S2 E7: Epilogue

A visitor surveys the remains of a once verdant planet.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Ah, have you anything to report? Yes, your majesty, I
regret to inform you that about two hours ago we
lost contact with quaz Our one's neural microchip. We can
only assume that the chip and quaiz Our one with

(00:24):
it we're destroyed. May we also assume that her mission
was a success. With all due respect, I avoid making
any assumption. Rather than, as Suley's be kind to me,
said Bratron, rather than assume, we will send the probe

(00:46):
to see if quaz Our one was successful. The cold
dead planet should now be alive. In fact, it will
be quite something to see. Remember, a partial extinction occurred
two hundred fifty years ago. Since it was not near total,
the surviving species should be thriving, especially now that there

(01:10):
are fewer predators, well different predators. Mm hmm. This could
allow for a significant evolutionary surge within twenty million years.
We might be inferred we won't be around to witness it.
We could be explain. The probe we send will take

(01:30):
soil samples and atmospheric meetings. We have often discussed ending
the Nightingales mission once we find a planet that is
properly habitable, wouldn't it be fitting for us to establish
economy on the planet that Quasar one herself restored Extron

(01:50):
rather than send an unwomanned probe. Is there any reason
why we couldn't send a piloted capsule mm hmm. It
seems unnecessary use of our resources without first let me
rephrase that Zebtron prepare a piloted capsule. I'm going to
examine Helio's three. You you, your highness, will you defy me?

(02:15):
You general quagmire or old people, Your majesty, I only
she was my daughter. I wish to visit her grave
and see with my own eyes whether or not she
succeeded in her mission. Your majesty, please take some time
to consider, getically speaking, the chances of you arriving on

(02:42):
I don't suppose you'd agree to having a co pilot.
At least Clarion four is especially go alone, and so
the Queen pilots are space capsule to the surface of

(03:06):
Elio's three m h manually guiding the craft. I see

(03:30):
what appears to be level stable ground. H ah. I've
set a laser target on that area. Will you read
that target and will control your descent from here? Prepared

(03:51):
for landfall in chick five four three que mine m
h m m hm. Request status check, my queen. I've

(04:19):
landed safely. Systems appear to be fully operational. Everything here
looks good. Tell me your heart is Tell me how
do things look outside the capsule? Can you hear me,

(04:39):
my queen? No? Please? No? What do you mean? The
planet I'm on he's still born. It's the same cold, gray,
airless moon that quays are One found when she first arrived.

(05:03):
But that's simply not possible. No atmosphere, no water, no
evidence of life of any kind. But the data would
suggest I suppose we will have to accept the fact
that quays are One has failed. She made a noble

(05:24):
your ma, lady. No one could neither we know her
chances of success were while that is incosible, extremely improbable. Yes,
well you don't know quays are One the way I
knew her. If there had been away, she would have

(05:46):
found it. But even so, I suppose it was too
much to hope for it. Zemtron, you should have just
let me assume. I am sorry your jesty, genuinely. Oh

(06:08):
it's fine, it's fine. We had to come and see.
We had to know to be sure. Perhaps you would
like a moment alone before we bring you back. Yes,

(06:29):
that would be nice, but I wish to ask for
your indulgence. Indulgence, but you are the Queen. Anything. I
would like to walk on this planet, touch the very
ground she walked upon. What do you say is abtron?

(06:54):
How dangerous is it? I see no reason why she
couldn't If there's no atmosphere, the contamination risk is low.
That's good news. This you'll need to be careful to
flush out your wish is our command, your Highness, And
if you wish to switch off your communicator for a

(07:19):
moment of silence, thank you. I shall enjoy your walk,
my Queen. Stand by to pressurize suit suit pressurized, prepare

(07:39):
to release airlock. You may open the hatch by your
own controls opening capsule hatch now h m hm. I'm
free to just get out and walks. Three is all yours.

(08:07):
We will be here when you're ready to be launch.
Just be careful, please, ye Nightingale, this is Queen. Can
you hear me? Queen to Nightingale, can you hear me? Cetron? Well,

(08:36):
off we go. Then, I hope his calculations were correct.

(08:58):
The air tran feeling of your no has been broken.
Please replace your helmet or return to a pressurization chamber.

(09:19):
So this is what it was all for. For two hours,
I experienced a joy and beauty that no other human
would ever know. I walked upon the surface of Helios three,

(09:46):
a verdant, vibrant planet, rich in atmosphere, teeming with life,
fragrant with vegetation. I removed my helmet to feel the
warmth of the sun upon my face. I sat at
the base of a tree and gazed in wonder at

(10:08):
the valley that opened below me. At one point, I
realized tears were streaming down my cheeks. I had to
ask myself for whom was I weeping For quasar One,
who gave her life in order for this planet to

(10:29):
flourish as it had, for myself, knowing I would soon
return to the tiny capsule end to life in the
artificially ventilated atmosphere of the spaceship Nightingale. Soon my entire

(10:52):
face was streaked with water, and I realized I was
caught in a shower of rain m and anointed by
the waters of Helios three Renaissance. I returned to my capsule.

(11:16):
I returned to Nightingale. Hmmm mmm, the type of your
helmet has been broken. Replace your helmet or return to

(11:39):
a pressurization. Before I sealed myself inside the helmet and space,
I drew one final breath of air from helios three.
Please replace your helmet, and I held in that breath
the intoxicating perfume of life. Uncorrupted air typed seal of
your helmet and before it has been broken, capsule hatch

(12:04):
door is sealed. I carried the breath of life back
into my capsule. Capsule system online, Queen to Nightingale, I

(12:29):
am ready to return. Capsule systems chopping more for us
to do here, Get me out now. Navigations checked, now
engaging remote navigation launch sequence activated. Virgo probe ready for

(12:49):
launch in seven six, five, four three two one. The

(13:31):
Control Group is a production of iHeart Radio, written and
directed by Brett Wood, recorded and mixed by Rob Gal,
featuring Tess Malice Kincaid, Alexandra Bicken, Hannah Fierman, Minka Wiltz,

(13:56):
Merry Kraft, Tim Habigger, and Keith Brooks, also starring Jennifer Bates, Brandon, Duke, Gill, Epplin, Frankel,
Rachel Frawley, Max Habiger, Shelby Hofer, Danielle May, Kelly O'Neill,

(14:23):
Lisa Paulson, Claire Reynolds, Clayton Romero, Richard Harlan Smith, David Webber,
Troy Willis, Addison Wood, Special thanks Sarah Beth Hester, Flournoy

(14:46):
Holmes and Becky Shawn. Music composed and performed by Rob Gaal.
The executive producer is Ben Bolen. Supervising producer Paul Decant,