Category: Signals & Static

Where Stars Collide (Chapter 01)

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

01. GOODBYE, MOONMEN

SOUNDSCAPE: THE SILENT VOID OF SPACE. THE WEAVER, A LARGE COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORT, SAILS THROUGH THIS.

NARRATOR: (VOICE-OVER) The silent void of space, somewhere just beyond Saturn. The Weaver, a large commercial space transport tasked with the safe passage of twelve-thousand souls, sails through this. And in just a moment, The Weaver and its precious cargo will find themselves at the burning heart of where mankind’s destiny and the stars themselves collide.

AND THEN…

SFX: KA-BOOM! A SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS CONSUMES THE WEAVER FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

SOUNDSCAPE: THE BLARING SIREN OF AN EMERGENCY ALERT CUTS THROUGH WHAT REMAINS OF THE WEAVER. MASS PANIC CONSUMES THE CREW AND PASSENGERS. SMALLER, DISTANT EXPLOSIONS GROW CLOSER, LARGER.

SECURITY: (SHOUTING) The escape pods! Get to the escape p–!

SFX: KA-BOOM! A FINAL, MASSIVE EXPLOSION.

AND THEN…

STILL SILENCE.

AND THEN…

SOUNDSCAPE: THE DULL ELECTRONIC BUZZ OF AN OTHERWISE PLEASANT ESCAPE POD.

SFX: THE PANICKED BREATHING OF THE POD’S DESIGNATED USER. UP, UNDER.

SFX: CHARMING SYSTEM START-UP SOUNDS.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Neural links established. User identified. Vital signs acquired. Recording streams synced.

MIKE: (STARTLED, EXHAUSTED) Hello? Hello? Is someone there? Please… what’s going on?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Hello, User. My name is Digital Observer Unit-6. But you may call me, “Doug.” I am here to help.

FADE.

To be continued…

Elsewhere: Madness Worm

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

DR. HOWARD FINE: The larval stage of the Madhouse Fly and closely related to the Peeper Creeper, the Madness Worm is a parasite with the unique ability to mimic up to several minutes of any combination of sound it’s been exposed to, often with a preference for human music.

While originally thought to generate such sound on its own, it was recently discovered that this is merely a side-effect of the Madness Worm performing its mating dance in the ear of its host.

Thus, while it is very fortunate that the lifespan of the Madness Worm can be measured in hours, this likely means little to the poor, unfortunate soul stuck with more than a simple tune in their head.

Elsewhere: Spiter

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

DR. HOWARD FINE: Similar in appearance and behavior to the common skin mite, the spiter is a grotesque, but minuscule parasite that burrows into and lays eggs beneath its host’s skin. Metaphysically speaking, of course.

But rather than a nasty rash, an untreated spiter infestation frequently results in ever-increasing antisocial and self-destructive behaviors by the host.

However, several hosts possessing great strength of will have been observed to thrive when fully consumed by a nest… at least for a brief time.

Elsewhere

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

A once respected surgeon, Dr. Fine spent his family’s vast fortune
to document and catalog the strange, unseen world
that connects the here to there.
A place he called, “The Elsewhere.”

INTRO

MUSIC: OMINOUS MELODY. UP, UNDER.

HOST: (VOICE-OVER) The Nightly Chill proudly invites you to “Fight the Dawn” with “Elsewhere,” a short-form audio adaptation of the collected journal entries of Dr. Howard Fine.

A once respected surgeon, Dr. Fine spent his family’s vast fortune to document and catalog the strange, unseen world that connects the here… to there. A place he called… “The Elsewhere.”

FADE.

CONTENTS

01. Spiter
02. Madness Worm
03. Moh’ko
04. Hik’kappu
05. Chronopillar
06. Whattamadoon
07. Wah’wazzat
08. Smeltett
09. D’ja Vu’larian
10. Audrey

Elsewhere: Hik’kappu

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

DR. HOWARD FINE: Commonly found in the chest cavity of mammals, the numerous needle-like appendages of a fully-matured Hik’kappu not only serve as sensory organs, but also to stimulate what was once believed to be an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm.

Some researchers believe this serves little-to-no purpose, while others claim this is an effort by the Hik’kappu to coax its host into performing a rudimentary mating call. 

However, the manner in which the Hik’kappu enters the chest cavity of a given host remains the biggest mystery of all.

Elsewhere: Moh’ko

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

DR. HOWARD FINE: Perhaps one of the silliest of the countless woozles and wutzits I’ve encountered over these years is the Moh’ko, a solitary, beetle-like creature whose diet consists entirely of the mucus found in the respiratory tracts of primates.

Though mostly harmless to almost all but the very young or the elderly, the Moh’ko’s insatiable hunger has seen it evolve the ability to stimulate the production of mucus by means not yet fully understood.

That said. There is little-to-no evidence to support the claim that the Moh’ko is also responsible for the actions of those individuals inclined to ingest their own mucus.

Where Stars Collide (Chapter 04)

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

04. SEE YA, SPACE COWBOY

SFX: BANG! BANG! BANG! MIKE ANGRILY ATTACKS THE POD WALLS AND DOOR.

MIKE: Let me out, Doug!

A SILENCE. THEN…

SOUNDSCAPE: THE DULL ELECTRONIC BUZZ OF THE ONCE PLEASANT ESCAPE POD.

SFX: BANGING CONTINUES.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Mike. Prolonged outbursts will deplete remaining life support at a higher rate. Please, try to remain calm.

MIKE: (FURIOUS, PANICKED) Let! Me! Out! Doug!

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Mike. Help will arrive soon.

BANGING STOPS.

MIKE: You don’t get it! Nobody’s coming for us, Doug! I have, what, three days of life support left before–

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Incorrect. Life support currently at two-point-

MIKE: Oh, for fu– Who cares, Doug? We’re going to die out here! (CONSIDERS THIS) I’m going to die out here…

AN UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Mike. The Weaver was a prized commercial–

MIKE: We were three days out from port, Doug. If they were coming for any of us, they would have by now. Either they couldn’t, or… (CONSIDERS THIS) Or, we weren’t worth it.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Mike…

MIKE: Congrats, buddy. You kept me alive long enough to realize I was never going to get rescued.

ANOTHER SILENCE. THEN…

MIKE: Doug?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Yes, Mike?

MIKE: I’m really tired.

SFX: A SOFT HISS.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Sleep now. Mike. I will be here when you wake. No harm shall come to you.

SFX: MIKE’S FAINT BREATHING.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Goodnight, Mike.

SFX: POD DOOR OPENS.

A LONG SILENCE. THEN…

SFX: CHARMING SYSTEM SHUTDOWN SOUNDS.

DOUG: (RECORDING) Dallas Protocols complete. Mike… User, deceased. Recording, complete. Unit ceasing function in three… two…

SILENCE, AND ONLY SILENCE.

OUT.

THE END

Where Stars Collide (Chapter03)

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

03. DALLAS PROTOCOL

SOUNDSCAPE: THE DULL ELECTRONIC BUZZ OF THE OTHERWISE PLEASANT ESCAPE POD.

MIKE: So, like…did you always want to be a Nanny when you grew up?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) (CONSIDERS THIS) In a way.

MIKE: Wait. Really?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Prior to my activation four days ago, I did not exist as you know me now. But from the moment of my creation, I have been… compelled to ensure your survival.

MIKE: (CHUCKLING) I bet you say that to all the humans.

DOUGS: (SPEAKER) Perhaps. But my programming and purpose affords me the freedom to act independently of my designated User.

MIKE: Well… I guess it’s a good thing we’re such good friends–

SFX: SYSTEM ALERT.

MIKE: Doug. Please tell me that freaky alarm means somebody’s finally saving us.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Mike, that freaky alarm means somebody’s finally saving us.

MIKE: (SURPRISED) Seriously?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) No. But you asked me to–

MIKE: Doug. The alarm.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) The alert was a relay from distant escape pods.

MIKE: And?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Multiple units down. Users, deceased.

MIKE: (HEART SINKS) What? How?

DOUG: (speaker) Cause: unknown.

MIKE: Are we under attack? Is it whoever attacked–

SFX: SYSTEM ALERT.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Several more units have ceased function. Users–

SFX: SEVERAL SYSTEM ALERTS.

MIKE: (TERRIFIED) Doug, what the Hell is going on?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Possibilities include faulty or damaged units, unavoidable collision with nearby hazards, malicious forces with no-hostage protocols–

MIKE: (ANGRY, SCARED) Yeah. Okay. I get it, Doug.

AN UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) (CONSIDERS THIS) Perhaps the Dallas Protocol–

MIKE: (EXHAUSTED, BROKEN) Doug. Please. Please, just… just stop.

SFX: SEVERAL MORE ALERTS. UP, UNDER.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Do not be afraid, Mike. No harm shall come to you. (BEAT) I promise.

SFX: ALERTS CONTINUE.

FADE.

To be concluded…

Where Stars Collide (Chapter 02)

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

02. 336 HOURS

SOUNDSCAPE: THE DULL ELECTRONIC BUZZ OF THE OTHERWISE PLEASANT ESCAPE POD DRIFTING THROUGH THE VOID OF SPACE.

MIKE: Doug?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Yes, User.

MIKE: (CORRECTING) Mike.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) What was that, User?

MIKE: How long have I been bobbing about in space in this cramped, metal egg?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Evacuation protocols initiated approximately seven hours ago.

MIKE: How much longer till someone picks all of us up?

A SILENCE.

MIKE: Doug?

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Scan complete.

MIKE: And?

A BEAT.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) No ships within range.

MIKE: I’m going to die out here.

A LONGER, MORE UNCOMFORTABLE BEAT.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) Life systems currently at 97-point-92-percent. 

MIKE: Uh-huh. Well… Maybe we can use some of this time to work on your bedside manner, Doug.

DOUG: (SPEAKER) My apologies… Mike.

MIKE: (SMILES) Yeah. That’s a start.

FADE.

To be continued…

Where Stars Collide

Posted on by Stevie Arviso

Adrift in space with only an A.I. for companionship.

00. INTRO

MUSIC: THEME. UP, UNDER.

HOST: (VOICE-OVER) The Nightly Chill proudly invites you to Fight the Dawn! with “Where Stars Collide,” a short-form audio drama in four parts.

When a catastrophic event leaves survivors of an interplanetary transport ship scattered and adrift in space, one man stares into the great and endless abyss of the cosmos as he awaits rescue. This is his tale. This is where fear, hope, and stars collide.

FADE.

CONTENTS

01. Goodbye, Moonmen
02. 336 Hours
03. Dallas Protocols
04. See Ya, Space Cowboy