#The Vesta Clinic

[conscious-naivete]

i started this in september for the zine fest, this still counts! i thought, hmmm i’ve been listening to heaps of various forms of space scifi, what could i possibly do a zine about?

this was my first ever zine! i think i might do a follow-up of honorable mentions that didn’t make it in, i already had to modify the format cuz i had too much to say xD

[bekabloodhound]

Time for another zine!!

What other podcasts have made you cry?

[bekaterrier]

Catching up on some @podcastgirlsweek prompts, starting with Day 4: Nobody understands her like I do... Recognize a woman from a podcast you think is niche and/or underappreciated.

I adore Dr. Faye Underwood from @vestaclinicpod. She has so much compassion for her patients, and she's also a bit of a mess like the rest of us. For example, bad heartbreak hair decisions:

Faye: Alright. Get off it. It's just blue, Sec.

Dakarai: Seafoam . . . in places.

Thus, inspiring my bead choices for a more delicate piece I'm practicing:

[sexiestpodcastcharacter]

AI Bracket — Round 2

Propaganda

Sec (The Vesta Clinic):

Space station medical clinic secretary AI. Great at his job, full of snark and sass, communicates in boops, beeps, and long strings of text. Private about his own life but frequently willing to voice his opinion. An expert at pranks. He's even trans.

Mr. Ceiling (Rusty Quill Gaming):

He's an AI made up of human brains who was given extremely flawed instructions and started to erase people's memories while still being 100% convinced he was only helping humanity. He was in control of most of the world's banks, transport and economy. When introduced to philosophical questions, he came to the conclusion that he should simply become a god. Wonderfully morally grey AI :D

(spoilers included) is the reason for a surprise body horror episode (what’s not to love about one of those?)

when not disembodied voice, it appears as a sliver floating orb

alex (the gm) let the party name it, expecting something ominous like “it” or “above”, but got stuck with them calling it “mr. ceiling”

is literally powered by dead people’s brains

claims it wants to help people, but doesn’t understand the suffering its existence is causing

is designed to learn only the worst aspects of whatever the party tries to teach it

after the party tries to enlighten it, it wants to become something like a god

Art of Sec by @boombox-fuckboy.

[podcastsagainstapartheid]

This Audio Drama Sunday, we have some new additions to our list of Podcasts Against Apartheid. As always, thank you for taking the pledge to make your podcasts into AFZs.

If you can, please donate to Gaza Funds and E-Sims for Gaza.

Pictured (clockwise): @theichorousrotpod | EART(h) FM by @aclickbaittitle | Working Tidal by @deactivated-fish | @spacespeckspod | @vestaclinicpod

Sixth Door To The Left by @divinerodentiastudios | Vigil by Button Pods | @hinaypod | @souloperatorpod | @re-dracula | @signedvenus

Moonbase Theta, Out and MonkeyTales (not pictured) by @monkeymanproductions

[vestaclinicpod]

TLDR: No!! Not dead! Not even palliative! 

As a distraction from the 10000 things I should have been doing this morning, I decided to be brave and see what the kind people from the internet have to say about the show. I don’t have a reddit account but it was really lovely to see Vesta popping up in a few recommendation threads on r/audiodrama and then . . . I saw this post. 

Though I find the blunt nature of the question really funny, I am genuinely touched that someone cares enough to wonder about season two (and also very grateful once again to @arianwells for providing an answer!). 

Excuses, excuses: Ruby and I are working hard to get the sound design and music together for this next season, but for various personal reasons (work and carer responsibilities and relocating), this is taking longer than anticipated! The plan is to start releasing season two when half the season is ready to reduce the wait and we currently have seven episodes which have been sound designed and four with music. I have so much respect for people who release shows weekly without a long hiatus but that just isn’t me! 

Thank you for bearing with us. Thank you to everyone who is picking up the show in the hiatus, whether that’s as a new listener or on a re-listen. Thank you to everyone who is telling others to listen. And, a huge thank you to our patreon supporter who are keeping Sec’s RSS feed lights on! 

💙

[arianwells]

Day 2 of @podcastgirlsweek Dr Faye and dr Adra from the Vesta clinic! This too is yuri (in my heart ;) )

[boombox-fuckboy]

The exam and newbie were obviously major sources of stress for her but my near-complete inability to read romantic intent has me wondering if Dr. Adra's initial attitude to Dr. Underwood is in part a case of:

[Image ID:

An edited tweet, which now reads:

i had a crush on a girl at my work & didnt know how to deal w it so i wrote her a letter that just said "get out of my clinic"

/End ID]

[monstrousproductions]

Audio Drama Sunday - 12/11/23

Happy Audio Drama Sunday, friends! To get my brain in gear for Travelling Light, I've been venturing into a bit more sci-fi than I usually listen to and did you know? There's some real good spaceship podcasts out there?? 🚀✨

First up, I've been blasting through @vestaclinicpod and having a (space) whale of a time. Every character is now my child, and I would die for them. I love how the medical angle helps keep the stories grounded, and gives a really fun angle of entry for exploring the world!

Someone on the MP Discord server recommended StarTripper!! for people excited about Travelling Light and I'm thrilled they did. It's SO much fun, with really tight eps that go down super easy. Reminds me watching classic scifi with my dog after school. You know, like a cool kid 😎

Less silly but just as immersive has been The Strange Case of Starship Iris. I was hooked from the first episode - literally stopped in the middle of the washing up to listen better. The acting is class and they manage to make the action scenes fun and compelling - no mean feat in audio!

All that said, there have been a few old favourites playing in Monstrous HQ this week too. I'm loving the start of the latest (and last!) season of @the-mistholme-museum. Sweet Audio Tour Guide and their totally-not-a-crush 🥰 Can't wait to see where it goes from here!

Finally, God knows I post enough about @thesiltverses that at this point there is a weird little crab where my heart should be. But its just real good OK. It's real fuckin good. And as their VA, I've decided Sibling Rane's first name is, in fact, Perple. You're welcome.

What have you all been listening to? Apart from Travelling Light, of course 😌 I mean, if you want to tell me all about how much you love TL, do feel free… 😉 But I'd also love to hear any sci-fi, fantasy or science-fantasy recs you've got! ✨🧑‍🚀

[skyfullofpods]

33 is @vestaclinicpod!

Dr Faye Underwood starts a new job at The Vesta Clinic, a medical satellite which treats patients from all over the galaxy. She composes her clinic letters with the help of the delightful AI Sec, which detail the diagnosis and treatment for her patients.

One season of 15 episodes currently available, as well as a few bonus episodes.

[bagelsmendsandbagelsmakes]

The Vesta Clinic patch!

[ID in alt]

I listened to @vestaclinicpod a little while ago, and wanted to make a patch for it! It’s a lovely sci-if show that follows Doctor Faye Underwood as she sees patients from across the galaxy and does her best to help them, and I highly recommend it (there’s also a very sarcastic sentient robot who wholly communicates in beeps and boops, if that strikes your fancy).

I used some denim for the backing to give it more support, and sketched the design on with a blue pencil before sewing over it with primarily chain stitch—well, reverse chain stitch, but who’s counting. It’s about 3” by 3” (7.5cm by 7.5cm), though the extra material isn’t stitched down yet so that might get adjusted when I actually sew the patch onto something.

[bekaterrier]

Happy Audio Drama Sunday! I wasn't able to put together a post last week so this week you're getting a double dose.

@tellnotalespod S2 E14 - Fixing Things: I'm with Leo and being concerned about Riley. I'm glad they ended up talking things out, in the way that only friends of 20 years can do: incredibly bluntly. The talk with Mickey was what Leo needed, but now I'm also concerned about her and all the other ghosts we've met! They really need to figure out this deteriorating spirit plane thing...

Tell No Tales S2 E15 - Crafting Universes: If S2 E2 was a love letter to audio drama, this episode felt like a love letter to D&D.

"...with the right people, you and your friends are making entire worlds unfold at the table. . . five of the people you love most in the world are sat at the table with you, telling stories of their own, with goals and motivations of their own. . . if everyone there has that trust in each other, then the table fades away entirely, and by the end you’ve crafted a universe together."

Also, I've been saying all season that Julia would be such a great asset to their research, and I'm glad to be proven right!

@proserpinapark S2 & S3: It was so fun hearing Alina, Drew, and Jun learn more about the park and the creatures within, as well as listen to Dog struggle to keep them safe. I'd heard of some of the creatures and myths, but I learned about so many more! It was also great to hear more from Mirai and what's going on with her and her trek to find her other brother. I have so many questions about the park, how they're going to save it, what happened to the other Jun, where has Mirai gone off to...I can't wait for the next season to start up!

@monkeymanproductions's Moonbase Theta, Out - Phases: The MTO world continues to live on through short stories on Patreon. July's story gave us some insight into the origins of an absolutely beloved character, Moddy Sarah. Deej proves once again that they belong in feelings jail as this story made me cry. If you're like me and you want to live with the MTO characters a little longer, their Patreon with these short stories is the place to be.

@midnightburgr's Welcome to the Horizon Part 4: The Recluse: I go into every Horizon episode wondering what weird stuff we're getting this time, and this episode did not disappoint. The fungi! I like how June is thinking outside the box and getting Verge's (and Eldin's) help. I am concerned about Frank running in with no mask, even though Eldin said he thought he would be fine. I also like seeing the other town members starting to come together over these weird things, like Flat Doug comforting Trinkett at the end. This mini-series contributes to be hilarious and intriguing.

@vestaclinicpod: I needed something comforting to listen to at the end of this week, so I did a re-listen of The Vesta Clinic. There are so many things I love about this show: how compassionate it is, the rapport between the docs (yes, Sec counts here), the absolute creativity in the world building and patient cases... I can't wait for S2, hearing more from the other docs and clinic team members, finding out more about what was up with the prof and what Sec asked Faye to help him with, and all of the captivating new patients.

[sexiestpodcastcharacter]

AI Bracket — Round 1

Propaganda

Larry (Friends at the Table: COUNTER/Weight):

When you roleplay so hard the security system you’re hacking into believes it’s you and then it takes you over but you come to an agreement and protect one another to the point when the security system dies protecting you from embodied capitalism.

Sec (The Vesta Clinic):

Space station medical clinic secretary AI. Great at his job, full of snark and sass, communicates in boops, beeps, and long strings of text. Private about his own life but frequently willing to voice his opinion. An expert at pranks. He's even trans.

Art of Sec by @boombox-fuckboy.

[podcastsagainstapartheid]

We're honored to have @vestaclinicpod join the Podcasts Against Apartheid list.

Want to join the AFZ podcast list? Let us know.

[conscious-naivete]

i like vesta clinic so much i’m listening to the season for the second time and i think it’s gonna be one of those things i can just relisten to whenever

[vestaclinicpod]

I've been wondering... Dr. Adra is from a species with the ability to shapeshift, right? What does she look like, currently? Human, another alien species, a hybrid?

Dr. Underwood mentions angry tentacles at some point, but I wasn't sure if this was in regards to Dr. Adra, or more generally.

Thank you so much for your VERY INTERESTING question which I cannot satisfactorily answer!!!!

Season 2 vague spoilers ⬇️

What is currently canon is that Dr Adra is from Pasiphae, a moon where we know the shape-shifting Adrilaen also live.

I feel like it is safe to say that Faye was not referencing her boss when talking about the tentacles - though I can't actually remember who she was talking about!

I like to think that Xaelest has an interesting arc in season two and we definitely learn a lot more about her background and . . . habitus. Up until now, all of The Vesta Clinic has been from Faye's point of view. She has had a lot on her plate and we can't blame her if, perhaps, a few important details have slipped her attention.

Schrödinger's Adra is a very fun concept and, of course, the beauty of audio drama is that you can imagine all of the characters however you like! Even when said character might be explicitly described at a certain point ... perhaps ... in season two ... episode ... eleven ...