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venturetranscripts · 8 days ago

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Banquo Orbit 5K

"Banquo Orbit 5K" is the first mission of Wreck Runner.

Welcome to Solfleet! A routine salvage mission to a debris field reveals more than you bargained for and threatens to turn deadly.

Cast

Duffy - Christina Greatrex

Eats - Sarah Griffin

Peter Cassidy - Philip Nightingale

Control - Julianna Kurokawa

Drone - Beth Eyre

Wreck - You!

Crew

Writers - Alasdair Stuart and Mur Lafferty

Director - Matt Wieteska

Sound Designer - Mark Pittam

Plot

Race You!

Duffy welcomes you to the team, and apologises that you're being immediately thrown into a mission. Eats will partner with you for this, and tells you that you're checking out a shuttle trapped in debris. Recover any survivors, and salvage anything useful. Better get going!

Follow Those Drones!

Eats wonder what such an old shuttle was doing this deep in the Boneyard. You enter through a hole in the hull. Eats doesn't register any survivors, but it looks like life support is still working on the other side of the airlock. Time to get to work.

Circuit

The shuttle is huge, but Duffy says that it apparently had only had a skeleton crew of three people. Duffy seems to be hiding something from you, and tells you to just bring the crew home. The drones sense a life sign and it seems agitated. You head through the next door and find the room trashed. There's a man standing outside an occupied stasis pod. Duffy tells you that's Peter Cassidy. Cassidy says that he won't go back, and then comes after you with a knife.

Debris Ring

You lose Cassidy and hide in the ship's kitchen where you are confronted by Kurokawa, the ship's Control. They tell you that Cassidy had lost it a week ago, and the struggle caused the ship to crash. A drone notifies you that one life-sign has left the ship. Control says it's probably Cassidy trying to steal your shuttle. You can run through the ring of debris to try to catch him.

Short Cut

Duffy needs you to do one more thing; Cassidy has something that you need to recover, and you can't let it fall into the wrong hands. Control has a short-cut in mind for you.

Emergency Action

If you jump from the hull, inertia will carry you straight to the shuttle, and you should be able to beat Cassidy there. Eats is uncertain because of the lack of a tether, but Control insists that it's the only way. You release you mag-boots, and manage to make it across open space to the shuttle, just in time to catch Cassidy. You try to get the data off him, but he jumps into space rather than give it up. And worse news! Eats missed the landing.

Swarm

Eats is still out of reach and your suit is going to run out of air soon. Duffy suggests turning back so you don't lose two crew members. Thinking quickly, you separate one of the drones from the swarm and throw it to Eats. The drone manages to drag Eats back towards you when it tries to return to the others. Duffy worries about the efficacy of the drone swarm, but they seem to have taken a liking to Eats. You'd better get back to the shuttle quickly though.

New Family

You make it back to the shuttle and close the airlock. You can remove your space suit. Control is welcomed to the team, and says that she has a copy of the data that Cassidy took. Eats demands to know why she didn't say that earlier, and Control explains that Cassidy was listening in and they couldn't risk him sending the data to anyone else. Eats demands answers considering you're all going to be working together. Control shows you some of the documents, much of which is redacted. It seems to be about a ship called the Minerva, which vanished in a possible first contact situation.

Transcript

Race You!

(Ongoing ambient sounds of a space shuttle)

Duffy: Codename Wreck. I'm glad you were able to join our team on such short notice. We're sorry to throw you into your first mission so quickly, but this is extremely time sensitive. Dock with the other shuttle and rendezvous with your team for briefing. Welcome to the runners, Wreck.

(Door opens)

Eats: Wreck! About time, we were about to go on without you.

Drones: Untrue! No human embarks on a mission alone!

Eats: You drones ruin everything.

Drones: Untrue! A mission is impossible without us!

Eats: God, you're annoying! Anyway, hey Wreck! Seems we're gonna check out a shuttle caught up in a stretch of hot debris. Gonna be around 5 kilometres to do the whole run.

It's just you and me, you know. Mission's not important enough for Circuit or Control.

Duffy: We haven't hired a Control for the team yet, and Circuit is still recovering from Martian flu. For now, the drones will brief you.

Drones: You'll go recover survivors and salvage from derelict Shuttle, Diana, currently moored in the ring of debris orbiting the South Pole.

Eats: A. K. A. the Boneyard, right? And these floating cricket balls come with us! Let's go, Wreck! Hey, race ya!

Follow Those Drones!

Drones: You have travelled one kilometre.

Eats: Look at that, Wreck! That's an early Zeus shuttle. Still space worthy. Well, not so much now. What was she doing so deep in the boneyard?

Duffy: The only question you need is, can you find survivors and salvage?

Eats: I suggest we enter through that burning hole in the hull. You go first, Wreck.

Uh, sorry you missed the Meet Your Crew And Get Drunk party. In short, my story is, I'm a runner because I'm a terrible shot. But I can cook, and I keep a mean inventory spreadsheet. So, I'm your Eats runner …

(The sound of burning)

And we're in! I'm seeing no survivors, Duffy.

Duffy: That's not surprising, Eats, since you're in the burning cargo bay.

Eats: I guess we keep moving.

Hey Dronie, can you unlock this door?

Drones: Ooo! Whee!

(Drones open the door – presumably with laser and little robot hands)

Eats: Brilliant. Looks like life support is working on the other side of this airlock.

(The airlock opens)

We are into the ship's living area now. This hallway has lights and gravity.

(Eats and Wreck land on the ground. Eats takes off her helmet. She is much clearer to hear now)

Phew. Which way are the quarters?

Duffy: The drones have a map of the old Zeus style shuttles.

Time to run, Wreck. Follow those drones!

Circuit

Drones: You have travelled two kilometres!

Eats: This Zeus shuttle is huge!

Duffy: Early Zeus class shuttles were the largest in the fleet.

Eats: Do you have a plan of how we're to bring a huge shuttle crew home in our little shuttle?

Duffy: Intel says the Diana crashed because it had a skeleton crew … three crew members.

Eats: I'm feeling like there's something you're not telling us.

Duffy: Just … bring them home.

Drones: Sensors indicate one life signature inside. Copy [sic?] is agitated.

Eats: Agitated? Wait a second!

Drones: Open!

Eats: Whoa! Shouldn't we come up with a plan or something?

(The airlock opens despite Eats’ protests.)

Duffy: Who's inside?

Eats: This place is trashed! Equipment smashed. Glass all over the floor! I think that's blood on the walls. Two people, one in a stasis pod. The guy outside is … tall? White guy, white hair, about 60.

Duffy: That is Peter Cassidy. This crew's Circuit.

Eats: Mr. Cassidy, I'm Eats, and this here's Wreck, and I'm sure that's not blood on the walls, right?

Cassidy: Uh ... No! I won't go back! You can't take me back!

Eats: He doesn't look happy to see us and he's got a knife! Oh God. Run Wreck!

Debris Ring

Drones: You have run 2. 5 kilometres.

Duffy: Runners, report.

Eats: We ended up in the kitchen. Crazy guy stopped chasing us. We have to get out of here!

Duffy: Not until you confirm the whereabouts of the third crew member.

Control: Psst. Over here.

Eats: Gah! You Diana crew just like scaring people, don't you?

Control: No, no, I need a lift. I'm Kurokawa, but you can call me Control.

Duffy: Oh, I was hoping you'd find Kurokawa. Are they alright? Get them an encounter suit so we can communicate.

Eats: Yeah, they're okay. I'm Eats, this is Wreck, and Duffy's yelling in my ear to report how you're doing?

Control: I'm alright. Just a bit of a stab wound. Cassidy lost it about a week ago. We were at the shuttle in the fight. Kept talking about his 'mission'.

Eats: Duff, Control says 'alright' and 'stab' in the same sentence.

Drones: Alert! One life form has exited the ship!

Control: Cassidy's probably off to steal your shuttle and abandon us all here to die. That's just like him.

Eats: We still need to get you a suit! There's no way we'll catch him!

Control: We can run through the ring of debris. Won't be easy, but we don't have a choice.

Run!

Short Cut

Drones: You have run three kilometres!

Control: Hey, Duffy, I'm good to go.

Duffy: Good to have you Control. Runners, you need to do one more thing.

Eats: What's more important than beating a psychopath back to our shuttle?

Duffy: There's something in that shuttle Cassidy didn't want us to have. We can't let it fall into the wrong hands.

Eats: Not only no, but Hell no.

I'm getting out of here and back to Earth and then … I'm gonna become a chemist! Chemists don't get stabbed!

Duffy: Wreck? I'm cutting communication with Eats.

Control, did you get the data we were looking for?

Control: I didn't get it, but it's something Cassidy would have taken.

Duffy: Why? Who … is he working with?

Control: He wouldn't tell me.

Duffy: You must stop him from getting it into the hands of anyone other than us.

Eats: Hey, are you talking to Duffy without me?

Control: She wanted to talk to us while you were busy planning your new career. We need to get going. I have a shortcut in mind. Let's run.

Emergency Action

(A door opens, we hear the creak of the wreck and debris. Everyone’s helmets are back on)

Drones: You have travelled four kilometres!

Control: This debris forms a ring. If we jump from this hull, inertia will carry us in a straight line to the shuttle, beating Cassidy.

Eats: Across open space without a tether?

Control: It's the only way. Grab onto something to stop your fall. Duff, we still have a chance. Cassidy's had to slow down.

Eats: I don't see -- Oh, wait, there he is. Wow, he's got terrible running form.

Duffy: Focus, Eats. You're trained for this. Disconnect your magnetic boots. Jump, and you should reattach to debris on the other side.

Eats: (groaning with apprehension and discomfort) When did 'should' get so scary?

Control: Come on, we have to go now.

Eats: Go ahead, Wreck.

(Wreck disconnects their magnetic boots, takes the leap, and lands with a thump.)

Hey, you made it!

Control: Let's move! Cassidy is coming around that old rocket shell.

(Wreck – and maybe Control – detain Cassidy, keeping him from going further)

Cassidy: Get off me!

Control: Cassidy, we're taking you back to Earth. SolFleet has some choice things to say to you.

Cassidy: Someone has to turn SolFleet over and reveal the worms wriggling underneath.

Control: That's poetic … and gross. Wreck! Get the data! Rip the suit if you have to!

No! Cass - Cassidy! Don't!

Cassidy: Give my regards to Duffy. Be seeing you!

Control: Duffy. He's jumped into space and the data's with him.

Eats: Hey team! Team! Help! I missed the landing!

Duffy: Runners! Emergency action! Now!

Swarm

Control: Eats is still just out of reach. We've followed them for half a kilometre. We can't keep up.

Duffy: You have to turn back. Wreck's suit is going to run out of air soon. We can't lose another team member.

Eats: Oh God. No! Don't let me suffocate out here, Wreck! Please!

Drones: [sic] This is highly embarrassing! The swarm hasn't -- Whoa!

Control: Hang on, Wreck. You're not supposed to separate the drones. Oh. I see. Eats, heads up!

Eats: Why'd you throw me a drone? What's a freakin’ cricket ball gonna --

Drones: Gotta get back. Gotta get back. Be the Swarm, swarm, swarm!

(The Drone continues in the fashion until it is reunited with it’s pair, heard in the background saying things of this nature.)

Control: Hang on, Eats!

Duffy: Don't separate the drones.

Drones: Gotta get back. Gotta get back.

Duffy: They could act unpredictably.

Control: The drone is returning to the swarm and is pulling Eats back.

Drones: Gotta get back. Swarm, swarm, swarm!

Swarm, swarm, swarm! Ooo! Whee!!

Eats: You saved my life, little buddy! Quick thinking, Wreck! I didn't know these things could drag a human!

Duffy: I'm glad you're safe. But I'm worried about the efficacy of the swarm now.

Eats: Aw, they seem alright. Except they're swarming around me now. Oh, how cute! They think I'm their mama!

Duffy: This debriefing is gonna be a nightmare.

Just run back to the shuttle quickly.

New Family

Drones: We have run our maximum of 5 kilometres! Our air will run out shortly.

Eats: Made it! We're at the airlock, Duff.

Duffy: Good work. Get inside. Take off your suits and cool down.

(The team does just that)

Eats: You know, untethered spacewalks weren't in the job description. I thought we'd see new places, meet new people!

Duffy: You just did both of those things. Plus you got a new drone family. I'm gonna have to ask Circuit about how this happened. Control, have you seen any sign of Cassidy?

Control: Long gone, I'm afraid. Let's get autopilot going.

Wreck, check life support in the engines. Eats, make sure the crew have water.

Eats: Wait a second, who died and made you boss?

Duffy: Her call sign is Control, Eats. She's part of the team now.

Eats: Finally! Another crew member! Welcome to the Athena, Control. We can have a drink and swap stories when we get back to Earth. I guess you two know each other from Duffy sending you on a super secret job that she decided not to tell us about, huh?

Duffy: I'm glad you're coming home safely, Control, but the loss of that data is huge.

Control: Don't worry, Duff. I have a copy.

Duffy: Why didn't you say that earlier?

Control: Because Cassidy had to be listening in and the real threat was him delivering the data into the wrong hands.

Duffy: I forgot how insufferable and pedantic you were sometimes. Come home safely, crew.

Duffy out.

Eats: Ooo-oo! I think I'm gonna like working with you. So, what's in the file?

Control: Classified.

Eats: Wreck and I nearly died today saving your life. And if we're on the same team, you gotta trust us.

Control: Mmm, That's true.

Here's the scan.

Eats: Great. Hang on. Half the words are blacked out. We risked our lives for this?

Control: Duffy will have to decipher the redacted words.

Eats: Good Lord. Is this document about the Minerva?

Control: Yes. It covers Captain Mallory's last mission. The official mission was to find scouts lost in the irradiated wormhole sector, but SolFleet really expected a first contact situation, which they intended to escalate into a military incident. Before she disappeared, she sent three messages back.

Eats: I heard she sent only one. ‘Crew is safe’.

Control: The second one was, ‘I can't wait for you.’ The third is blacked out, but it looks something like, ‘peace through any means necessary.’

Eats: That's ominous. So, we're returning redacted SolFleet data to them? Don't they have this already?

Control: Um, not to SolFleet per se. We're returning it to Duffy.

Eats: I see what you're doing. Sort of. Hey, Wreck, did you think you'd be landing in such an adventure when you joined the Runners? I sure didn't.

Control: So Eats, are you still going to quit the Runners and be a chemist?

Eats: Are you kidding? This just got interesting! Besides, I can't leave my new family, can I?

(Eats sounds like she’s hugging a drone in gratitude. The drone exclaims in pleasant surprise.)

Drones: Oh!

Control: Good. Take us home, Runners.

Mission completed.

Codex - Bonus Features

Letter

FROM: Control TO: Wreckrunner Team 01 SUBJECT: Saving My Life

So, thanks for saving my life.

I’m not one for speeches. Never know who might be listening.

Look, here’s the thing. You folks took the call on your first day out and pulled me out of the fire. You had no reason to, no reason to trust me even. And even then, when I told you the worst news people in our business can hear, you took it in your stride. SolFleet may be not be honourable, but you sure as hell are. You ran towards the burning building. You put yourselves to one side in return for saving me. That’s not something I can forget. I’m not sure I know how to. Or how to express my gratitude.

My hope is that serving beside you, having your backs when you’re out there on the edge, will be enough. Because I’ll always be there. Right next to you.

Thanks, folks. Stay sharp.

Control

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