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Verdant Heart, Episode 2: Pleasant is the Fairy Land

Find Verdant Heart: Spotify, Amazon, Google Podcasts, Stitcher (Apple Podcasts Link TBD), and anywhere else fine podcasts are served.

SCENE ONE JANNAH’S CAMPSITE [the sounds of the outdoors fill the air, with the more obvious sound of footsteps through underbrush. The long drag of a tent zipper, and the rustles of the flaps pushed aside.]

JANNAH I believed you when you said Dr. Simons was an outdoorsman, but I did not expect to find quite as much camping equipment available on the station. [A cheerful tune played on dulcimer begins, underscoring the conversation.]

SHAY Lucky for you that you’ve got similar interests! I think this campsite looks great. Your mom is really going to let you sleep out here?

JANNAH She trusts me. Besides, it’s close enough to the station, she’s not really concerned. I mean, the site is visible from the station balcony.

SHAY Great, I can wave goodnight to you whenever you’re out here.

JANNAH [saccharine, but glad] How sweet of you. [in a normal tone] You know, you can stay out here with me, if you’d like. There’s plenty of room.

SHAY [with avoidance] I don’t know, I need quite a bit of leg room, or else I’ll wake up with all kinds of aches. I’m also pretty sure I snore…

JANNAH [cajoling] Oh, come on! It would be fun.

SHAY I don’t doubt it, but…

JANNAH [interrupting] But you’re scared.

SHAY [defensive] Not scared, just wary.

JANNAH We’ve been investigating together, without telling my mom or Waterman for, what, two weeks now? If you want to keep digging, you’re going to have to put some of your wariness aside and take some risks.

SHAY [a little uncomfortable] I think you and I just have different approaches. What are you hoping to find by camping out?

JANNAH I’m not sure I’m looking for anything in particular, as much as I just know I’ll enjoy it.

SHAY That’s fair. I think Dr. Simons would be impressed.

JANNAH Maybe this will help me get inside his head, so I can understand what might have happened?

SHAY Of course. The “method acting”, approach.

JANNAH [thoughtful] I mean, that’s why you get out into the woods, anyways, isn’t it? To be more a part of nature, to understand what it’s like to live in it. I don’t think it has to be so different for people.You knew him in person, what do you think?

SHAY Like I said, I think you’d get along. He was always putting in all kinds of extra effort. One of the reasons Dr. Waterman admires him so much, since they’re both notorious overachievers…

JANNAH And you’re not? I mean, you put in a ridiculous amount of effort, too.

SHAY I suppose I’ve just had to develop a strategy for conserving my energy… and playing to my own strengths, of course.

JANNAH You might be selling yourself short.

SHAY And you might be burning yourself out. Remember, anything you write up to report to the Administration has to be up to Dr. Waterman’s standards.

JANNAH [resigned] I think it’s going to be easier for me to understand Dr. Simons’ methods than hers.

SHAY It will get easier when you’ve known her for longer. She’s been doing research for the Administration for a long time. Even though she’s the senior researcher, she still feels like she has a lot to prove.

JANNAH I can respect that. I guess… I want to prove my worth, too.

SHAY [after a short beat] I felt that way, for a while. Honestly… Sometimes I’m not sure what to make of this mission.

JANNAH Settlement programs, I think. I mean, I wouldn’t mind living here. Kind of quiet, but some people like that.

SHAY You’re from Rhea, you know how crowded things are getting. But FC39 is quite the little fixer-upper if they want it to sustain a large population. Besides, we know there's funding being put towards developing cities on planets more like Clio and Sybil, and we’re certainly not getting that support.

JANNAH [joking] Tourism, maybe? The Perseus campground?

SHAY [laughs] Maybe! You can write the first review.

JANNAH Isn’t it worth looking around, even if this isn’t humanity’s next big backyard?

SHAY [more serious] Of course. I love studying the ecosystem here, but I’d be perfectly happy to stop and just leave it all alone to thrive without interruption.

JANNAH But suppose you find something really groundbreaking?

SHAY Then, I’d make my detailed report and recommendations on how to recreate it elsewhere. I’m all for exploration, discovery—but we ought to improve things back home, too. Just because we have the resources to be out here doesn’t mean that humanity’s existing residences don’t still need a lot of help.

JANNAH A little weary from being away from the city?

SHAY That’s not it entirely. I guess I’m just impatient to actually apply what I’ve found out here. I thought that was why I was brought on this mission… because I’m searching for solutions. For example, I want to get some of the seedlings of the most nutrient-rich plant varieties we’ve cultivated in the greenhouse to some community gardens back in the city. I don’t want to live here on FC39, or for anyone else to live here for that matter. But, I still think there’s a sustainable way to make all the time we’ve spent here worth the effort.

JANNAH What if we didn’t find anything here that you could use? Only poisonous peonies to look pretty in a window box, at best. There’s plenty out here you’ve got no way of taking home, beyond telling people that it’s out here, and it’s beautiful.

SHAY As sad as it is to admit, many people don’t care— or at least, don’t have the resources to be able to care—about the wondrous expanse of the universe we live in.

JANNAH But you care. That’s obvious.

SHAY I have the luxury of caring. I’ve never been an adventurer, Jannah, just a problem solver.

JANNAH [thoughtful] When I go to write my reports, let me know how I can support interest in your work.

SHAY Thanks, Jannah. I’m glad you understand.

JANNAH I understand a little bit, I guess. Because I’ve got to make one thing clear, and I’m not sure you’ll like it.

SHAY What’s that?

JANNAH No matter how many interesting or useful things we find here, I can’t leave until I know what happened to Dr. Simons. I just know the unsolved mystery will haunt me for the rest of my life.

SHAY [a sigh, perhaps a little bitter] Let’s hope you really can solve it, then, because I’m sure this place will start wearing you down soon enough.

SCENE TWO THE FOREST [the push of a button, beginning a recording. The sounds of the forest can be heard through the background.]

[throughout the scene, Jannah’s voice can be heard through the slight fuzz of an audio transmission.]

JANNAH [very officially] Jannah Faulkner, exploration mission seventeen, field transmission two-point-one. [less formal] I know it’s been weeks since I first heard it, but I can’t stop thinking about Dr. Simons’ recording, especially now that I’m transmitting from the field myself. Even though I’m not really supposed to be doing this at all… I’m glad to be doing it professionally. And Shay, since you’re listening, at least, you deserve the courtesy.

I wonder if we can figure out how to get the recorder to sync with the station computer more often, so that you can hear my messages on less of a delay? I suppose it doesn’t really matter since you’re busy with station chores, anyway. That, and… hiding the fact I’m out here alone from my mom and Waterman. Just remember I really appreciate you.

I don’t think I’ve forgotten any important supplies, so even though Mom won’t like that I’ve been coming out here alone… at least I came prepared. Plenty of water, my good shoes, long socks—never know what sorts of itchy things you might walk through out here.

Speaking of itchy, the bugs here really seemed to like the taste of my blood, so I’m hoping these long sleeves will deter them on this trip.

I suppose if anything really nasty tries to get a taste of me, I could try and catch it in one of my containers, but I’d rather save those for plant specimens. We’ve got some amazing things back in the greenhouse, but we aren’t even close to having a sample of everything, and I really want you to see some of this stuff up close.

[a short beat.]

You know, I think it’s interesting we haven’t run into anything really… predatory out here yet. I have my big knife, just in case. It’s for gathering, really, but there’s a little part of me that keeps expecting to see some kind of huge, green, FC39 mountain lion jump out of the thicket. Maybe because that’s the simplest explanation for what happened to Dr. Simons… but there’s no signs of large animals. This planet really is ruled by the trees.

I’m not scared. [with determination] Well, I am, but if we’re ever going to learn anything about this forest beyond just around the station, someone has got to stop being afraid of the planet. Right. So, I’ve got your map, the one you drew up from your tracking of Dr. Simons’ final expedition, and I’ve got my map from last week’s trip. I originally followed the first stretch of his path, the long trek north, but since I didn’t find much, I think I’m going to cut directly west to his last known location after he veered suddenly southwest.

I consider myself to have a pretty good sense of direction, but I’d be lost without all our location tech. Even though I’m miles from the station, the forest still looks the same as it does just outside: ancient, mossy trees; a carpeting of ferns; fungi sprouting up from rich decay.

What is different, however, is how much louder it is out here, compared to near the station. There’s more bugs, birds, and little treetop mammals—as if they stay away from where the humans have built their nest. I do have a new favorite: this little blue-green bird that matches the leaves as much as it does the sky. It’s so hard to spot, since it’s really small and really fast, but if you pay attention, you’ll see it snatching bugs with that keen little beak. I don’t think we should catch one, it seems cruel to have any captive animals in the station, but maybe we could come out to record some of its calls? I’m sure someone in the Administration would find that interesting.

[her conversational tone dies off as she gets distracted.] [mysterious music begins]

Hang on, what’s that…? Do you see—well, of course you can’t. But it’s some sort of huge, gray mass—I can see it just through the trees, there.

[her footsteps become louder as she picks up her pace.]

[in awe] It’s… wow. It’s a wreck. Some kind of massive battleship driven into the dirt, like a broken shell half-buried on the beach. I know it’s a ship, because that’s unmistakably an engine that’s attached to the side—at least, it used to be attached.

It’s on the ground now, and there’s this big exposed break high in the air that’s just dripping with creeping leaves and vines. I mean, just from the amount of growth on this thing, it’s got to be years old.

Decades, maybe. There’s lichens and moss on the outer layers, but where the glass panels are gone, the openings are full of leaves.

It’s that thick, space-proof glass, too, so… it must have shattered on impact? Or maybe just all this time without any sort of maintenance… [a long pause as her footsteps pace slowly closer]

I wonder what it looks like on the inside. [grunts of exertion and the reverberation of metal.] Okay, [with heavy breathing] So, I’m curious, but climbing up the side like that is definitely a stupid idea. Let me just… try just circling around.

[regaining her breath] There’s some numbers on the side here, painted pretty big. Maybe there’s a serial— [she cuts herself off.]

[with realization] Oh. Shay, there’s… The name of the ship. It’s the T.A.S. Carterhaugh.

[a very long beat.]

[a bit defensive] I mean, It’s just a wreck. It doesn’t feel any more dangerous than anywhere else I’ve been. The wind blows just as gently, the critters chatter their same conversations, there’s no immediate sense of… dread, or anything. But, I suppose, Dr. Simons wouldn’t have needed to warn us if there wasn’t anything here.

[she pauses for a moment, then clicks her tongue and continues with determination.] Sorry, you’re going to kill me if I get eaten by something, but you’ll have to get in line behind my mom!

[the rustling of foliage and the crunch of dirt and glass shards]

[nervous] Here we go!

[the wreck’s interior greatly dulls the sounds of the forest. It can still be heard, but rather muffled underneath the shifting of old metal and Jannah’s soft footsteps.]

[with exertion] Well, since the ship isn’t upright, the floor is all slanty—if that’s even the floor? [thoughtful] It could be a wall. Or a strangely-angled ceiling. It looks like I’ll have to do a bit more climbing around, which is tough while holding the recorder… I’ll be back.

[the fuzz of the transmission momentarily clicks off, then clicks on again.]

[a little overwhelmed] Hey again. So… This wreck is big. I haven’t gone too far because I want to be able to find the entrance again. It’s definitely been here a long time, anything electronic ceased functioning years ago. [more solemn] There’s also… no signs of any crew. I mean, it was manned, once, judging by the sheer amount of weapons, uniforms, tools, and various belongings. But there aren’t any… remains. [more to herself] I wonder if they survived the crash?

[a moment of silence as she contemplates.]

[returning to the task] Anyway. I finally found something of particular interest to us. There’s this big, circular room—I think part of the engineering section, ‘cause it has this huge high ceiling, and there’s workstations lining the wall. None of the panels are functioning, of course. But, the ceiling is broken so there’s piles of dead leaves in here, and in those dark places under the workstations… [very cheerful] some beautiful little mushrooms! There’s also a small tree twisting around some scaffolding, but that isn’t anywhere near as exciting as new fungi.

[a light laugh]

It’s getting late, and I ought to head back to the station soon, but I’m just going to get a few samples first.

[the flick of her knife opening, and the unscrewing of a container lid. Someone interrupts her.]

LIN [with cold authority] Stop.

[Jannah gasps and the recorder abruptly cuts off as it is dropped.]

SCENE THREE LIN [warning] You should not be here, and you should not do that.

JANNAH [nervous] I-I almost sliced my finger off instead of a piece of mushroom… w-who are you?

LIN Why are you doing this?

JANNAH I’m just taking samples. I’m a researcher… exploring is what I do. What do you do, exactly?

LIN I am the guardian of this place.

JANNAH A guardian… wait, are you a ghost?

LIN [a little annoyed] No.

[the rustle of leaves as Jannah tries to stand and move away. It cuts off as Lin pulls tight on Jannah’s arm.]

JANNAH [rather nervous] Right. That’s… definitely a corporeal grip on my wrist you’ve got, there.

LIN You cannot enter this place without my permission.

JANNAH [takes a deep breath, then speaks plainly but somewhat defiantly] It’s my job to study the planet. This wreck is a part of that exploration. I didn’t know I needed anyone’s permission, [drifting into a mumble] though I suppose my mother and Dr. Waterman might not approve of me being—

LIN [interrupting, harsh] Stop talking. Why would you… injure the life that grows here?

JANNAH: [defensive] I didn’t! Well, I guess I did. But they’re just mushrooms—

[a bit of rustling caused by a brief struggle. The flick of Jannah’s knife being taken and opened is heard under the following line.]

LIN: And this is just your neck.

JANNAH: [with fear] Okay. Easy. Please. [a brief sigh of relief— Lin has backed off.] I’m sorry. I didn’t know that someone lived here. LIN I do not… live here.

JANNAH But you are… alive, right?

LIN I may have lived here once. I do not remember.

JANNAH Are you alone?

LIN I cannot be alone if you, and the others you spoke of, are here as well.

JANNAH No, I meant—Never mind. I suppose that’s true. Will you—do you think you can put that knife down?

LIN How can I be sure you will not do anything to harm me or this place?

JANNAH [a nervous laugh] First of all, you’re way bigger than me, and certainly stronger. It’s not like I could fight you or anything. I wouldn’t stand a chance.

LIN Very well.

[the knife clatters on the floor where Lin tosses it.]

JANNAH You’re still… I don’t suppose you can loosen that iron grip, too?

LIN Stop squirming. I will not harm you without reason.

JANNAH [a squeak] And, um… what might qualify as a reason to harm me?

LIN If you refuse to comply.

JANNAH Comply with—with what?

LIN You must leave. Immediately.

JANNAH Leave? The wreck, or the planet?

LIN Both, ideally. Is that possible?

JANNAH Nope. The only starship on the planet is the one you and I are standing in, as far as I know. The other researchers and I are stuck here until our superiors send us a ride.

LIN These other researchers you speak of… they are human, like you?

JANNAH Don’t you mean like us? I mean despite your sort of… weird aura, you seem pretty human, too.

LIN You didn’t answer my question.

JANNAH Of course we’re all human. Plain as can be. Never met anyone who wasn’t, so answer my question: are you?

LIN [a beat of thought, but then firm] No.

JANNAH Oh. What are you, then?

LIN [defensive] I do not owe you any more answers.

JANNAH I’m just curious.

LIN Curiosity will get you into trouble.

JANNAH [a bit hesitant] Did you ever meet another human out here? Maybe by the name of Arthur Simons?

LIN I am… not sure. Even if I had, I am not sure I would have asked his name.

JANNAH He was a researcher, like me. He got hurt, I think… told us to stay away from here.

LIN Why did you not heed this Arthur Simons’s warning?

JANNAH Like I said: I’m curious.

LIN Foolish, more.

JANNAH Perhaps. That’s why I want all the information I can get, so I can make wiser choices going forward.

LIN All that you need to know is that you must leave.

JANNAH [almost smug] Can’t do that with you holding me so tightly.

[a thud and rustle as Lin drops Jannah onto the ground.]

LIN [uncaring] Better?

JANNAH Ow…[a rustle as she sits up] Look, I can’t just leave. I have to understand what’s going on here. Who you are.

LIN A mystery is not always worth the danger. [music begins: soft, friendly, curious]

JANNAH I disagree. I’m very invested in this. This wreck, this planet… you.

LIN You should not concern yourself with me.

JANNAH Aren’t you the guardian? That seems important.

LIN The guardian, perhaps. But this is not my planet. I am not important.

JANNAH [gentle] Everyone is important.

LIN [insistent] I will not ask you again. You must leave.

JANNAH Help me up off the ground.

[a rustle as Lin complies. Jannah advances a bit to cling to Lin’s hand and shoulder.]

LIN Don’t—don’t touch me.

JANNAH Are you sure you aren’t human? You feel human… just a little cold.

LIN [genuinely soft] You are very warm.

JANNAH [a little louder as she notices something] Hey, what’s this dirty badge? If I can clean it off… [the sound of metal being rubbed with cloth] …there. “T.A.M. Lin”? Lin… Is that your name?

LIN [with hesitance] I… maybe once. I cannot recall.

JANNAH Well, it’s a nice name. I can call you that, if you want.

LIN Names are for friends.

JANNAH I’m Jannah. [speaking frankly] Look, I’m really not going to be able to stay away, especially because you must know so much about this planet.If I agree to follow any rules you require for me to be here, will you allow me to keep studying the wreck?

LIN That is not within my power to allow.

JANNAH Of course it is. You’re the guardian, right?

LIN I also do not think that I remember as many things as you seem to wish that I would.

JANNAH That’s alright. I’ll help you remember.

LIN [softer] You truly believe you can help me?

JANNAH Sure. I’d never back down from a challenge.

LIN [a beat as she considers this.] You may call me Lin. If it was not my name before, it will suffice now.

JANNAH Thank you, Lin. I look forward to our new research partnership.

SCENE FOUR RESEARCH STATION, EVENING

SHAY [incredibly relieved] Oh, Jannah, thank god… when you stopped transmitting…

JANNAH [with apologies] Yeah, I’m going to need your help fixing the recorder. I dropped it pretty hard.

SHAY Come on, let’s go to my room before Waterman or Faulkner realizes you were out alone.

[their footsteps down the hall]

JANNAH I’m sorry to have scared you.

SHAY I’m just glad you’re okay. What happened out there?

JANNAH I’m not sure you’ll believe me.

SHAY I’ve got no reason not to.

[the hiss of Shay’s door opening and closing. the creak of the bed as Jannah sits down with a sigh.]

JANNAH [with trepidation] There’s… someone there, Shay. Not Dr. Simons, but this… well, I’m not even sure she’s human.

SHAY [surprised] Oh. Well, Finding someone not human on a distant planet seems a whole lot more likely than finding someone who is human. [wryly] Though, I can’t believe I’m saying that.

JANNAH Humans have always suspected we weren’t the only ones out here in this big, wide, universe. But… that doesn’t make the concept any easier to approach.

SHAY The shipwreck you found… Do you think she survived that crash?

JANNAH That’s what I’m not sure of. I mean… the wreck seems decades old, but she doesn’t look much older than you or I.

SHAY But does she look human?

JANNAH Well, sort of. At first, I wasn’t even sure if she was entirely corporeal? I could have sworn a hint of that red sunset light passed right through her.

SHAY Like a ghost?

JANNAH Maybe, but… she felt alive. Cold, but still somewhat solid. She’s so pale, hidden in the darkness like those little mushrooms. Her hair is long, but… not overgrown or tangled, just smooth and dark.

SHAY She sounds like quite a lovely sight.

JANNAH Maybe, if she wasn’t also so terrifying. Her eyes are impossibly deep. That’s how I know, looking at her, that there has to be some sort of supernatural quality to this figure. I’ve never seen anyone with an expression like that.

SHAY What sort of expression? JANNAH [slowly, as she considers it.] Sad. Distant? Confused. She threatened me, but I think she was lost, somehow. I mean, she looked like she’d been through hell. She wore these ragged cargo pants that looked like the dead leaves, hardly recognizable as fabric anymore. Stained shirt, dirty jacket—she wore a badge, it read: T.A.M. Lin. Her name, I guess, but I don’t know what the other letters mean.

SHAY [putting something together] T.A.S. Carterhaugh… T.A.M. Lin… could that be the Terran Alliance?

JANNAH Oh! Of course! But… they were absorbed by the Perseus Administration, so the fleet doesn’t exist anymore. That wreck would have to be at least twenty five years old, if not older.

[the scrape and roll of a desk chair as Shay sits down at their console.]

SHAY Hmm, ah, let’s look at the databases. The Administration should still have Terran Alliance military records. There’s got to be something about the Carterhaugh there.

JANNAH Yeah, the ship is huge, that’s a lot of people to lose on an uninhabited planet. What were they even doing out here, anyway?

SHAY That’s part of the mystery. When we were assigned here, the Administration said no one had ever been out here, not even other researchers, and certainly not a battleship full of Terran Alliance soldiers.

JANNAH I wonder if they ended up out here on purpose, or strayed off course by accident?

SHAY [clicking and typing at the console.] Hmm… Well, that’s getting me nowhere… let me try a different set of keywords.

[more clicking and typing. Shay lets out a frustrated grumble.]

JANNAH [the drag of chair legs as Jannah gets a seat of her own.] What’s wrong? [mysterious music begins and continues as they search]

SHAY [with slight frustration] I’m getting… basically nothing.

JANNAH Well, I mean, I didn’t expect much, since the fleet doesn’t even exist anymore.

SHAY [perturbed] But it’s more than just a lack of a crash report or crew obituaries. There’s nothing about a mission to FC39, not even to this system or the ones neighboring it.

JANNAH Some kind of cover-up? I can’t imagine that the entire crew just… dropped out of existence.

[more clicking and typing.]

SHAY Wait, here’s— [a sudden error sound. Shay gasps, and continues with frustration.] No!

JANNAH [alarmed] What’s going on?

SHAY [frustrated] I’m… I’m not entirely sure, but I got booted from the search and locked out of the Administration database. I’ll try and get back… [more fast typing. The error sound plays again, twice in a row.] Shit.

JANNAH Is this a typical error, or… targeted?

SHAY If you’re asking if someone is trying to stop us, specifically, I honestly have no way of telling. [they rapidly hit the same key a few times.] Now, why can’t I—?

[the speakers suddenly begin to play. It’s portions of Dr. Simons’s final audio transmission. They are overlaid with a MYSTERIOUS VOICE.]

SIMONS/MYSTERIOUS VOICE Stay away from the Carterhaugh. Don’t—return. Don’t—keep track. And stay out. Worst—Will—Happen. Stay away from the Carterhaugh. Stay out. Stay out. Stay out. [the audio fizzes with static, and the voice laughs cruelly before the recording cuts off.]

[the outro music plays under the credits]

JULIA: Verdant Heart, Episode Two: “Pleasant is the Fairy Land '' was written and directed by Julia Lynn Barnes. The show is produced by Isabel Sepulveda, and assistant directed by Lauren Tucker.

This episode featured the voices of June Kwon as Jannah Faulkner, Talia Jackson as Shay Belmonte, Erin Pinnell as T.A.M. Lin, August Carroway as Dr. Arthur Simons, and Fey Harmon as the Mysterious Voice.

Script edits were provided by Isabel Sepulveda and Lauren Tucker, with technobabble consultant Emma Johanna Puranen.

Original music composed by Julia Lynn Barnes, with assistance from Laura Barnes and Harper van Beek. The dialogue was edited by Isabel Sepulveda, Lauren Tucker, and Julia Lynn Barnes, with sound design by Isabel Sepulveda and Lauren Tucker.

Transcripts are available in both PDF and online format at speaktoitproductions.tumblr.com.

For updates on the show and future projects, follow us at @speaktoitprods on Twitter. Thanks for listening.

#speak to it productions #vh transcript #vh episode 1 #pleasant is the fairy land #audio drama #audio drama transcript #tam lin #fairytale adaptation #podcast #simply obsessed with this one lads #the knife scene?#chef's kiss #if u saw this post without all the formatting #no u didn't

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speaktoitproductions · 3 years

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Verdant Heart, Episode 1: As Green As Onie Glass

Find Verdant Heart: Spotify, Amazon, Google Podcasts, Stitcher (Apple Podcasts Link TBD), and anywhere else fine podcasts are served.

SCENE ONE

[opening music plays on a celeste.]

A TRANSPORT SHUTTLE

[The low hum of an engine is underscored by a soft synth melody.]

JANNAH: Waking up from cryosleep is like waking up from a long nap, one that you didn’t know you needed. Maybe it starts in the afternoon, but continues into the evening, so it’s dark by the time you wake up. You’re groggy, unsure of what time it is, and the echoes of whatever you had been dreaming about are slipping from your memory. With cryosleep, though, you also wake up cold, damp, and awfully hungry.

[there is a hiss of air as a door is released. Jannah gasps a strong inhale.]

COMPUTER: Landing sequence engaged.

[Jannah breathes heavily. The sounds of settling metal and the unbuckling of straps can be heard.]

JANNAH: [happy, but still out of breath] Good morning, Mom.

FAULKNER: Hey there. [a shiver, the rubbing of hands over cold arms] I’m freezing...

JANNAH: I think there are some blankets in this compartment. [a latch clicks] Ah, yes. Here, wrap up.

[soft fabric as the blanket is passed over.]

FAULKNER: Mm. Thanks. [another shiver, this one much smaller] So, well rested and ready to get to work?

JANNAH: Maybe if I didn't feel so… heavy? I guess I’m not used to long distance travel, yet.

FAULKNER: To be honest, you never will. It’s been a long time since I was under cryosleep. I forgot how much it takes out of you.

[the beeping of an alert over the shuttle’s speakers.]

COMPUTER: Now entering atmosphere. [this phrase, along with the beeping of the alert, is repeated once more, overlapping the next line.]

JANNAH: This is all really new for me, but I am excited.

FAULKNER: Good, I am, too. I think we need a change of pace.

JANNAH: [laughing] Are you sure you won’t miss grading dozens of mediocre papers

FAULKNER: [she laughs.] Not in the slightest.

[The shuttle’s alert beeps.]

COMPUTER: Now approaching your destination. Please remain seated. [This phrase repeats several times.]

[The sounds of the shuttle grow louder, and the rush of the landing boosters and stress from entering the atmosphere begins to build.]

FAULKNER: You know, I haven’t been out in the field like this since I got my doctorate.

JANNAH: [teasing] Think you can handle it, old lady?

FAULKNER: [with mock offense] That’s nothing to say to your mother, or a researcher your senior!

JANNAH: [laughing] I’m teasing!

FAULKNER: I know. I’m honestly so glad you’re here with me for this. It makes it all the better.

JANNAH: Me too. I don’t know if I would have been willing to take this huge step if we weren’t together. I’m looking forward to a new adventure.

[the alert beeps once more, and then shuttle doors slide open with a whirr.]

OUTSIDE THE RESEARCH STATION

[the sounds of the planet come pouring in. As a pair of footsteps walk over thick underbrush, we hear wind rustling through leaves and the melodies of various foreign birds calling out.]

JANNAH: [a soft gasp.] Oh. Wow.

FAULKNER: You can say that again. It’s beautiful.

JANNAH: I mean, I’ve seen forests, but not like this. It’s so… new?

FAULKNER: New if you mean untouched by humans. You can tell this forest is old. Very old.

JANNAH: It’s like it goes on forever.

FAULKNER: From what we know of the planet, that’s not an inaccurate statement. [beat] And I thought the rainforests on Clio were big…

JANNAH: It’s not humid like it is on Clio. And it smells different, too. Maybe… sharper

FAULKNER: I know what you mean. I can’t wait to learn more. [noticing something] Oh, here’s our welcoming committee.

[two more sets of footsteps crunch through the foliage.]

WATERMAN: [somewhat breathless] So sorry we’re behind! I’m Dr. Lisa Waterman. You must be Dr. Faulkner?

FAULKNER: That’s right. Beverly Faulkner, and my daughter, Jannah, who happens to be my invaluable assistant.

WATERMAN: Welcome to FC39, Faulkners. We’re pleased to have you here at last.

JANNAH: Good to meet you, Dr. Waterman. I’ve heard great things.

WATERMAN: I’m flattered, but I wouldn’t be anywhere right now without the station’s lab assistant, Shay Belmonte. They’re here for post-graduate field experience, and I will admit, their help has meant a lot these past few months.

SHAY: Dr. Waterman is too kind. She’s taken on a lot as the senior researcher here at the station. Still, I’m really thankful for some new faces. It’s been a while. Leave it to the Perseus Administration to take their sweet time getting us some help.

WATERMAN: Now, now. These things take a lot of work. [a short sigh] But, I’ll admit I was getting nervous you might never be sent out to us at all. It’s been pretty hard just the two of us trying to keep all this afloat.

JANNAH: After being in cryo for a month, I think we feel the same about having arrived at last.

FAULKNER: And as to the work, we’re eager to get started. Why don’t you give us a tour of the station? It looks incredible just from the outside.

SHAY: That dome really is visually impressive, huh? I’ve spent so much time in the greenhouse I suppose I forgot how cool it looks to a newcomer.

JANNAH: Seems like quite the facility for only a few researchers. The Administration must be really serious about this project.

WATERMAN: We’ve been able to report a lot of fascinating findings, despite… setbacks.[an awkward silence, one that really stretches.]

SHAY: [breaking the moment] Come on, Doctor, let’s get these two acquainted with the station.

INSIDE THE RESEARCH STATION

[Waterman’s heels click across the station’s floor.]

WATERMAN: Besides the central greenhouse, we have two additional laboratories, one of those we specially converted for hydroponics research…

FAULKNER: [whistles] I imagine that was quite an undertaking.

SHAY: It was—but only felt worth it when we still had the manpower to keep it all in order.

WATERMAN: With two more sets of hands, we’ll be able to finish a lot more ambitious projects. Shay said it, the hydroponics lab is in complete disarray, we are behind on both our climate and our geological reports, not to mention we had to put the celestial charting on hold indefinitely—

JANNAH: [interrupting, but with a smile] We accept your challenge, Dr. Waterman.

WATERMAN: This station was constructed with the potential for a larger staff in mind, so there’s plenty of personal quarters. Shay and I made sure your rooms were well-dusted.

SHAY: [joking] I might have left a spider or two in there, though, in case you get lonely.

JANNAH: I’ll take anything. Even though I slept for a month, I can’t wait to rest in a real bed.

FAULKNER: Incredible what you’ll take for granted. These old limbs need to stretch out and relax.

SHAY: Hey, don’t get too excited for sleeping. The night is young! You haven’t even seen inside the greenhouse, yet!

WATERMAN: The greenhouse is the heart of the station. We started by just growing familiar plants, but now we keep hundreds of samples from the planet, here, too.

[the greenhouse door is opened. The greenhouse misters spray consistent spurts of water onto the various plants.]

JANNAH: [with awe] Oh, wow. You two did all this?

WATERMAN: [rather awkwardly] Dr. Simons was the key for this project, initially. Shay and I have just done our best to maintain it.

SHAY: [tentatively optimistic] But, perhaps we can expand, now that you’re here. Both your expertise and raw manpower is sorely needed.

FAULKNER: That sounds good to me. This is excellent work -- I’d love to help you improve on something already so well organized and cared for.

SHAY: And you haven’t even seen the data yet. That’s where you’ll see the proof that this planet really is something special.

FAULKNER: Do you grow all your own food?

WATERMAN: For the most part, especially this long into the mission. [a small alarm sounds, and the sound of the sprinklers changes into something a little more rapid.] It’s not our only nutrient supply, but it feels a lot healthier and more satisfying than subsisting entirely on protein supplements from the huge Administration delivery crates.

SHAY: Speaking of food, we have a tradition we need to honor…

JANNAH: What’s that?

FAULKNER: Oh! A post-cryosleep meal!

SHAY: Prepared by yours truly!

WATERMAN: [exasperated yet affectionate] They’ve been planning for weeks.

SHAY: Even out here on the farthest edges of the Administration’s reach, we do things properly, and these weary scientists deserve their traveler’s meal.

WATERMAN: I’ll help you two unload the transport. By the time we’ve finished, Shay will have dinner ready for us.

FAULKNER: Go on, Jannah and I will be with you in a minute.

[the door opens as the footsteps of Waterman and Shay exit the greenhouse.]

JANNAH: This feels… like the start of something big. A new stage in our lives.

FAULKNER: I know exactly what you mean. [short beat] I love you, Jannah. Thank you again for coming with me.

JANNAH: No problem, Mom. Welcome to FC39.

SCENE TWO RESEARCH STATION: COMMON AREA

[a folksy tune on dulcimer plays as the researches begin their meal]

[the steady ambience of the station’s internal workings]

FAULKNER: This looks -- and smells, incredible. Thank you, Shay.

[the clinking of plates and silverware continues through the following lines as the food is served.]

SHAY: Oh, it’s nothing. Thank Dr. Waterman for taste-testing a lot of dishes over the past two years. As well as for permitting me back in the kitchen after the--

WATERMAN: [completing their sentence] Salsa incident.

SHAY: I thought we agreed never to speak of the salsa incident!

WATERMAN: You brought it up, Belmonte!

JANNAH: Uh… do I even want to ask?

SHAY: [in unison with Waterman] No!!

WATERMAN: [in unison with Shay] No.

[a moment of quiet as more dishes are passed around.]

JANNAH: [about a dish] Oh! We have this on Rhea! Well, something like it, anyway.

SHAY: Yeah, I’m from Rhea, too! My great aunt used to serve this a lot, back when I lived there. Not sure if the ingredients are entirely accurate. I’m not from the midlands myself, so I did the best recreation a city kid could. The potatoes are actual Earth variety, though, cultivated right here on the station.

JANNAH: Well, it’s amazing. So creamy and thick…

FAULKNER: [with a laugh] Ouch! She’s never this excited about my cooking!

WATERMAN: Shay has a gift for the culinary arts.

SHAY: I can’t tell if that was genuine or sarcastic, doctor. It could be either with you.

[the clink of more dishes.]

JANNAH: I don’t recognize this at all.

FAULKNER: Hrm, I’d guess it’s… giant spinach?

SHAY: Oh! Those are native to the planet, but grown right in the greenhouse. Insanely good for you, if a little bland. I think you’ll be satisfied with my method for spicing them up.

WATERMAN: They’re also good at making the meat-substitute actually palatable.

SHAY: Ah! Now that is a genuine compliment.

JANNAH: If we can manage something akin to soybean paste, I’ve got a great spinach soup recipe that we could try.

SHAY: [excited] Now, that’s just the kind of energy I need from a sous chef.

[a pause—they start to eat]

FAULKNER: Mm, It’s the perfect post-cryo feast, Shay. A little bit from home, a little bit from here, and a whole lot to get our strength back.

WATERMAN: Make sure you drink enough water. Cryosleep really dehydrates you.

FAULKNER: Happy to take that order from the station’s senior researcher. A toast! To water, and Waterman.

WATERMAN: I’m not—Right. I am. To the new members of our team.

JANNAH: [in unison with Shay] To the team!

SHAY: [in unison with Jannah] To our team!

[clink of glasses]

[a long pause]

JANNAH: [breaking the silence] So… what did we miss while we were asleep?

WATERMAN: Well, I’ve mostly been focused on the station, trying not to get too far behind these last few months, so I can’t say I’ve paid much attention to anything outside of here.

SHAY: But, luckily for you, I never get off the ‘net. Time passes a little strange here, though, so you’ll have to refresh me with the last big stuff you remember?

JANNAH: Well… I’m sure you kept up with the election on Rhea. What happened with the vote for the planetary representatives?

SHAY: Wow, was that only a month ago? They recounted the vote—We got Vang and Pallesen.

JANNAH: [unsure] Urhm… is that good, or bad?

SHAY: [clearly passionate] Depends on how you feel about people who don’t keep their promises! [growing increasingly upset] I mean, Vang’s platform hinged on taking significant action regarding the food crisis -- and yet, the Administration Council hasn’t even addressed the fact that three-quarters of the population of Rhea is still rationing like its 2130! [really in it now] I mean, you would think that—!

WATERMAN: [cutting them off] Shay…

SHAY: [calmer now, slower] Right, don’t want to get too into it your first night awake. Let’s just say I’m… less than impressed right now, but I suppose I’m also under a lot of stress.

JANNAH: Nothing wrong with being invested. Maybe tell us about something with fewer stakes, though?

SHAY: Hm… Oh! I don’t know if you ever watched Kim’s Moon? Kind of an older show, but it’s kept a pretty solid fanbase over the years. [very excited] It’s a favorite of mine, and just got picked up for a reboot!

JANNAH: Kim’s Moon? Seriously? That was one of my favorites as a kid. Kim was like, my first crush.

SHAY: [with a laugh] No way, me too! We have got to rewatch it together. Dr. Waterman isn’t much for watching anything with me.

FAULKNER: Maybe a station movie night is in order?

SHAY: We have to watch Green Future. Waterman has never seen it!

FAULKNER: Oh, that’s a great film.

WATERMAN: [a little defensive] I just don’t care for movies.

SHAY: There’s no harm in that. I’d just like to see you doing something other than work. [lighthearted] Faulkners, you two have got to help me save her!

WATERMAN: [serious] Shay, I’m not a workaholic. I just have a lot of responsibilities.SHAY: I know, I know. I just don’t—

[low, tense music while Shay and Waterman have a short argument]

WATERMAN: [a warning] Shay…

SHAY: [suddenly bursting out] This research is hard enough, but feeling so lonely because the only other living person you ever see refuses to take a break—

WATERMAN: [interrupting] I’m making up for being down one team member, I’ve had to take responsibilities he left behind, you know I take this job very seriously—

SHAY: [now also interrupting] But you never did a damn thing to help him when he disappeared—

[the next lines are spoken simultaneously as the two argue.]

SHAY: [simultaneous with Waterman, growing increasingly distraught] I mean you barely looked, you never even talk about him, we could have gone out ourselves and tried to find him, and I can’t believe—

WATERMAN: [simultaneous with Shay, upset] Now, don’t you start, Arthur was my friend, my superior, I did everything I could considering the circumstances—

FAULKNER: [loud and stern] That’s enough!

[a long beat of silence.]

WATERMAN: [cold] Well.

FAULKNER: [immediately apologetic] Dr. Waterman, I’m so sorry, that was completely out of line—

WATERMAN: No, that… [sigh] I’m the one who should be apologizing. That’s no way for us to behave.

SHAY: I’m… sorry, too.

JANNAH: [carefully] I mean, if you don’t mind… could you tell us what happened? I know it’s hard, but maybe if we understood better, it wouldn’t be so tense.

FAULKNER: Jannah, perhaps now isn’t the best time.

WATERMAN: [still a little brisk] I think our last exchange makes it pretty clear we don’t exactly know what happened, either. Arthur Simons was—

SHAY: [correcting her] Is.

WATERMAN: Shay, the Administration declared him dead.

SHAY: That doesn’t mean he really is. You know Dr. Simons is an outdoorsman, if anyone could survive out there, surely he could.

WATERMAN: We’ve already discussed this.

SHAY: But they don’t know. He didn’t disappear because he was inexperienced or underprepared! Something must have happened!

WATERMAN: [frustrated] I think I need to go. Lovely to meet you, Faulkners. I’ve got some things to do. [her chair scrapes across the floor as she stands.] Get some rest, and I’ll see you all in the morning.

[her heels click as she walks to the door, opens it, and leaves. The others hold a long moment of silence.]

SHAY: I… I hope you enjoyed dinner.

JANNAH: [an attempt at reassuring] I really did. We feel so welcome.

SCENE THREE

RESEARCH STATION: GREENHOUSE

[The light and rhythmic spraying of the greenhouse misters can be heard.]

JANNAH: So, I dug up quite a few of these, uh… are these carrots?

SHAY: More or less. They’re a hybrid variety.

JANNAH: Yum! Are you just about finished with the weeding in this section?

SHAY: Yeah. I want to go get started on the hydroponics maintenance.

JANNAH: Great, I can help you with that.

SHAY: Oh, doesn’t Dr. Faulkner have something else for you to do?

JANNAH: Mom kind of underestimates how quickly I can work. I think she doesn’t want to overwhelm me, but really, she could give me a bigger workload. I can handle it.

SHAY: Well, I’m sure Dr. Waterman will be able to find something else for you to do. She always does for me.

JANNAH: You know, it’s been a few weeks since we arrived, and I’ve been meaning to ask… [a pause. When she continues, it is nervous and quick] When Dr. Simons disappeared… I mean, you don’t have to answer… it’s just that our briefing from the Administration was so vague…

SHAY: [a little quiet] I’m not really supposed to talk about it.

JANNAH: But I know you’re not convinced of what you’ve been asked to tell me,

SHAY: [defensive] No, it’s not— [sigh] Dr. Simons was always planning carefully, and very consistent in his documentation when exploring.

JANNAH: [excited] So, you must have his logs!

SHAY: [unsure] Well, yes, but—

[heels click down the hall as someone approaches.]

WATERMAN: [distant, somewhat muffled] Belmonte!

SHAY: [a little relieved] In here, doctor!

[a blip and hiss as the door opens.]

WATERMAN: [now clearly heard, brisk] Did you finish with that data input? The one you started last night?

SHAY: No… not yet. The ground data wasn’t matching the numbers from the satellite downlink, so I had to recalibrate some instruments, which put me behind. And, then I wanted to get all this work done here in the greenhouse this morning before I could get back to it…

WATERMAN: Well, be quick about it. I wanted to be finished with those reports weeks ago. Ever since the Faulkners arrived, I’ve had the Administration project supervisors breathing down my neck about getting caught up on our climate data.

SHAY: You got it. I’ll move it to the top of my to-do list.

[heels click as she starts to leave.]

WATERMAN: Thank you, Shay.

[The greenhouse door is opened.]

[her footsteps fade as she leaves. Shay lightly sighs.]

JANNAH: [a gentle offer] How about I take care of the hydroponics maintenance?

SHAY: Are you sure you can handle it yourself?

JANNAH: Of course. I know you built it all, but I’ve been here long enough to have a good handle on your particulars. [lighthearted] And, I’ve worked with systems like that before, you know.

SHAY: Right. Sorry. I don’t mean to underestimate you, either, I’m just… a little out of sorts.

JANNAH: Is she always like that?

SHAY: Dr. Waterman? Kind of. She was way less anxious before Dr. Simons disappeared. She means well.

JANNAH: Still, it seems she expects quite an output of work from you.

SHAY: I can handle it. And I know Waterman. We’ve lived here for over two years and been through a lot together. I don’t mind the pressure.

JANNAH: It just seems like sometimes, when you argue…

SHAY: [amused] Give it a few more months, and you and your mom will be the same way.

JANNAH: We’ve always had a great working dynamic.

SHAY: And I have no doubt that will remain! But… Don’t expect to agree on everything all the time. You’ll find your points of tension… soon enough. [a grunt as they stand] Well, I’m off to climate data adventures. [the door opens with its blip and hiss] See you around.

JANNAH: [after a short pause] Okay, carrots. Er, not-quite-carrots. Whatever you are, it’s off to the kitchen.

RESEARCH STATION: KITCHEN

[the quiet yet constant hum of the station’s interior fills the air.]

FAULKNER: Jannah! I was just making a sandwich. Do you want one?

JANNAH: Ooh, yes. Gardening in the greenhouse has worn me out.

[the crinkle of wrappers and scrape of knives in jars and on bread as the sandwiches are made.]

FAULKNER: Busy day?

[a gentle musical theme plays while mother and daughter have their chat]

JANNAH: Could be busier. I’m always wanting to learn more. I mean, we’ve been here for weeks, and the other researchers for a couple of years, and I still feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of this planet’s secrets.

FAULKNER: You’ve always been curious! [fondly] I remember when you used to invite me on ‘expeditions’ into the backyard. You’d take your little notepad and try to draw pictures of every leaf and bug. It was so cute.

JANNAH: [also fond] Do you miss that?

FAULKNER: I don’t have to! You’re still as curious and adorable as ever.

JANNAH: [embarrassed, but laughing] M-om!

FAULKNER: No matter what, even when you surpass me as a scientist, you’ll always be my little girl.

JANNAH: No use arguing with you. [a pause. She continues, now solemn and quiet] I just wish… I sometimes wish Uhma could see how far we’ve come together.

FAULKNER: Oh, honey, come on in. [the soft rustle of clothes and a small grunt from Jannah as she hugs her mother tight.] I know she’d be proud of you. Because when I see your smile, her smile… I remember we could never let her down. [the moment is held, then released.] Alright, I’m finished being sappy. There’s work to be done! Will you help me label and organize these soil samples in a little while?

JANNAH: Of course! Always ready to help you out, you know that.

[the sounds of the door opening, and the click of heels.]

WATERMAN: Hello, Faulkners. Not interrupting, am I?

FAULKNER: Not at all. Do you want a sandwich, doctor?

WATERMAN: I… [a short sigh] Yes. I… haven’t eaten.

FAULKNER: You ought to be a little easier on yourself, as well as Shay. You’ve given the two of you quite a lot of expectations.

WATERMAN: I know we can both handle it. Shay is a hard worker, I can always count on them. [another short sigh.] I guess I just feel like we’re so close to finally catching up on the lost time.

FAULKNER: I just don’t want to see you running yourself completely ragged, that’s all.

WATERMAN: What else would I do with my time? This station is all I have. I don’t have hobbies, or personal projects that I care to devote time to. This is my project, especially since Dr. Simons… [she cuts herself off.]

[a long moment of uneasy silence]

FAULKNER: I’m not sure Dr. Simons would want you to exhaust yourself making up for his lost work time. The Administration understands the circumstances,and you’ve been very consistent in sending updated reports.

WATERMAN: But this could be huge. Our work here… maybe this planet could be a home to people someday. I don’t want to stall the future because I was feeling ‘a little tired’.

JANNAH: [earnest] Dr. Waterman, you’ve proven yourself a capable leader of this operation. Now, let us prove that you deserve to cut yourself a little slack.

WATERMAN: Thank you, Jannah. [a short pause] Now I ought to get back to my climate grid reports—I’ll just take this sandwich with me.

FAULKNER: Please do. And I have an atmospheric analysis with my name on it. See you all later!

[footsteps and the hiss of the door as she leaves.]

JANNAH: Dr. Waterman! Before you go, can I ask you a question?

[low, tense music begins]

WATERMAN: What’s that?

JANNAH: When Dr. Simons disappeared… why didn’t you just call off the mission? If you suspected something went wrong? I mean… weren’t you scared?

WATERMAN: [very quiet] I was.

JANNAH: [didn’t hear] I’m sorry?

WATERMAN: [correcting herself] I did. I did ask to terminate the mission. My request was denied, but I was assured that I would receive additional staff and supplies after I was promoted to senior researcher. In fact, it seemed they already had a replacement in mind, so who was I to argue?

JANNAH: Oh… I see.

WATERMAN: I still do want to see what this planet’s future holds. But… to answer your other question, yes. I was scared, and I still am. Arthur was a smart man. However he died, we ought to be afraid for ourselves, too.

SCENE FOUR RESEARCH STATION: SHAY’S QUARTERS

[Station’s electronic hum. In their room, Shay clicks and types at their computer.]

JANNAH: I’ll admit… I feel a little bad that I’m not in the lab helping right now. That data was a mess.

SHAY: You’re feeling guilty, but those spoiled samples weren’t your fault. I’m really glad Dr. Waterman is giving us the night off, after the week we’ve had.

JANNAH: I just hate knowing they’re trying to unscramble that into a proper report all alone.

SHAY: Not alone! They’re together and terribly smart. The Administration supervisors will hardly be able to tell that we lost all that work.

JANNAH: [groaning] Don’t remind me. [She turns, over, flopping on the bed] Now I’m dreading next week because of it. By the way, I like all the lights you’ve got up in here.

SHAY: Thanks, it doesn’t look much different from my old university dorm.

[They’re still typing away at their computer]

JANNAH: So… what are you working on over there on your computer?

SHAY: [chuckles, slightly embarrassed] My Kim’s Moon fanfiction, actually. I joined this group about the show on the ‘net when I was a teenager. Most of my longtime friends are there, so I just never really gave it up, you know?

JANNAH: No, not really. I don’t have much experience with distant friends like that.

SHAY: That’s too bad. These people helped me through a lot, and have kept me fairly creatively engaged for years. Plus, the community has really exploded since the announcement of the reboot.

JANNAH: That sounds really great. I’ve never been good at creative stuff, I guess. My paper writing is fine, but I can’t think of a time that I wrote a story for fun.

SHAY: You should try it. I mean, I mostly borrow other people’s characters, because that brings me joy. There’s a lot you can do, though. Write about your life, your feelings. Or poetry. I tried that for a while, but let’s just say I didn’t create anything worth looking at a second time.

JANNAH: I think I’d write about this planet. It’s beautiful here, and so different from any places I’ve been. I just wish that we did travel a little farther away from the station. There must be so much more out there. If you’ve ever explored a forest planet, you know you’re missing a lot if you only hike a half hour in.

SHAY: I’m a city kid. Never really hiked much. My family was never really into that kind of thing, anyway. We’d travel, but mostly to see music, or shows, or family friends. Check out cool places to eat.

JANNAH: That would explain your love of experimenting with food. How’d you get into environmental research, then? If you didn’t really grow up around it?

SHAY: I may have little experience with nature in this most organic form, but you’d be amazed how people use plants to keep a big city running. In high school, I got involved with this huge gardening initiative, and that developed into an interest in energy solutions. That’s actually my specialty, so I’m hoping to find something unexpected out here.

JANNAH: [very appreciative] No wonder our solar panels run so efficiently.

SHAY: [thrilled] I’m so happy that you noticed!

JANNAH: If you ever get the chance to get a vacation, you’ll have to visit one of the old growths on Earth with me and my mom. I’m thankful for everyone who fought to preserve them a century ago… We would have so little left of nature in humanity's birthplace.

SHAY: Well, if I wanted to see old growth, I don’t think I need to look much further than just outside. Before you got here, I did some dating on some of the older trees we found. They’re centuries old. It’s almost eerie how untouched this planet is.

JANNAH: [very carefully] You know, since it’s just us, I had a question.

SHAY: [sighs, already knowing what she’s going to ask] Go ahead, shoot.

JANNAH: [serious] What do you really think happened to Dr. Simons?

SHAY: [heavy, hesitant] Oh. Well, I --

JANNAH: [insistent] You can’t keep avoiding answering forever. It’s important.

SHAY: You can’t tell Waterman. But, I have done quite a bit of investigation on my own.

JANNAH: That doesn’t surprise me. I promise I won’t say anything -- just tell me what you know.

SHAY: Three months ago, Dr. Simons set out on a meticulously planned solo exploration mission. Our maps of the planet are so limited. Like we said before, Dr. Simons is an experienced outdoorsman. He would regularly pack up and leave for two to four days at a time, always alone, just camping out and taking notes. Dr. Waterman and I are better suited to the station, and he didn’t mind that, just always sent us regular transmissions so we knew all was well.

JANNAH: I’m surprised Dr. Waterman even let him go.

SHAY: Well, Simons was her superior. And she honestly didn’t think anything would happen. She only became as paranoid as she is now because he disappeared.

JANNAH: How did it all go wrong?

SHAY: That’s the thing, his expedition was so… routine. For the first several hours, we received all his transmissions just fine. Until the very last update he ever sent us… then he just dropped off the map.

JANNAH: Didn’t you look?

SHAY: Of course we did! I thought I implied as much. Waterman didn’t dare go too far, as we didn't want to leave the station unattended, or leave one of us alone. Two agonizing weeks later, she gave up and called the Administration. They never investigated, just heard our story, the transmission, Waterman’s plea… and informed us that a replacement for the late Arthur Simons would be sent to the planet shortly. I don’t know how they could write it off so easily. That final recording… it left me entirely unsettled for weeks.

[unsettling music begins, below the dialogue]

JANNAH: [quiet] Can I hear it?

SHAY: Jannah, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. I don’t want to freak you out.

JANNAH: I’m the one who asked. I won’t freak.

SHAY: Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Come here, sit down. I’ll find my headset.

[Shay clicks on something on the computer. Jannah walks over, the chair creaks as she sits down. Shay’s footsteps as they retrieve the headset, then a rustle as they slide them onto Jannah’s head.]

SHAY (CONT’D.): Here, put these on.

[They type on the keyboard a bit longer, then click. A sharp beep. After a moment of silence, there’s a few seconds of static]

SIMONS: [breathes painfully and coughs] Dr… [exhales] Dr. Arthur Simons. FC39 solo expedition number fifteen, field transmission number… seven? I’m… it’s hard to keep track. [groans uncomfortably] I don’t know how long it will take me to return to the station. You may not hear from me before that, as my recording equipment is barely holding on. I’m… not well. If the worst should happen, I need to warn you: Stay away from the Carterhaugh. Don’t get curious, stay smart, and stay out. There’s something strange here, something’s… wrong. [groans and coughs again] It should be reported that --

[there is more static. It breaks up for a moment, and we hear Simons cry out in fear. Then, more static as the recording ends]

JANNAH: Oh. That’s…

SHAY: Awful. I know. I told you.

JANNAH: What was it that he warned you away from? Is that an object? A place?

SHAY: I’m not… exactly sure. The fact he has a name for it has convinced me it’s something we could find, and know it when we see it.

JANNAH: What have you managed to learn on your own?

SHAY: Not as much as I’d like. I did figure out Dr. Simons’ last known location, but I’ve never been able to go out and check for myself.

JANNAH: I can go.

SHAY: What? No, you can’t go out there alone!

JANNAH: Not alone. We’ll investigate together.

SHAY: Waterman will never let me.

JANNAH: Waterman doesn’t have to know.

SHAY: You’d… you’d really go look with me?

JANNAH: Shay, I want to get to the bottom of this, too. Haven’t I made that clear? Of course I’ll join your investigation.

SHAY: Aren’t you scared?

JANNAH: Are you?

SHAY: Yes.

JANNAH: Well, so am I, but not enough to stop me from seeking out the truth.

SHAY: Thank you, Jannah. It means a lot to know you’re on my side.

JANNAH: [reassuring] Hey, of course. We’re going to figure this out. I know it.

[Outro music is played under the credits.]

JULIA: Verdant Heart, Episode One: “As Green as Onie Glass” was written and directed by Julia Lynn Barnes. The show is produced by Isabel Sepulveda, and assistant directed by Lauren Tucker. This episode featured the voices of June Kwon as Jannah Faulkner, Emma Johanna Puranen as Dr. Beverly Faulkner, Mel Nichols as Dr. Lisa Waterman, Talia Jackson as Shay Belmonte, August Carroway as Dr. Arthur Simons, and Fey Harmon with additional voices. Script edits were provided by Isabel Sepulveda and Lauren Tucker, with technobabble consultant Emma Johanna Puranen. Original music composed by Julia Lynn Barnes, with assistance from Laura Barnes and Harper van Beek. The episode was edited by Isabel Sepulveda. Transcripts are available in both PDF and online format at speaktoitproductions.tumblr.com. For updates on the show and future projects, follow us at @speaktoitprods on Twitter. Thanks for listening.

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