah-oh-ohhh…

LOWKEY
Out there in the vast sublime
It seems you couldn't escape time's
Eraser

What happened to the Tracers?
There's nothing left but ruin
Don't have a clue what you were doin'
Were you the first space-blazers?
I guess we'll never know

LOWKEY & WOH́́
Oh Tracers how you baffle me so

LOWKEY
Did you build a giant death machine?
Take yourselves off of the scene?

WOH́́
Ooh-woah-oh-ohhh…

LOWKEY
Portal to a new dimension?
Stars, I just can't take the tension!

WOH́́
Can't take the tension!
Ooh-woah-oh-ohhh…

LOWKEY
Did your empire collapse and fall?
Did you shrink yourselves down really small?
Or take off to Andromeda?
Can't explain these phenomena…

What happened to the Tracers?
Would you have been allies
Or instead spelled out our demise?
Have we become your replacers?
I guess we'll never know

LOWKEY & WOH́́
Oh Tracers how you baffle me so


LOWKEY
See the Traces down below
Ancient graces, modern shows
I've been wond'rin my whole life
If you were built in peace or strife

You the people who made them
To what sleep did you succumb?
We've seen your ruins, planetwide…
Please just let us know-

WOH́́
Oh no!

LOWKEY
-how you died!

(spoken)
Nah, who am I kidding.

LOWKEY & WOH́́
(singing)
This is the tale of the Tracers!
One question on my mind:
The answer much too hard to find.
Is yours the fate of all spacers?
I hope it isn't so
Oh Tracers, wherever did you go… 

[A corrupted version of the theme song plays, repeating the line "Are you there?"]

EMMA
Thank you for listening to ROGUEMAKER. This episode, “The Only Way Out”, was written by Emma Johanna Puranen and directed by Rook Mogavero and Emma Johanna Puranen. The script was edited by Rook Mogavero and Shaoni C. White, with sensitivity reading by Caroline Mincks. Sound editing was by Emma Johanna Puranen. Original music was composed by Emily Branam and Tatyana Archtander, with music consultation by Nooria Ahmed. Our cover art is by Tatyana Archtander.

In order of appearance, this episode featured the voices of:

NHEA
Nhea Durousseau as Alyss Obelus

LIZ
Liz Morey as Kuzha Tvask

EMMA
Emma Johanna Puranen as Ship

SAM Y
Sam Yeow as No Go

STEPHEN
Stephen Indrisano as Tarsul

ALASDAIR
Alasdair Stuart as Malachi Tessera

ROOK
Rook Mogavero as Chasma Jump Cannon

ALEX
Alexandra Rose DeAngelis as Woh Ollum

OMAR
Omar Camps-Kamrin as Lowkey Madigan

BONNIE
Bonnie Calderwood Aspinwall as Pascal Almagest

AXANDRE
Axandre Oge as Valencio “Trip” Triptych

EMMA
And:


SAM L
Sam Laporte as Jawn Batalha


EMMA
This episode also featured:


MARTA
Marta da Silva as Mama

DAVID
David S. Dear as Papa


EMMA
And:

BEUS
Beus Lunaire as Sandrine

EMMA
Additional voices were by Tatyana Archtander, Ali Hylton, Emma Johanna Puranen, Scott Paladin, Oran Talbot, Kirsty Woolven, Tal Minear, Interiority, and Oscar “Tumbleweed Tom” Ramos, Jr.

Last but not least, our vibe checker was:

BRUCE THE CAT
Mrow!

EMMA
For transcripts and more, check out our website, roguemaker.space.

If you’ve enjoyed the show, please consider rating and reviewing ROGUEMAKER on your podcatcher of choice. You can also follow @roguemakerpod on Twitter and Instagram, tell a friend about us, or buy us a coffee on ko-fi.com/roguemaker. That’s k-o dash f-i dot com slash roguemaker.

And now comes the part where I drop my credits voice. I’d like to offer a final message, and a few very important thank-yous. This has been ROGUEMAKER’s season finale. We’ve released 10 episodes of this buckwild space mystery that is just so much more than any description can encapsulate. You probably don’t need me to tell you how much work it is to make an audio drama, so I’ll just say that it's true that it really does take a village.

I’d like to thank Dr. Moiya McTier, the creator of Exolore, for being so gracious in letting me borrow some concepts from episode 2 of her series while I was creating the ǵnonw. I’d also like to thank Dr. Martin Dominik for sitting down with me for an hour to explain gravitational microlensing and rogue exoplanet detection – hopefully I’ve put your expertise to good use! I’d also like to thank Kai Kandrysawtz for his linguistic expertise and his work developing the ǵnonw words featured in the show. I’d also like to thank Clara Brasseur and the Astronify folks for turning some real microlensing data into music we used in the show – how sick is that? Finally, I’d like to thank the thirty people who played ROGUEMAKER back when it was a LARP – getting to watch real people embody these characters made writing dialogue for them a breeze and a joy. This wouldn’t exist without you.

We’re not done just yet – keep an eye on our feed for more upcoming content – bonus episodes, a lot of bloopers, a science-of-ROGUEMAKER episode, and Q&As! If you’ve got a question for us, you can PM us on our socials, or email us at roguesfpod@gmail.com. We might answer it on our Q&As!

Thank you so much for coming on this ride with us. Take care of each other, and stay safe out there.




TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Thank you for reading our transcript!  Thank you for reading our transcript!  This was pasted in from the google doc (available here), so apologies for any spacing weirdness or formatting errors. This episode was transcribed by Rook Mogavero. If you've noticed any mistakes, have any accessibility concerns, or have any other questions/issues regarding the transcripts, please email us at roguesfpod@gmail.com and we'll do our best to address/fix whatever it is as soon as possible! I really hope you've enjoyed ROGUEMAKER!!!! :) -RM