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April 17, 2020 43 mins

The return of General Qulan with an army from the provinces offers hope of stability to the city recovering from a recent coup. But with them has come Herod’s ambitious mother Fatima, a new player if the fight for power. Meanwhile the slave merchant, Bavand, has found his way back to Tumanbay. With debts to pay he turns to his one remaining “asset”, his daughter Matilla. Tumanbay is created by John Scott Dryden and Mike Walker. Visit www.tumanbay.com to see full credits and download scripts.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
M h. Come in this. I was just pally. Wings

(00:20):
will get better. I'm not worrying. We'll be fine. I
have known you since the moment your first through breath.
You're sad. I can see it. I always know with
you and Ima. Is it the boy? The kite boy?

(00:42):
It's nothing, so it is him. It's always about the
boys with girls of your age. When you have to
forget him, he's gone. That's how it is with these people.
He's not like that. Well he's not here, is he?
I was a girl. I know what it's like. But

(01:03):
the street boys, how could it ever be? Here's nothing,
here's no one. Your mother wouldn't have wanted this for you.
My mother is dead. Do you think she still doesn't
watch over you, care for you, guard you. I know
he'll come back, he promised. What was that? I thought

(01:27):
all the servants had gone when we couldn't pay them anymore?
They did? You know they did? Then? What's that? I'd gone? See?
It's like we'll go together. M hm. Thieves, it must be.

(01:58):
What shall we do? Mh. We need to see what's happening.
We need to run. This is my house. I'm not
running away. Come on, where the kitchen. We need a knife.
Follow me. No, this is madness. Stop. No, come on, father,

(02:28):
where's the money? Master? Is it really you welcome home?
It doesn't Where is the money? There is none When
you went away, they were bills to pay the tradesmen,
the city tuk, the servants wages. Even then we couldn't
keep them. We didn't know how long way? Father? Are

(02:49):
you all right? Do I look like I'm all right?
Everything has gone wrong. The gods are against the band,
against us. We've lost everything. But you said it was
going to be a prosperous voyage and that everything would
be I said, said, said. We were attacked at sea,
and and that bitch, that that slave woman, she cheated

(03:12):
me out of my share and left me fighting for
my life on a deserted shore. I did everything for her,
and she repaid me. And there's no slaves to sell,
no slaves, no ship, no nothing. Please, father six, you
look hungry. We haven't bereater of knowledge, chickpeas. Some welcome home, chickpeas.
At least we have the house I've borrowed against the house,

(03:36):
you fall. How do you think I raised the money
that bitch stole from me? You know, once they know
I'm back, the creditors will be here like like like
hungry rats, and we won't have anything. Think about it, think,
think what can we do? There must there must be
there always all that away out that has to be.

(03:57):
Perhaps we could sell some of the furniture in the market. Ciscopylar.
Of course, what a fool fan. You're losing your touch
this very day. As soon as it's like, we'll go
and see him, we'll draw up an agreement, have it
all signed and sealed by the evening, the marriage, your

(04:18):
marriage to Ciscopylar. Shame of you'll sell me to him?
That monster? Is that a monster? Is a very successful
business associate and a family friend. What about me? I'm
your daughter exactly, and what I daughter us for making
alliances through marriage? Ciscopilar is rich, he won't need a
bride price. He'll pay me. But master, look at her?

(04:41):
Are you blind? She's a child and he's seventy. You
can't father? You are all I have left to sell.
Human B Series three, episode six, Fatima by Mike Walker.

(05:11):
You know, oh, I'm just starving you. I was just
thinking a statue to her, to the alkin gold. It
could could be gold here. See it's it's beautiful. But

(05:39):
maybe now as things are, you know, perhaps you did
me to celebrate her life, what she was. They can
all see her, see what was lost. That's your loss,
your pain. But life must, life must go on every

(06:08):
moment that passes. She's there in my mind, in my heart,
and not there beside me, and never will be there again.
She is there in you every day, every moment I
can see that. Thank you, Harod. A messenger has arrived.

(06:31):
Your father, General Corline is returning with an army. They'll
behave before sunset. Who is army? My stepfather th govering
over she in province, This army that has no loyalty
to tumd me. My father took it upon himself to
just wasn't doing the right thing. The Balarua coming. We
have no army to speak of. We need help, something

(06:54):
to set against them. Yes, that's what she would have
said it. The messenger said, my mother is with the army. Mother,
my stepfather is away on a hunting trip. Apparently a
hunting trip is more important than his duty to Tuban Bay.

(07:18):
What is it? Something's not right? What do you mean?
My stuff father didn't like hunting. He never went hunting anyway.
She's with them, she's with the army, she's um with her.
You have to you can't look away, not for one moment.

(07:39):
And she's coming and we and we have to meet her.
A grand reception waits to welcome Coolan and this army
he's bringing home. Only it's not very grand. A few chamberlains,
a gaggle of palace guards, and are Sultana and her

(08:01):
husband like to worry children waiting for who knows what
how long? Now I can't see clearly the dust. As
they stand there. I see he touches her arm and
she brushes her hand against his. How times change? Mother,

(08:25):
Welcome to tuban Bay. Hi, pray, pray, boy, just save you,
Tuban Bay. Help me down someone? Yeah, that new mother,
what he remics you have performed. I did my duty, mother,
nothing more. I always knew you would achieve greatness, that

(08:47):
you had steal in you, even when you refuse to
hold a sword. It's a child. Now look at these hands,
the hands of a sultan, mother, my the Sultana, man
of the house. Yes, yes, your majesty, it is an

(09:11):
honor to share our forces with you. To protect our
great and wonderful city of tuman Bay. We in turn
offer you are thanks. Her retinue of women makes the
few slaves I've been able to gather holding their bowls
of rose water look shabby and second. Right now, I
would like to change to bathe. Of course I can

(09:32):
show you to your and you are Gregor, my lady,
master of the palace, guard brother of General Coulan, uncle
to the Sultana. Yes, I have heard much about you,
and I have you take my horse. Of course, Madam
Herod will walk with me. We have so much to

(09:55):
talk about. I have an uneasy feeling that a new
and dangerous piece has been introduced to the board at
a point when we hardly know what the game is,
never mind who might win or lose bother it. No,
now I grieve for your loss, and I feels shall

(10:19):
we father and daughter, who both mourned the same lover.
Did she die a well? How tangled the web we weave?
She did? And we laid her on a ship and
said her ashes out to sea. It seemed in keeping
with her life as a traveler. Father, are you all right?
We are united in grief, my daughter, as we should

(10:45):
be united. In our suspicion of this woman Fatima. She is,
without question. The day he's being held for trial, he escaped.
I'm afraid how is that possible? Why have you not
taken control of the situation here it You must be ruthless.
Cut out the poison. Then maybe we will find him

(11:07):
and he will pay. I can assure you assurance is
a cheap coin. Majesty, who has been assigned this task?
I have, my lady. I see well, Gregor, master of
the Palace Guard. Your record so far isn't exactly shining.
You will have to do better for me. I'll want
a full report what Gregor reports to me. Of course,

(11:38):
of course, I'm only trying to help my dear. This way,
my lady, follow me, and if it pleases you, my lady,
are these were the apartments of the chief wife of
Sultan Algori, who is strangled here? Yes, I must say

(12:01):
your record is becoming more tarnished by the moment. You know,
a great deal, a great deal too much for comfort.
I am interested in dynasties. Tommba has a troubled history.
Some say it's a poisoned throne. Who would want such
a seat in such a city. Well, I'm sure my

(12:24):
son Herod does and has proved himself worthy to sit
beside our Sultana. I'm sure I will leave you to
arrange yourself and your women. My guard will ensure your safety.
My own guard will take care of that with my son,
the palace guard. He doesn't need your army, Excellency, I

(12:45):
brought him one of his own. Is there anything else
the apartments for your husband? When he arrived, you may go.
I will bathe, wash away the dust of the journey. Oh,
when you may ask my son to come and see me,
we shall consult, of course, my living as you wish,

(13:08):
as I Wash'm not her damned messenger. Mm hmm. Mother,
you called for me, yes, come, I she was stay No,

(13:36):
I say yes, oh yes, m hmm. Sit my dear,
m h There have been rumors about your marriage, please mother,
So it's true you and your wife have not bed it. Mother.

(13:59):
You can't expect to produce children if you don't. So
who is this woman? Your wife weeps over her adviser
or her lover m hm both. Of course, if you
had been more of a man, you could have. But

(14:20):
now you're my dear sweet gentle boy and when it counted, Yes,
you stood up. She's dead. It doesn't matter anymore. Everything matters,
my dear, and all this may be for the best
or what you know, everything that happened, it makes your position,

(14:44):
our position more solid. That's enough. Now I need to rest.
I will leave you. Mother. You may fetch me a tab.
Don't look way you're ashamed of your mother. Look at me.

(15:05):
We are one flesh. You are eying herod? Am I
not still beautiful? Do you like what you see? Yeah?
Copy yourself. When you're a boy used to like looking
at me. I'm not a boy. More so I see

(15:29):
you are a man with the desires of a man
that I can see also, So act on it. Demand
your rights as a husband. You are destined for greenness.
A sultan of Tommy. You will found a great dynasty
that will last as long as the city stands. Get

(15:53):
that girl with child, she needs a heavy belly. Mhm.
There is to be a council meeting this afternoon. Go.
I wish to prepare myself. Perhaps you won't be invited
With ten thou armed men at my command? Isn't General Coolan,

(16:15):
Who's General Coulan? M These projects have been held up
awaiting finance and supplies. Herold seems to have taken the
trouble to inform himself. Maybe he really will make a difference.

(16:38):
Pull Mannell back into things. May I draw the council's
attention to the matter of the oldie respective Who are
you mother? Who are you the clerk of the town clerk? Right?
Are there not more important matters for this council to discuss.

(16:59):
I'm sorry my capturing the traitor Gordani the approaching armies
of the Ballarak uh so Um. I have heard a
message of congratulations from the Ballarak, congratulations for repelling the
cool and restoring or. They say they want to protect
to man Beer from further troubles and are sending a

(17:22):
delegation of advisors, which the Sultana and I considered to
be more menace than friendships. They are not noted for
their philanthropy. They you expect to be welcomed, and if
they are not, they presumably won't be best pleased. Wow,
thank you for sharing your experience in foreign affairs, Herod.

(17:45):
We must make a stand. I agree with General Coulan.
Really a general, now, are you? I was only trying
to No, No, Coula my friend. If you don't want
to see each you welcome them to the city. You
smile to their faces and hang her followers something like that. Yes,

(18:09):
victory does not always go to the iron fist, sometimes
to the silken noose. My lord, you have a guess
waiting in your rooms. I guess, he said, to let
you know. Is something wrong theret No, If you excuse me,

(18:30):
something I must deal with. I'll be actually m yes, hello,
is there anyone here? Sell them the door? God, you

(18:53):
may go and somehow you it is you? Who have
you been hiding? I thought it best. I am the
son of Tumana's greatest traitor. Hey, hey, hey, hey, it's
all right. It wasn't your fault. We can't choose who

(19:15):
our fathers are. I didn't know where to go. I
didn't know what to do. I just knew how to
see you. Come on, get up off your knees. We're friends.
It wasn't your fault. I mean to be honest. It
all turned out rather well for me, Thank god. I
was so concerned, but I couldn't do anything. It's that
like the whole city was against me, everyone looking for me.

(19:36):
I had no one to go to, no one to
don't worry. I won't tell anyone. I know what it's
like to be alone when I came to human Bey.
You are my only friend. I won't ever forget that.
But my father he I know you didn't have anything
to do with what your father did. He uses people.
We are friends and that's all that matters, all right.

(20:00):
What are you saying at Umslas Brusthel? You remember? How
could I forget? I just had to come and see
you to be sure you were all right. Now you're
on the council. Well, I'm so glad everything works out
for you. Oh they still look at me with narrow

(20:20):
eyes and with my mother here, it's you look tired,
my dear friend. Yes, well it's been a difficult time.
Perhaps you need a plaque so them no, hear me out,
because I have found a really amazing place with great people.
So then things have changed. I can't do that sort
of stuff anymore. Of course, of course I shouldn't have.

(20:44):
I shouldn't have spoken out of turn. Now it's fine.
I'm sorry. Have responsibilities. So what if if you brought
them the head of tuman Bas greatest traitor, my lord

(21:08):
the merchant bab I tell them to bring in the
tea and gigs now, ciscopular effinthing. How generous of you
to invite us, and how good to see you again,
old friends, old business rivers. Ah, lovely of course, Mattila

(21:30):
Ciscopila here always got the better of me, trewdest bargainer
in gigs ship's ship, both of you, if you'll forgive me,
cisco effinthy. I thought first, you thought making a public
display of your support for Tayland. Why it was a
good idea. But look where that got you and your

(21:53):
latest venture. Ah. Of course, I've only just returned from
business across the seat. I heard the was a disaster. No, no,
not at all. I just had need my help, my dear, Please,
I don't you eat? No? Thank you? Sing you sure cake,
honey kick, I'm not hungry, thank you. M hmm. Cast

(22:18):
your eyes down, dear when a man looks at you.
But she has a good temperament. But I hope you
haven't spoilt her. No, no, and she read, of course
not good. Your jewels are most becoming, my dear, My
mother's they were a gift, a loving gift that she perhaps,

(22:42):
if my sweet you were to go into the with
your permission, Cisco said, then we could talk the boarding stuff.
You know, perhaps your daughter would care to see the
fish in the pond? Yes, good show her the fish pond.
Mm hmm, she walks. Well, thank you. You're a fortunate

(23:05):
man baband to have a daughter who soon market plan,
of course, and for such a jewel, I will give
you one, assuming the jewels are part of the package.
Let's let's don't take too long, because I'm being very
generous given your circumstances. Please sit, excellency sir. Is he ready?

(23:47):
He's always ready? Then let's not waste time? Are you
What does that mean? Am I ready? Does it mean
anything at all? Huh? Did I make a mistake? Was
it to do with greg Or Herold? What should I do?

(24:14):
You know? He cannot tell you what to do? Should
I stay in hiding? Should I attempt a reconciliation? Really?
With who? You know? He cannot with the Sultana? Why

(24:36):
isn't the answering stupid question? With someone in the palace
a man, a woman, but not the Sultana, a woman
who has no history here? Mistress Fatima? H How can

(25:00):
I reach out to her to tell her I've I
have so much to offer, so many secrets. Ah, the
Golds do they know now, What, excellency, do they know
about the other places, the rest of the gold. Ah.

(25:23):
I need someone who understands the way the world turns
and has it, Gregor, he will be my go between.
It can be done a meeting, A meeting, Yes, yes, yess.
I begin to see everything is possible to the man
who sees the possibility of everything. So this is a

(25:47):
stop upon the way. That is all. But the journey
is not ended. What what now? Yah? He says, you
must not leave the city today. It is not propitious, Lee,

(26:14):
I hope only just begun sort of exciting. You know
what is? Come on three here skulking through the streets
and disguise. I'll miss it. I'm miss being with you. Well,

(26:36):
once we're settled, and I mean ellis looking after the babies.
And it doesn't look very promising. It's just a cafe.
He's upstairs. He's been hiding it ever since it's happened.
Looks and um, I just thought of something. I mean,

(26:59):
here we are, but yeah, I mean I don't even
have a sword. I do and Herod, we have to
do this. We have to finish what we started. You mean,
actually cut his head off. He's fat and sick. There

(27:19):
won't be any trouble. You will be the true and
only hero of tuman Bab. You have to find a
college to do this. How are you ready? I'm ready.
They've probably put on a statue to you. He's sleep.

(27:47):
Come on, herold now, I'll be ready for your drink
after this. What do they mean? This there so narrow?
M hm h m hm, oh, don't I tell her

(28:07):
the egg dot? I don't understand. Where is he tonight?
You drink the wine of paradise and dream of paid
virgins my foot? M hm, I'm sleep. M h I'm sorry.

(28:45):
I sit in my tower and look down over the city,
and I feel it's life, like a million lights in
the darkness, so bright, some mere glimmers in the far distance.
M hm m hey, stop, who are you? A cafe

(29:13):
of the tree of Sorrows and narrow stairs? Come alone? Day?
He must be desperate to take such a risk, or
is this just another move on the board sillium? Father,

(29:45):
I did it? What are you talking about? I killed him?
M hm, who do you? I thought I thought it
would be easy, but horribly. He took so long, so
so much blood. So you stupid, stupid idiot, the idiot

(30:09):
son of an idiot. Mother. May the gods curse the
day I had her, and double curse the day she
had you. Do you have any idea of what you
have done? And sent word to Gregor to come here
and meet me alone to make a deal. And now
he's going to find this. We we could he came.

(30:36):
The boy has an idea. Let's kill the most dangerous
man in two men by no, no, well, there's only
one thing to do. What's that? You will do what
you do? I don't understand you clean things up, So
clean this up. Let's let's no but nothing do it?

(31:01):
Make it go away, and then go away yourself, and
then meet me at the water, go to dawn with
a camel. Do you understand? Yes? Yes, father, yes, father.

(31:29):
I'm intrigued by this message. Can Dally calls me here?
And here there is nothing except the faint aroma of blood?
What has been done in this place? Ah? Sit sit, excellency.

(31:53):
How can I serve you sweet tea and mint tea, safronteer,
information and coffee to eat? I think not serve it
as you would for a funeral, boy, funeral coffee, one said,
the room at the back up the stairs, excellency, Yeah,

(32:17):
young fellow and other men are big heavy anyone Else's
not my business, of course, I just want it good coffee,
h not too hot. I am known for my funeral
gold flapper. Do you know whose funeral? Excellency? Perhaps the
room is your business, after all, this has developed solo.

(32:46):
The cafe is named after many centuries ago they used
to be. That doesn't interest me. You said the water
was foul this morning. Yes, we had to use a
system at the crossroads. Oh, still doesn't spend so good.
This is where the young man was seen. No longer

(33:06):
faint now an odor I know all too well. The
boy will send him down. He'll need a torch, some animal,
you think what I'd be wasting my time with an animal?
No sort, the excellency, the boy why well, what smells bad?

(33:35):
What he was deady? Of course? No? Stop? Stop? What
what what is it? Why? Why you what? Look? I

(33:55):
never knew a head would be as heavy. M hm
m h. The fury of the bereaved mother has often
been written about in the great tragedies of ancient times,
but here she's coming and now my lady, I am

(34:19):
so later Gregor where is he? Where is my soul? Madame?
De body was say the condition in pieces, my shock
in a basket to what she says, Yes, the Sultana

(34:51):
should I never like this like like but chess stool,
excellency madame. Yes, we can help me and my assistant yes,

(35:17):
who I um. We are artists, madam, artists after death.
What my assistant means is that we make the dead
look as they were in in life. It's what we do.
You can bring him back to life, no no, no no,

(35:44):
But we can restore everything short of the breath of
life itself, with tread and wax, baste and powder, and
then you can send him off on his journey as
you would wish to see him go. It will be
as if the sultan head intersparadise in his sleep, well

(36:05):
more or less, since there are a few bits missing,
But there's nothing we can't do. We have a pen
of slaves for anything we might need to add. I
know some of the grieving like them. Have that gentleman
a little enhanced, as it were. But do your best work.

(36:26):
You will be well rewarded, of course. But of course,
in the end, no matter how old or how far away,
what does happen between you? Or do you? They are
your little boy? Put this in aside. Yes he loved

(36:51):
it as a baby. Let him hold it, but let
no one see. Of course, m your best work, mind
my name. I do not accept your explanations. Commander your

(37:18):
son yet dangerous company, madam? As do you? I am
used to handling thieves and spies. I wasn't referring to
thieves and spies, even so I warnt him time and
time again. The city is a dangerous place at night.
There are factions, the blues, the yellows. There are the guilds,

(37:40):
not all of them trades, mora artists. There are darker,
more dangerous arts. And was it not your job to
protect your sultan wherever he might be, a silent presence,
never disturbing, always at hand. Isn't that what people like
you are supposed to do? What are you standing there for?

(38:02):
Open the door? I have only now heard the news.
My heart is with you in this moment of pain
and sorrow, the whole of I don't want your pity.
I won't accept it. He saved your life, He saved
your throne, and you used him, all of you. I

(38:25):
can assure of nothing. Those who did this, those who
allowed this to happen, will pay. The city will pay
for my son's life. It is my loss too. Gregor,
go find out who Commander Gregor, a man of fearsome reputation,

(38:46):
Why I dare say in the far provinces, mother's scared
disobedient children with his name. I can assure you I
don't want to hear. Indulge me, majesty. Let me tell
you a story from when I was a child. Of course,

(39:11):
in the forest around our village there was a terrible ogre.
It was said that once he came roaring out of
the trees and took a whole family and ate them
live stock, and all this happened in the time of
my grandfather's grandfather. And after his terrible meal, the ogre
sat down with his back against a mighty fur and

(39:33):
went to sleep. The villagers all lived in fear of
waking him, so they crept around, never used hammers, built cottages,
held dances, or ran the temple bell or even kept
noisy goats for years and years and years. And then

(39:57):
one day a child running through the forest came upon
the terrible Logo, but she knew nothing about him. And
she approached and reached out a finger and tweaked one
terrible toe, and it crumbled away into dust, as did

(40:19):
the terrible Ogre, because he had rotted away from inside
and was merely a shell, and nothing more like to
mend me. Let us stop playing these games. Power rest

(40:41):
in the hand that holds the hilt and wields the sword.
Ask your father. He will tell you it is true.
And I have ten thousand hands, and ten thousand hills,
and ten thousand swords. And now, if you're most acious
Majesty will allow me, I shall withdraw to mourn for

(41:05):
my son. What happened to my sweet? Why are you crying?
It's all like a slave, not a slave, a wife.
It's an honorable position. Day here, girl, you will obey

(41:26):
me your master, don't. She's only a child. I have
no intention of her together, because I'm valuable kids. You
are a disobedient daughter. You will stay in your room
until you can behave properly. You'll get used to it.
Everyone does. I won't. I won't. I'd rather die. I

(41:54):
can't die. He would look after Emma, help me someone
else me. Their stars have smooth to hurt me. The
sky itself looks down on my suffering. The mountains are distant,

(42:20):
the snow glitters on the summons, But he is ever
denight to me. Oh what, m frock? I told you

(42:45):
I'd come back, didn't I didn't I? Season three, Episode
six of tuman Bay, Fatima, featuring Tara Fitzgerald, Rufus Wright,
Finn Elliott, and Humera Said, was written by Mike Walker,

(43:09):
with music by Sasha Putnam and editing and sound design
by Eloise Whitmore. Tuman Bay is directed by Me, John
Scott Dryden, created by Me and Mike Walker, and produced
by Emma Herne and Nadia Khan. For more details, including
scripts and castle list, visit tumuan Bay dot com
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Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

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