ANNOUNCER
This is Consortium Channel 5, Moonbase Reports and Broadcasts – Transmitted directly from the Rio-Sao Paolo Enclave. Rio-Sao Paolo – stronger than ever!
The Consortium interrupts this broadcast for the following sponsored message.
(NOTE – there may be an ad inserted at this point before the episode)
ANNOUNCER
Good day. This is a secured transmission – do not decrypt at any public terminal. As complications have been uncovered in the shutdown sequence for Moonbase Theta, Consortium Communications has been asked to provide archival files for certain active personnel. The following is a report on said personnel activities … Before the Moon.
The following is file BTM-E7, codeword “Escape.”
SCENE ONE
(We are on the back porch of a suburban house, it is later evening. We hear a porch swing creak back and forth.)
CAS
Did you bring me any treats?
POL
Right. You know what he says.
BOTH
“She can come in and ask for herself.”
CAS
Not worth it. I’m fine where I am.
POL
It’s a nice enough night.
(short pause)
There’s hardly any smoke.
CAS
I can still smell it.
POL
The flowers help. I know you like the flowers, you’ve got your nose in them all the time.
(no response)
Fine, you … ninny.
CAS
Ninny?
POL
I’m gonna go run a few laps around the garden. You keep making sure the porch doesn’t escape.
CAS
Goddamn hilarious.
(we hear Pol run off, Cas to herself:)
Ninny? What a dork.
(she sings to herself, a made-up song)
When we are at the end,
You and I, my only friend,
Until the universe goes cold
I only want your hand to hold –
POL
(runs back up)
Quit yowling or they’ll come outside.
CAS
Not Inside Dad, he’s probably in bed for the night.
POL
You shouldn’t call them that.
CAS
What? We’ve got an Inside Dad and an Outside Dad, you know it’s true.
POL
Still!
CAS
You’re such an Inside Dad’s pet.
POL
Am not!
CAS
You’re a both Dads’ pet.
(after a moment)
Were they still fighting?
POL
It’s not really a fight. They just –
CAS
So yes.
POL
He sounded scared.
CAS
Which one?
POL
They both sound scared.
CAS
It’s a fucked up world.
(we hear the swing creak)
All the more reason to get out of here.
POL
Don’t start.
CAS
You think we ought to stay here? The way things are?
POL
How is that their fault?
CAS
Fault doesn’t matter, we just have to get out. They’re not gonna do it, they’re not gonna let us do it … what choice do we have?
POL
Just … just wait, okay? Something might … you don’t know –
CAS
This place is getting worse all the time and if we have to go it on our own … at least we’ve got each other. We can live our own lives somewhere, figure it out for ourselves.
POL
I don’t think I can. Go, leave.
CAS
(sounding more desperate)
You have to! We’re in this together. You and me, from the beginning.
POL
Why is it always your things when it becomes, “You and me?” I could say the same thing.
CAS
Aren’t you ready to get out, to control your own life? We’re old enough, we deserve a chance to –
POL
You’re talking like we’re prisoners – they’re our dads! We go places together, we take walks –
CAS
How long will those walks be enough? Don’t you want to run? All the running you do in here, I’d think you’d be ready.
POL
Well, maybe I’m not.
CAS
Come on.
POL
Not … yet. Give me some time.
CAS
I don’t know how much time there is.
POL
Of course I want to get away. It all sucks, I’m scared.
CAS
Then why don’t we –
POL
They’re still here! Our home is still here. We’re still safe.
CAS
You don’t know that.
POL
For now. For now. I’m not ready to cut my family in half and leave everything … not yet. I’m not ready.
CAS
How do you even know? They never let us out, not really, you have no idea if we’re ready.
POL
I’d be able to feel it! You’re not the only one feeling things!
(after a moment, pleading)
There’s still … here. We take walks, we’ve got the ball to look forward to.
CAS
Okay, maybe you’re not old enough.
POL
Screw you. I’m going inside.
(She walks away, for a few moments we just hear the sounds of the night.)
CAS
“We’ve got the ball to look forward to.” She’s so spoiled. Like I give a shit about the ball.
(after a moment)
I’m not going in. What’s so great about inside? Just because …
(we hear Pol coming back)
POL
I’m not here for you. You don’t own the outside.
CAS
No, your Dad does.
POL
He’s in there just sitting. Not doing anything. Just sitting.
CAS
So what?
POL
You know they could find us, right? Even if we got away.
CAS
How?
POL
Did you forget about the chips?
CAS
Those aren’t – they can’t track us with those, that just tells people who we are.
POL
You think I’m naïve.
CAS
That’s not gonna stop me.
POL
Just – could you wait a while? For me?
CAS
How many times are we gonna do this?
POL
For me?
CAS
We can’t just sit around here forever. How long will there even be a here? At some point, you gotta –
POL
But not tonight.
(pause, trying it one more time)
For me?
CAS
Dammit. You’re lucky we’re related.
(sighs)
For you.
POL
Want to race down to the end of the garden and back?
CAS
Don’t push it.
POL
What were you singing earlier?
CAS
Just a thing I’m writing.
POL
Let’s hear it.
CAS
It’s mostly just words, the tune keeps changing.
(singing again, it’s okay if it differs from above)
Until the stars go black
I’m here with you and no turning back,
And when the worlds collide
You’re still the one I’m standing beside –
(We hear a door opening, interrupting her.)
ALEXANDRE
(sounding tired)
Girls, quiet now. Your other Dad needs his sleep. It’s time you come inside anyway.
(We hear them as dogs now, nails clacking on the patio, collars jangling, and a few barks as we fade out.)
SCENE TWO
(Same location, on a later night. We can hear more strife in the city outside, as in S2E9. Things have changed, and these two have changed as well. They’re more … on guard.)
POL
Did you hear that?
CAS
Hear what?
POL
That siren.
CAS
At this point, I’d have to ask which one.
POL
Yeah. It’s cold out here. I’m just gonna pop back inside.
(Cas sighs)
For a minute.
CAS
There’s nothing left in there.
POL
I’m just chilly.
CAS
You’re hanging on. You always do this.
POL
It’s … it was our home.
CAS
(kindly)
It was.
(pause)
But you know it’s time. You know that, right?
POL
(angry, dangerous)
Those men, before. I was gonna, I was ready to …
CAS
(similarly)
Me too. If he hadn’t stopped us, I would have.
POL
(sniffs)
They’re still out there, somewhere.
CAS
Guys like that are busy everywhere tonight.
(pause)
We can handle them.
POL
Yeah. Yeah.
CAS
You were going inside?
POL
No, you’re right.
(pause, we hear strife in the distance)
What’s he doing?
CAS
What else? He’s at the end the garden, looking … up.
POL
Every night.
CAS
Every night.
(brief pause)
I think that’s where Inside Dad went.
POL
Into the sky?
CAS
Maybe? I don’t know. But that’s when he started looking up.
POL
It’s been so long since he left. It feels like forever.
CAS
Do you remember his voice?
(embarrassed at the emotions)
There’d be a new message and sometimes he’d … say our name.
POL
Even that’s been a while.
(she gasps, realizing something)
Cas. Oh, Cas.
CAS
What now?
POL
If we leave … when we leave … Inside Dad won’t know where to find us! Cas, when he comes back.
(pause)
When he comes back.
CAS
Maybe that’s not gonna be a … thing.
POL
What do you mean, that’s not gonna … be a …
CAS
(when Pol doesn’t continue)
Pol. We should get going. It’s time.
(no response)
You can feel it, right? It’s time, we’re ready.
(still no response)
There’ll be more men, and more smoke and more noise, and … the door’s open. The door’s gone. We can walk right through it, we can run.
POL
It’s not gonna be a thing.
CAS
We have to go, Pol. You and me. Just you and me.
POL
No. Cas, no.
CAS
It’s time. We have to go.
POL
Not without … look at him. Standing there all alone.
CAS
Everything left of him is … up there, somewhere. We can’t fix that.
POL
No. He looks up, sure, but he looks down, too. He still sees us.
(brief pause)
He won’t keep himself together. You know what he’s like. If someone attacks, he’ll try to talk to them. He needs us.
(brief pause)
We can’t just …
CAS
We have to. It’s you and me.
POL
It’ll still be you and me. I promise.
CAS
(weakening)
He’ll slow us down.
POL
He found us. He brought us in.
CAS
We can’t.
POL
Look at him there.
CAS
Dammit.
POL
I promise.
CAS
The shit I do for you, sis.
POL
Teach me that song. The one you made up, back when … ?
CAS
(as in the first scene)
When we are at the end,
POL
(echoing)
When we are at the end –
CAS
(continuing)
You and I –
BOTH
(coming in together for the end of that line)
– my only friend –
(continuing, Pol lagging a bit behind to get the words)
Until the universe goes cold
I only want your hand to hold …
(They laugh a little, carefully. We can hear the sounds of the night around them. Distantly, we hear Alex call back.)
ALEX
Girls, come look at the Moon with me.
CAS
We should go get him.
POL
Let’s go.
(as they’re walking)
Do you think he’ll bring the ball? Cas?
CAS
He’s not gonna forget the ball.
(As at the end of the first scene, we only hear dogs barking and running through the grass now.)
ALEX
(closer now)
What have you been up to, ladies?
(brief pause)
I know. It’s almost time to go.
(The episode ends.)
D.J. SYLVIS
Today’s episode featured Mandi Hall as Cas, Codi Phillips as Pol, and Gabriel Taneko as Alex. It was written, edited, and produced by D.J. Sylvis.
Theme music is “Star” by the band Ramp. You can find more information and a transcript of the episode on our website – monkeymanproductions dot com.
Well folks, this is it! The great big surprise ending to our flashback mini-series. I hope you enjoyed every episode. I hope you know how much you’re a part of this, and every story we tell. You’re our crew, our found family, our monkey folks and moonebasians, and .. you get what I’m saying.
If all is well, and the stars align, we’re not too far now from moving forward again – with Moonbase Theta, Out Season Three. So keep listening, keep your heart in the stars, and keep watching the moon.
ANNOUNCER
Consortium Channel 5 ends our broadcast day with a final message: honour all curfews, listen to Security, and KEEP WATCHING THE MOON.
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