What Will Be Here
Episode 6
Critical Vehicle Functions

MUSIC: Mid-tempo synth music plays.

INTRO
What Will Be Here? Episode 6, Critical Vehicle Functions. 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: Recorder clicks on.
ARMANI
There are countless legends about impossible tasks. Every culture, seemingly, has its own. Making a chain to hold the mighty Fenrir. Jumping out of the Buddha’s palm. Slaying the Nemian lion. There’s something very human about trying to do the impossible. It extends beyond legend, into history itself. The Wright Brothers. Apollo 11. I hate to say it, but even Gaut Nocoeur. These are people who succeeded in doing the impossible. History doesn’t remember the people who failed.

Still, it’s almost comforting. As we build this rocket we follow the long tradition of attempting the impossible. We’ll find out if this is truly an impossible task, or just one that seems impossible. Will we succeed in the mission we’ve given ourselves? I really don’t know.

There’s always a bigger hill to climb with this project. That’s how every project goes, but this one especially. There are obstacles inherent to building and launching a secret rocket, who would’ve guessed? In addition to your general engineering challenges, we’re also directly going against the government and our corporate overlords. I say that like they’re two separate entities - they pretend to be, but everyone knows Savannah has bought off all three branches of government.

We have a whole host of logistics to keep in mind because of our particular situation, especially when it comes to sourcing materials. It’s not like it was in college, I can’t just walk down to the machine shop and ask for some sheet metal. I also can’t order materials online, because Savannah tracks all of our purchases and ordering too much of anything will get you a visit from the company. I can’t tell you how much I wish I could just place an order for the hardware we need, instead of just using whatever Suri can scrounge up. Don’t judge me for the phillips screws on this rocket, okay? I know they strip, and I know what a hazard that is around the electronics in zero-G, but it’s all we had. Kei was really careful about putting them in and I’m confident we’ll be okay. Most importantly, I’m confident this rocket is making it through max Q when it launches.

...Though, that assumes this rocket will be launching at all. Right now I’m having a lot of trouble acquiring fuel for it, which certainly puts the whole launching thing into question. We’ve got a couple of options for propellant, both solid and liquid. Kei and I have been building out the body of the rocket while we figure out how to get it moving, since obviously our choice of propellant will affect the engine design.

Solid propellant is a lot easier to work with - it’s what the first rockets used. We don’t have to worry as much about pressurization and combustibility, and the system would be a lot more reliable. And hobby rockets use solid fuel, so there’s some on the legal market, even - but not in the quantities we need. Because we would need A LOT. The shuttles from two hundred years ago had extra boosters attached to them just to hold the fuel, and while our payload isn’t seven astronauts, we would need what Kei deems a “ridiculous” amount. Ey can make it work if we need to, so Suri is following up on a few leads to see if we can get it all.

Now, liquid propellant is a whole other ball game. It’s what the pros use these days - you can get a lot more bang for your buck, and I mean that literally. Methane and Kerosene based engines provide way more thrust per gram of fuel than any of our solid propellant options. That means we’d need less of it - and storage wise, that’s a better deal. It’s easier to hide a smaller rocket. But the liquid propellant is harder to get and harder to store. The risk of fire…is high. With solid fuel, we don’t need to worry too much about burning down the underground until the countdown starts. With liquid fuel? I’ll be worrying about it from the moment we bring that stuff in here. I’m not sure which one I prefer, actually. I’d almost rather burn the place down than get caught with a half-built rocket…

(sighs)

I don’t get to make the final call. That’s for Suri to do, based on what she knows we can get and when. We’re all pulling favors, but Suri is doing the most work to find our fuel. Once we know which favors come through, I’ll be able to finalize the engine design with Jules. Dane will finish the electronics and Kei will start putting it all together. It’s a team effort for sure. But will we be Hercules or Sisyphus? Will our legend be one of triumph or failure?

I wish I knew.

SFX: Recorder clicks off.
Part II: Kei
SFX: Recorder clicks on.
KEI
It’s just a battery. How hard can it be?
SFX: Metal screeching and rummaging.
KEI
Huh. Don’t know why they would do that.
SFX: Kei keeps dissembling the car - metal hunks moving and the sound of scraping.
KEI
Ooooookay. That’s an interesting choice. You did NOT need to weld that. Why would you weld that? Bolts would work just fine. Hoooooo boy. Here we go.
SFX: Aggressive metal cutting thing. Is that what an angle grinder does? I don't know, but power tool noise.
KEI
Christ on a biscuit Jules, how fucking rich are your parents?
SFX: Noise resumes with an increased vigor.
KEI
(Going from cheery to venomous)
Savannah! We make our employees drive around in light tanks for some reason. We value their safety so much that it’s next to impossible to work on one of our cars.
SFX: Snap.
KEI
FINALLY! Ugh.
SFX: Metalwork concludes.
KEI
Listen, I understand that Savannah’s batteries are some of the best in the business and we need one as a backup for the strontium clock, but do they really need to make me chop up a car for it? Like, seriously, one of the ONLY things I’d actually be willing to buy from them and suddenly it’s “proprietary” and “not available to the general or specialized public”
SFX: Kei tosses a piece of metal.
KEI
If I can’t buy one, I’ll have to take it out of its titanium box on wheels! Armani would probably kill me if they knew I was wasting all this framing but it’s impossible to get to the power systems without it. Unless I took the motor out…nah, that’d require me to get the crane, detach the motor, find that weirdly specialized extension cord with the curvy prongs, it’s just not worth it. Beautiful piece of engineering though, the CF nanotubing is just…

(chef’s kiss noise)

Maybe I should make a helmet or something out of it. Of course, the titanium’s going to get used up a lot faster, provided I can keep Suri from selling it. I’ve got a few things that could use an upgrade or seven. Come to think of it, I want to know how Jules even got this, I could have sworn this stuff was reserved for like the elite of the elite.
SFX: Kei freezes. there is a realization.
KEI
…Wait.
SFX: Kei scrambles into car and activates Sacha’s interface.
SACHA
(Malfunctioning)
Thank you for driving with Savannah! The weather today is-is-today-weather Savananahaha diving Save Anna thaaannank yoouuuuuuuuu—
SFX: Kei starts rewiring Sacha. Quickly.
KEI
Oh hell no. I am NOT dealing with this asshole again.
(Hefty, concerted grunt)
SFX: Kei pulls the interface unit out of the car and lugs it over to a workbench before plugging some stuff into it. Beep Boop, but not exactly the front-facing Savannah Beep Boop.
KEI
Right. I remember how to read this. Yeah. Yeah Yeah. I don’t know what that symbol means. Hmm. Okay. Let’s just start pushing buttons. Wrong button. Location monitor hardware disconnected. Yeah you can’t find your GPS, big deal. Who owns you? Is there a secondary port or something? Let’s check around here…no….no…lighting output, motor cable, GPS box, radio input…. GPS… box… uh-oh.
SFX: Kei very rapidly returns to the car and rolls under it.
KEI
Please don’t be what I think it is please don’t be what I think it is please don’t be what I think it is please don’t be what I think it is please don’t be…
(resoundingly)
SHIT. Shit shit shit shit shit-
JULES
(distant)
Kei?
SFX: Kei rolls out and dashes to the interface.
KEI
-shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit ooooooh this is bad. C’mon, hurry up, tell me who you belong to..
SFX: Beepity boop.
KEI
Okkkkaaaaaaaay, this is worse than we thought but I think not as bad as it probably could be? Just a handy little tracking device built using Savannah’s own network rather than the existing US Military and SkyY ones. Which would conveniently lead anyone looking at it right—
JULES
You okay Kei? That sounded a bit intense.
KEI
Here.
JULES
What?
KEI
Jules! Just the person I need to talk to. Whatcha doing here?
JULES
I came to see if you needed any—Is that my car?? AGAIN??
KEI
Is what your car again?
JULES
THAT’S MY CAR!
KEI
That was your car, yeah. But since I can’t get the battery in that car from anyone it’s the rocket’s car now.. Anyway, uhh….what uh,…what are you doing here, Jules? Not just like, today in particular, but uhhh…overall?
JULES
We’re building a rocket for a record of humanity, Kei. Was that not obvious?
KEI
Yeah, yeah, any particular reason you drive that car here?
JULES
It’s..my car? Well, it was my car.
KEI
So you weren’t…I don’t know, sending geographic data to anyone?
JULES
What do you mean?
KEI
There’s an Eagle Eye in your car, Jules.
JULES
So? There’s one of those in every car.
KEI
No no no no Jules Jules Jules no no, there’s an Eagle Eye in every corporate Savannah Car. Normal cars don’t have a specialized tracking device on them. Not even the Savannah ones.
JULES
What are you getting at?
KEI
Jules. Savannah has the exact location of this whole operation because you’ve been driving in. I know your parents work for Savannah but I need you to tell me exactly what they do, because we could be in some serious trouble right now.
JULES
They both work in human resources. They do…paperwork, I dunno. I think mostly they handle internal communications and stuff?
KEI
Jules. You need to stop driving in. Stop bringing your phone when you come in. Don’t bring in anything that could be used to track you. What’s the kid of some Savannah HR reps doing in the underground, huh? That’s the sort of thing that Savannah gets suspicious about.
JULES
Kei, relax, it’s fine. It’s not like anything is going to happen because of-
KEI
Who got raided last week, Jules? Hmm?
Why do you think they chose this area, specifically? Huh?
JULES
Give me that.
SFX: Recorder clicks off.
Part III: Jules/Dane
SFX: The recorder beeps on, we hear the recorder clatter onto the desk as Jules settles into her chair.
JULES
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
(sighs)
Hi. Hey. Hello. Sorry. We had a Team Meeting. Suri’s blaming me for the raid. She says that it's obvious that I was being tracked and it's my fault that they raided this part of the Underground. How was I supposed to know that I had a tracking device lodged in the bottom of my car? I'm not under there too often! And it's not like they don't all do dangerous stuff all the time. Suri is constantly getting into trouble and having to run from dangerous people so maybe she’s the one who led them here. Kei’s got a habit of breaking things or breaking into things and who knows!? Maybe ey picked up a piece of… bugged… tech. I don’t know!
(beat)

And even if they were tracking me, what was I supposed to do about it? I don't generally park my car close to the entrance of the Underground. Kei was the one who needed to ‘borrow’ my car! I'm being as careful as I can when I'm actually entering the Underground… I think! I haven’t told my parents much about what I’ve been doing or where I’ve been going, and Savannah doesn’t have cameras set up on every street corner! Just cameras on every corner within a five mile radius of Savannah owned buildings and devices!

(slowly, finally realizing)

And… my car is definitely Savannah owned… My parents are high level Savannah employees. But- But why would Savannah care about their stupid kid? And I haven’t mentioned any of the gang to either of them. They just think I’m at school and hanging out with school friends! Which is technically true! I do know Ari from school!

(beat)
But… Sacha’s always listening. Oh my god. I think I’m going to be sick. What is the matter with me? I’ve put so many people in danger. Oh god. Oh god, I did those early recordings in my car. What… What else have I said around their recording devices?
(a pause, a groan)
Oh no. Oh no.
SFX: Metal chair scraping back as Jules stands up and begins to pace about the room.
JULES
Oh, what have I done? I’m a terrible person! I basically just rounded up four amazing people and handed them to Savannah on a silver platter shaped like a tracking device! God, I'm so-
(they pause, frustrated, searching for the right words)
-angry at myself! Of course, I should have realized my parents are terrible!
SFX: We hear the door open and someone enter the room but Jules is too busy pacing to notice.
JULES
I mean they work for Savannah which is the entire reason we're doing this rocket, so we can outrun Savannah and everything they’ve done to this world! God, what did I do? I put everyone in danger. People were hurt because of me. I’m so fu-
She cuts herself off, so as not to curse, then Dane speaks up.
DANE
Hey, uh-
JULES
(gasps)
Dane! Dane. Hi.
DANE
Hey… Were you about to curse?
JULES
(struggling to hold back tears)
No!
DANE
(starts to laugh, to tease, then pauses as he sees the look on her face)
Hey, are you okay?
JULES
(struggles to hold back tears then fails)
Sorry, I’m sorry. It’s fine. I’m fine.
SFX: Dane moves towards Jules.
DANE
Jules, whoa, hey hey hey hey. It’s okay. It’ll be fine-
JULES
No, please, I’ve put so many people in danger. I should’ve known I was being tracked and I - I kept coming here and I should just leave and-
DANE
Jules, breathe. Okay?
SFX: We hear the two of them take a deep breath. Jules sniffs, wipes her face.
JULES
(bitter and slightly pathetic laugh)
I’m sorry I’m such a mess. I think - I think I should just go-
DANE
What? No. You belong here with m- with - with us.
JULES
Dane… You don’t need to…
DANE
(softly)
You were there for me, okay? Let me be there for you.

SFX: Jules lets out a breath. Dane moves to the table and pats the seat next to him.
DANE
Come sit.
SFX: A brief pause then she moves to sit next to him. He takes her hand and they sit in silence for a moment longer.
DANE
Can I give you a hug?

Jules makes a soft, tired “mmhmm” sound of approval.
SFX: They hug.
DANE
Listen, Savannah knew about us, even without your… help. This is not on you.
JULES
I… oh!
SFX: We hear Jules fumble for the recorder and it clicks off. After a moment, it clicks on again. The two are sitting closer, fingers intertwined.
DANE
(with a laugh in his voice)
Look, all I’m saying is that Gaut has enough information on everybody that he could basically be Santa and yet he chooses not to. Dude’s a bad guy.
JULES
(giggles)
And what would you ask for from Santa Nocoeur?
DANE
Not a goddamn thing.
JULES
(laughs)
Hey, language!
DANE
(With a grin)
Oh yeah? I almost heard you say the fuck word tonight and you wanna lecture me on cursing?
JULES
Keep laughing and I’ll have to bring out my powerpoint on the proper time and place for cursing.
DANE
You made a-

(laughs)

Wait, so, when is it okay to curse?
JULES
When you’re in pain or when you’ve been on hold with the Savannah customer support line for more than half an hour.
DANE
You’re ridiculous, you know that right?
JULES
Rude!
They laugh, then there’s a gentle pause as they quiet.
JULES
I should go talk to Suri. Apologize for...
DANE
I don’t know that you need to.
JULES
No, I do. Even if I didn’t know I was being tracked, I should’ve been more careful or…


Jules pauses and struggles to find the words.


DANE
Not as willingly naïve?
JULES
More aware of my position in life.
DANE
It’s a lesson most white folk don’t learn so, I think you’ve made great strides already.
JULES
Yeah, it helps when you can directly see the consequences of your actions.
DANE
Heh. Yeahhhh.
SFX: Dane stands up.
DANE
Come on.
SFX: A pause, Jules doesn’t stand.
JULES
I’m worried she’ll hate me.
DANE
Don’t worry. Suri hates everybody.
(beat)
Come on, I know how to talk to her.
SFX: A beat, then Jules takes Dane’s hand, standing. The two walk away as Jules giggles nervously. A door opens and they walk through.

Part four: Suri

SFX: Recorder clicks on. Footsteps on concrete, then a heavy door opening as Dane and Jules enter Suri’s studio. Suri plays rock music over her headset.


SURI
(talking to herself)
Oh, fuck, there’s an emergency exit on the second floor… Let me draw that in really quick.


(BEAT as SURI updates the model)

Okay. This VR headset just made my life so much easier.

JULES
(overlapping with Suri’s line)
Uh, Suri? I just wanted to say: hi. No, not hi, I just want to say hi because how rude would it be to just barge in without saying hello - what I really am here to say though is-

(beat)

Wait. Can she hear me?

SURI
(continuing to talk to herself over the next few lines, unaware)
We’re getting down to the wire now - and we can’t afford to make any mistakes here. So make sure you mark the exits, stupid. Obviously Savannah already knows that something is up thanks to someone - but that doesn’t mean we should get lazy!

And I did not make a flawless 3D mockup of a Savannah warehouse just so I could fuck up my one-man master heist with an unmarked emergency exit.


DANE
(Overlapping)
Uh…she looks kind of busy… And she’s got her headphones on, so I’m guessing not. I doubt she even noticed us walking in.

JULES
Should we… say something? I don’t want to interrupt…um… who is she… talking-

DANE
She likes to think out loud.

SURI
(to herself)
Brady went through all the trouble of getting these schematics to me without her bosses seeing - the least I can do is reproduce them correctly. Damn it. Now I’m thinking about everything else I might have fucked up.

SFX: Digital beeps as Suri works. Footsteps as she walks around.

SURI
(overlapping with the next few lines)
Run through it again. It needs to be perfect. No more mistakes. The fuel is being kept… right here. And the bay door is just a couple of meters away. There’s a second floor to the building, but where the fuel is kept there’s just a walkway around the perimeter instead…


JULES
(whispering)
She’s - she’s kind of being hard on herself, isn’t she?

DANE
Uh… Suri doesn’t really like surprises. Especially the kind that puts everyone she loves in danger.

JULES
Oh.

DANE
She’s probably just mad at herself for not covering all her bases.

SFX: A few quick steps as she walks down the hall.

SURI
And, across from the exit, there’s another doorway that leads into a hallway. If I go down said hallway… Making sure to stay out of view of the emergency exit that I so stupidly forgot…

SFX: More footsteps as Suri works.

SURI
...there’s a bit of a walk… before… you reach… the security room on the left! Brady might be able to sneak me in there if I pick a day when she’s on the night shift… This is one of the smaller warehouses so security isn’t anything too crazy. Might be able to pull this off if I distract the guard.

SFX: Suri tapping her foot as she thinks.

SURI
(hums, dissatisfied)
Let me check her photos of the camera setup again...

SFX: VR Headset beep boop swoosh sounds as Suri pulls up the photos in the headset.

SURI
So there is room for me to get in… But, is there a way for me to get to the fuel storage room without being caught on camera… Because, being caught would definitely mean getting buried. But then again, who fucking cares! At this point we’re all basically worm food thanks to everyone’s favourite little Savannah princess-


(starting a breathing exercise, under the next few lines)

In for four, hold… for… eight… One… two… three…

JULES
I -

DANE
I’m sorry. Don’t take it too personally.

JULES
No, of course I’m going to. But honestly, I’m just surprised that you two are so alike.

DANE
(half-laughing)
Well, I have the stress-ball, she has the breathing.

SFX: Slow, dragging steps as Suri retraces the hall.

SURI
...And exhale.

(beat)

Okay. Focus.

SFX: Digital chirping as Suri works.

SURI
The way from security is pretty straightforward, so that guards can get to the fuel quickly. There are six cameras in this hall. A guard makes rounds every five minutes. Let's do this one more time.

From the fuel storage room… The bay doors are - oof.

SFX: Footsteps, then a collision as Suri bumps into Dane lightly. Mic gets bumped.

SURI
Is someone there?

DANE
Me, dummy.

SURI
Dane? Hold on let me take this…

SFX: Short digital whirr as the VR powers down.

JULES
Oh, Dane, you’ve got something smudged on your cheek…

SFX: Clattering noises as Suri removes the VR helmet.

SURI
...off..? Really, Jules? Getting that touchy feely? Who said it was okay to flirt with my baby brother?

DANE
Uh, I did? I mean, I do. Say it’s okay, I mean. Since we’re dating and all.

SURI
...I’m sorry, since you’re what?

DANE
Dating. But that is not what we came here to talk about, actually.

SURI
(her pitch reaching critical tones)
NO. NO NO NO NO. STOP. WHO SAID IT WAS OKAY TO DATE JULES?

DANE
Well... Jules did, I guess?

JULES
Um, is this a bad time to say I’m sorry about the… tracking device… or..?

SFX: More clattering of the headset as Suri gestures more wildly.

SURI
The - the what? Read the room, Jules. Just - you wait a second. DANE. Are you KIDDING ME?

DANE
Hey, HEY, Suri, WAIT, watch the recorder -

SURI
NO. FUCK THE RECORDER.
SFX: Suri takes the mic from Dane and tosses it on the floor somewhere. We hear the conversation from a distance now.

SURI
IS THIS A FUCKING JOKE? AFTER WHAT SHE DID? I’M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS -

DANE
WHOA, WHOA, THE HEADSET -

SFX: Suri throws the VR headset in Dane’s general direction. Quick footsteps away from the mic as she gains on him. Another set of footsteps rushes toward the mic. Jules picks it up from the ground. Sounds of Dane and Suri bickering in the background.

JULES
I got you, guys, you shouldn’t have to see this. I’ll - I’ll talk to you later when this is all sorted out! Okay? Okay! Bye! Love you!

SFX: Recorder clicks off.

MUSIC: What Will Be Here theme plays, hopeful piano 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 Tal Minear and sound designed by Cole Burkhardt, and features Kathy Youssef as Armani, Vico Ortiz as Kei, Jona Lune as Jules, John Y. Kamara as Dane, and Sahar Iman as Suri. This episode also features Brad Colbroock and Tal Minear as Sacha. 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.