What Will Be Here

Episode 10: Max Q

MUSIC: Mid-tempo synth music plays.  

INTRO

What Will Be Here? Episode 10, Max Q. Content warnings for this episode include swearing. See the show notes for more details and a link to the transcript.

MUSIC: Music turns to soft, hopeful piano and fades out.

Part 1: Armani

SFX: Recording clicks on, we hear them in the midst of packing. They pull a long piece from a roll of duct tape and close a box. In the far distance we hear their family, also in the middle of the chaos that is packing.

ARMANI

Most stories we tell have a distinct beginning, middle, and end, though not always in that order. Some beginnings may not be perfect or start off as smoothly as we want them to. Our middles could be too long or too rushed. Or our endings aren’t satisfying in the ways we need them to be. Still, we tell them, in the only ways we know how.

SFX: They pull out a dresser drawer, pull some clothes from it and deposit it on the bed, then begin folding.

ARMANI

The Marwan family was one of the first to make their home in the Underground. My family’s blood, sweat, and tears helped build these stone and metal tunnels. Our spirit was carved into this place and our voices still echo down these now-empty halls. We hold these stories of darkness and greed and hope with us, shaping them into the legacies we wish to pass down to future generations. And as the storytellers, we get to choose which stories carry on and, to a lesser degree, how those stories begin and end.

SFX: A beat. They pause their folding, sit down on the bed.

ARMANI

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an architect, if you can believe it. I wanted to keep building out the underground, pushing it further and further away from the ever watchful eye of Savannah. But as I got older, I realized that here, even when we’re alone, we’re eventually going to be found. No matter how far away we think we can get.

(A bitter chuckle)

I had this aunt, Damali. She used to work for NASA, back when it was still around. But when Savannah-lobbied government officials finally pulled the plug on the program, she ended up moving back in with us. Well, one night, when I was about eight or nine, she took me and a few siblings topside. She was trying to give my parents a break from all of us, I think. Anyways, she took us to one of the larger, poorer parts of the city where there was a planned power outage. So, we pull up to this small patch of grass they called a park and watched as one by one, the lights of the city went out. The patches of floating space junk parted for the briefest of moments and you could finally see the sky.

It was dark, pitch black. Except for the stars. Real stars. Not just the small sections of barely visible ideas of stars that you can see in the underground. There was a field of them. Damali spent the night pointing out different constellations, and the types of stars, how they live and die. I dunno, I just fell in love with that sky. I wanted to see more of it. More of its incomprehensible size and all its endless possibilities. Unburdened by gravity or the withering eye of Savannah.

SFX: They stop folding and lay back on their bed, staring at the ceiling.

ARMANI

Anyways, long story short, Oma never let Aunt Damali babysit ever again and I got a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering. All thanks to some very hardworking parents and also selling my soul for a Savannah-funded corporate scholarship. While I was at school, I met Jules. We shared a few friends so we ended up at the same parties a lot. Eventually, I got to know her as this optimistic ball of sunshine and a great motivational speaker.

 Whenever I needed supplies for my… extracurricular activities, I would go to this cool, charming rogue, Suri, who didn’t ask me any questions but always seemed to know just what, or who, I needed. She introduced me to Kei, who very quickly became my parts person and continues to be one of the most enthusiastic troublemakers I have ever met. Ey are always in the process of putting something back together and also don't seem to mind listening to me ramble about asinine subjects while ey work. I also got to meet Dane who was just as bitter as I was about the hand we had been dealt. But he’s also incredibly sweet and so passionate about his work.

(A sigh)

 When Jules brought us together, we were all so nervous and awkward, but excited at the thought of a new project, a worthwhile project. A way to make our unfiltered mark on the universe. And so, our story began. And, well, you know the rest. But where do we go from here? Just because the rocket launches, just because you, dear listeners, don’t hear what happens next, that doesn’t mean our story is over. Prometheus still walked the earth and enraged Zeus, even after Hercules freed him. Moni Mekhala, Reamesor, and Vorachhun still fight, even after the dance has ended.

(Beat)

In six hours’ time, the rocket will be leaving our atmosphere and we will be leaving with it. I don’t mean we’ll be leaving Earth, though I’m sure Kei wouldn’t object to some impromptu space travel. What I mean is that Dane, Suri, Kei and I will be leaving the underground. Actually, most of the underground will be leaving the underground, never to be seen again. Well, hopefully never to be seen by Savannah again. We always knew we would have to leave in the end. I think I held out hope that it would just be the six of us.

Unfortunately, with the raids becoming more and more frequent, plus the fact that we're going to launch a giant rocket right next door, I think most of the people down here decided it would be a good time to leave. Kei is going upstate, I think. Ey’ve got a good friend there. Someone ey can room with for a while. Suri and Dane will be leaving together, of course. They have to. Suri’s face is plastered over every ‘Wanted’ billboard in the city.

Their moms left a few days ago. They’ve got connections outside the country, far from Savannah’s grasp, who can help them get through all the travel checkpoints. Suri and Dane will actually be coming with me and my family for a bit. We’re going to try heading east, meet up with some second cousin, twice removed somewhere. Dane wants to test their luck in Canada so they’re gonna peel off halfway through our trip. And that will be that.

SFX: They sit back up.

ARMANI

Except it won’t be. We will still continue on, even after this recording ends. We’ll have late night phone calls and video chats. We’ll have infrequent and unreliable snail mail and care packages. We’ll have family and friends and other stories to live that you won’t get to hear about just yet. There will always be stories, told or untold. The least we can do is try to make it interesting. I-

ARMANI’S DAD

(From outside)

Armani? We could use your help downstairs, if you’re done packing.

ARMANI

(calling out)

Ah! Yeah. I’ll be down in a sec!

SFX: They hurriedly zip up their pack.

ARMANI

Thank you all for taking the time to listen… assuming you did listen and didn’t just jump to the very end. Thank you and please remember us, not just for who was here, but for who will be.

Peace. Love. Family. Now and forever.

Part 2: Kei

SFX: Recorder clicks on.

KEI sings the most annoying possible rendition of Taps, which devolves into em clucking like a turkey.

DANE
Kei.

(Beat)

KEI!

KEI

Hey, it’s a turkey. It’s expensive. I have no idea if this is going to work!

DANE

Kei, what are you planning on doing with that….?

KEI
I’m gonna cook it.

DANE
NOW?

KEI

No, no, not NOW! In…4 hours and 3 minutes.

DANE

Isn’t there...something else happening then?

KEI

Yeah. See, the exhaust from the rocket’s going to be in excess of a thousand degrees, I figure it’ll come down to maybe eight or nine hundred by the time it reaches the turkey, and it should cook the whole thing pretty quick. We’ll have a feast after the rocket’s off!

DANE

You’re cooking the turkey under the engines?

KEI

Yes, Dane, because I want to eat charred carbon! No, I'm putting it in the vents.

DANE

How many times have we told you to stay out of the vents?

KEI

Mmmm…four.

DANE

It’s definitely been more than that.

KEI

Mmkay. You’ve expressed your general distaste at my being in the vents nearly a hundred times, but between all of you I have only been told to stay out of the vents four times. Suri’s fine with it.

SFX: The turkey is set down.

KEI

Give me a hand with this?

DANE

Um. Sure.

KEI and DANE struggle for a moment.

SFX: A tarp with many objects is pulled from a vent and lands with a clatter.

DANE

Damn it, Kei-

KEI

Ah, shit!

SFX: Rummaging.

KEI

Don’t be broken don’t be broken-

DANE

Kei, what the fuck is all this?

KEI
This is my stuff!

DANE

Why the hell is it the vents???

KEI

They’re my home away from home!

DANE

Okay, follow-up question, why is it all on a tarp in front of us?

KEI

Because I don’t want it to get fried along with the turkey. I guess it’s technically a roast....but fried sounds better. You see that Clydesdale fan?

DANE

Uh-huh…

KEI

I’ve got six of them set up to blow...most of the rocket exhaust into the ventilation system. Minimizes our evac zone.

DANE

That’s what you’ve been doing in the vents all this time?

KEI

Yeah. For the most part. Actually, I meant to ask you, did you calibrate the false GPS signal yet? I need to patch it into the transceiver if we’re going to get this thing into space without it being blown out of the sky.

DANE

Uh, yeah. That’s what I was on my way to do when I saw you with the, uh...turkey.

KEI

You know, I’m not 100% sure that it’s not a very, very large duck now that I think about it.

Beat.

DANE

Right. Good luck Kei. I’ll check in once I’ve got that signal calibrated.

SFX: Dane walks off.

KEI

It’s totally a turkey, but I like to have an air...of mystery! And exhaust. Sheesh, I have no idea how effective this is going to be but it’s probably better than nothing. But the rocket’s going to work. That’s human ingenuity for you. We might not know that stuff’s going to work. But we’d have died off a long time ago if that had stopped us from trying.

You know, space aliens, or future human explorers or statistically unlikely mix of the two on the crew...I hope you get this and remember that about us. Not that our world was ending under corporate rule. Not that we had to sneak around to get our story out there to you. But the fact that despite everything facing off against us, everyone we’ve lost getting to this point, we made it. We didn’t ask what would be here after we were gone. We decided what legacy we wanted to leave, and we made sure that was the legacy we left. Well. Sort of. I’m sure you’ve gotten the Savannah ads by the time this rocket reaches you.

Or maybe you haven’t. If you’re from a newer, better Earth where Savannah is a minor chapter you forgot in history class...well then, I guess the human race did all right.

But if you’re aliens...well, I had Armani attach a very detailed turkey recipe that you can try on your birds. If you have birds. If you aren’t birds. Oh man. It would be awkward if you were birds.

Oop! We’ve got four hours until launch and here I am apologizing to aliens who may or may not be birds.

Listen, just...remember us, okay? Remember me crawling in the vents, Jules yelling at Dane for swearing, Suri making art out of light, and every story Armani ever told you. Don’t let us become a footnote.

Okay?

SFX: KEI walks.

Dane

Kei?

KEI

Hey, you ready with that?

SFX: Recorder clicks off.

Part 3: Suri

SFX: Recorder clicks on. One pair of footsteps walking on tile.

SURI

Hey everyone. Maybe two hours before launch is a weird time to do my last recording, but I’ve been putting it off. It’s sad to think that I won’t get to… talk to you all again. I know, we’ve never met, and we won’t ever meet, but… you’re good listeners. Now, I only have one more job to do here, and I decided to bring you with me. We always talk to you about the Underground, but you’ve never gotten to experience it. Besides that time I almost got busted by Sintil, heh. So… let’s go outside.

SFX: Heavy metal door opening, footsteps on dirt/sand. The door slams shut behind her and she continues walking.

SURI

It’s not exactly the same as usual. This place is a ghost town now. Armani and I have been in charge of leading evacuation efforts over the last couple of weeks. With the increased raids and the blackouts, most people have already left or were in the process of leaving anyway. That’s usually a sign that a place is going under. The whole warehouse heist only made it worse, and Savannah’s become more and more invasive. Shortening our leash before they put us down. At this point, any person who doesn’t want to be here isn’t. And anyone who still is… well, they know exactly what they’re doing. And that’s their choice to make.

I’m running a final check on the south side. And I figured, if I’m going on a walk anyway, I may as well actually give you all a taste of the Underground for once.

SFX: Footsteps stop. Door opens. SURI’S voice echoes in here.

SURI

Right now, I’m checking out Canting.

SFX: SURI walks into a restaurant. Footsteps on tile.

SURI

It’s the only restaurant we have, and it isn’t really a restaurant. It’s an old hotel ballroom, so it’s this big open space with a kitchen in the back. Every few months or so, some of the laborers who work topside could scrounge up enough money to buy a bunch of groceries and some grannies would come together to make a big meal.

SFX: Swinging door as SURI checks the kitchen.

SURI

 First come, first serve, of course, but open to everyone to come and get something home-made. Otherwise, no one owns the place so it’s a communal space for cooking. And if anyone wants to hold a big event, this is the prime spot to do it.

SFX: Opening a few cabinets.

SURI

Okay. All clear in here.

SFX: Opening back door to the kitchen, SURI walks back to the tunnels.

SURI

Oh, and over there is the playground! It’s kind of a disaster - a wood plank for a see-saw, no swing set but it does have five tire swings. They’re hanging from steel cross beams of a building that’s long gone. And there’s a sandbox, and a jungle gym made from old furniture and metal scraps. I was a little too old for playgrounds when we moved here, but it’s where all the kids my age hung out anyway, just standing around and looking cool. It’s good memories.

SFX: SURI jogs a little, excited to show off this next spot.

SURI

There’s also this alleyway over here! People come here to paint on the walls of an old office building! It’s full of different artists’ work. And there’s this - oh.

Oh wow.

(Beat)

Uh, sorry. It’s just… I was going to tell you, there’s this big bin of art supplies we just leave here for people to use, you know, since everyone can’t get their own.

I’m just kind of shocked cus… uh…. it’s full. It’s fuller than I’ve ever seen it. Seems like everyone just ditched their supplies when they left.

SFX: SURI rummages through some markers and paintbrushes, then drops them back into the bin and stops.

SURI

What’s really interesting about all this is seeing what people do and don’t take.

SFX: Quick footsteps.

SURI

Like, okay, you can’t see it, but across the street. There’s a stroller, that belongs to Angeline Grajeda. The Grajeda family had a baby recently - I think she’s maybe eleven months old now? Almost one. Not important. Her name’s Josie and she started walking a little while ago. She’s fast. It’s always funny seeing her family members chasing her down. Angeline still mostly takes her around in the stroller just because it’s faster. But now the Grajedas are gone, and the stroller is still here. Why? Because Angeline knows that Josie can walk now, and a stroller would require another set of hands - a set of hands that could be pushing a cart full of things they actually value and need instead. So they put Josie on top of the cart, and left the stroller behind.

Meanwhile, Tiwa is a single dad and his daughter - she’s about the same age… maybe a couple months older? - well she can’t walk that well. Feyi - that’s his daughter - she gets tired quick and she cries every time she’s even slightly inconvenienced. So, he took his stroller with him. It’s the same kind as the Grajeda’s, and it doesn’t carry as much as a cart would, but Tiwa doesn’t need as much. His sister came to help him with the move, and that was an extra set of hands that didn’t have a load to bear, so he chose to bring it.

It’s just funny how the same things can carry different weights. While one family abandons it, another can’t do without it.

SFX: SURI starts walking down the road.

SURI

Remember back when I made my first recording? And I said I was looking at this rocket like an art project? I still am. Now, the project is complete, but I can still see the art, even in the aftermath.

(Beat)

Whenever you create something new, there will always be something else left behind.

Paint in the palette, magazine articles with the pictures cut out, a spraypaint can, half full. There’s always some form of excess.

But what’s left behind isn’t necessarily wasted. Sometimes, the thing has just served its purpose. Like when you mix paints, you needed that exact amount to get just the right shade. And nobody is rereading old magazine articles, so you may as well find a use for them, even if it’s partial.

Other times, just because something is gone from you doesn’t mean it’s gone for good. Like the paint cans. How many times have I caught pre-teens vandalizing walls with spray cans that I left behind whenever I almost got caught myself? Or even, when I ditch an empty gallon of paint on my way home and then see that exact can being used as a flowerpot the next day?

SFX: SURI kicks a can and it goes rolling. She stops walking.

SURI

Even beyond that, art is inherently the action of leaving something behind. It’s you… having an idea in your mind and then, extracting it from yourself to put it into the world. After you publish that essay or put the final stitches on that dress, it exists outside of you. And you can’t put it back. Once your art is outside - once it’s apart from you - you don’t control it anymore. It isn’t entirely yours anymore. It’s complete and takes on its own life.

So you paint the picture and move on to the next one.

Launch the rocket, find a new purpose.

Leaving something behind is how you make room for what’s to come.

And there is always something to come. Even for us.

SFX: SURI starts walking again.

SURI

While we were clearing people out, I started compiling this list for when I come back. It’s all of the things that people told me they’ll want again if they survive the takeoff and the raids to come. Favorite pieces of pottery, time capsules buried at the last second, even a few pets that never truly belonged to any one person’s home. It might not happen for a few years, but I’m gonna come back and do what I do best. Search, salvage. It’ll be a good excuse to take a long trip and see some old friends. I mean, I’ve got a whole load of requests for what might still be here.

And I’m sure something will.

SFX: A loud meowing is heard.

SURI

OH my - Is that -

It is! There’s the cat! Come here, kitty! Come here!

SFX: SURI takes a step. Cat trots over.

SURI

I’m gonna take you somewhere safe, okay? It’s too dangerous here now.

SFX: Little meow :)

SURI

Anyway, aliens, it’s been a lot of fun. Uh, maybe I’ll hear back from you one day. Maybe not. Either way… be safe out there.

Bye.

SFX: Recorder clicks off.

Part 4: Dane

SFX: Recorder clicks on. DANE walks.

DANE

This… this is it. We’re about to launch the rocket. Or try to, I guess. There’s always the chance it explodes, but honestly, that might be a fitting ending. Going down in flames the way you did… a viking funeral for the ages. With the bonus of taking out a little piece of Savannah while we’re at it.

I…I hope it doesn’t, though. I don’t think it will. We’ve run final checks, and everything looks good. The weather does too, which means we won’t have to delay launch. I just need to get the payload on the rocket, and then we’re outta here.

I really didn’t think we’d get this far. Even if this rocket doesn’t make it into space, we still got it to the launchpad. The million and one things that could’ve gone wrong up to this point didn’t.

(Beat)

 Or, well, a lot of them actually did go wrong, but we got through it. Most of us.

(Beat)

God, I wish you were here to see this, Jules. In a lot of ways, this launch kind of feels like laying you to rest. You wanted this so bad, you… you made me want this so bad. This was your magnum opus. And here it is, standing on the launchpad.

SFX: Footsteps stop. Dane has arrived.

DANE

I’m not sure what exactly we’re doing after this. It’s really our last hurrah, isn’t it? I guess I figure I’ll… oh I don’t know, stick it to the man on my way out? I’ve accepted my fate of dying on a dying world, but at least I can be a pain in the ass to the people who made it that way. Maybe this launch is just the beginning, after all.

(Beat)

Yeah. Well, Jules isn’t here to say this, so I supposed I will: I hope you enjoyed the show, dear listener. I’ll take my bow now.

SFX: DANE puts the recorder into the rocket.

DANE

(to self)

Yeah. Okay, just gotta stick that here… and clip this in…turn that knob…alright. Alright. Should - should test the playback, probably.

SFX: Click. Yes, this mic can record and play previous recordings at the same time, because the plot says so.

JULES

(On recorder)

Okay…testing, testing…

DANE

Ju-- Jules?

JULES

Everything seems to be working… I think! It’s picking up my voice and everything. Wow, I’m so excited. I can’t believe we’re actually doing this! I am so lucky to have everyone’s help. I didn’t think Suri would say yes, but even she did! I wonder if Dane bribed her or something… I’m really glad Dane said yes too, I’ve been wanting to get to know him better.

DANE half-laughs, half-sobs.

JULES

 Armani jumped at the chance to record their thoughts, and Kei jumped at the chance to use eir welder… I’m not sure ey know what ey agreed to, now that I think about it.

Hmm, I hope I can delete recordings. Or maybe record over this one? I’m still learning how this thing works. Either way, the rest of the team probably won’t hear this. I’ll stop them if they try!

DANE laughs along with her.

JULES

If I can’t figure out how to delete stuff and this is the first message you hear, well… hi! That was my test run! I have no idea what the rest of this recording will sound like, but I promise you, it’s gonna be good.

SFX: A click off, then on. It’s a new recording.

JULES

Hello. Hello. Hi. Hi! Jules here! I’m working on a little time capsule project to send a message to the future, and these recordings-

DANE laughs.

SFX: Click as Dane stops playback.

DANE

Damn, Jules. I’m never gonna fucking know what will be here, will I?

SFX: DANE closes a hatch, runs away. We soak in the ambiance of the launchpad for a while.

SFX: Bay doors open.

SFX: Launch.

SFX: Rocket in air.

SFX: Vacuum of space.

MUSIC: End theme plays out, joyful, hopeful electronic instrumental music.

CREDITS

This episode was written by Brad Colbroock, Chandler Harrison, Cole Burkhardt, Di Reese, and Tal Minear, with script editing by Evan Tess Murray. It was directed by Cole Burkhardt and sound designed by Tal Minear, and features Kathy Youssef as Armani, Vico Ortiz as Kei, Sahar Iman as Suri, John Y. Kamara as Dane, and Jona Lune as Jules. This episode also features Lee Davis-Thalbourne as Armani’s Dad. The theme music is by Benny James and the transcript is by Caroline Mincks. What Will Be Here is primarily produced in Long Beach, on the stolen land of the Kizh Nation.