Shared Space - Mini Episode 1
Stevens tries to hide and has an unexpectedly pleasant conversation.
Tides was written by Jesse Schuschu and directed by Jesse Schuschu and Ayla Taylor. It was produced by Ayla Taylor and edited by Bridge Geene. Art by Sarah Durst.
Cast:
Dr. Winifred Eurus - Julia Schifini
Dr. Victor Stevens - Jordan Higgs
Dr. Robert Montague - James Oliva
Dr. Melissa Wang - Emily Wang
Tides is the story of Dr. Winifred Eurus, a xenobiologist trapped on an unfamiliar planet with hostile tidal forces. She must use her wits, sarcasm and intellectual curiosity to survive long enough to be rescued. But there might be more to life on this planet than she expected. . .
Find us at www.tidespodcast.com and follow @TidesPodcast on Twitter or Tumblr.
Music in intro is "Shimmer" by Scott Holms and the ending music is "Drift" by Scott Holms.
Sound effects used were previously credited and downloaded in accordance with their copyright.
INT. STRIBOG
Eurus: I swear to god Montague if you touch my samples one more time I will actually -
Montague: Hey, hey, hey, WHOA, whoa, whoa, whoa, look, look, look, I didn’t know they were important, okay? I needed the incubator. I just took them out for a couple of minutes. It's not a big deal . . .
Eurus: A couple of minutes? Now all of my yeast is dead, because of a “couple of minutes”. That can throw off my entire week, Montague, and what the hell did you need the incubator for?
Montague: My oatmeal was c- . . . well, I needed to, uh . . . you know, observe reactions, and umm . . . the thing with the very precise temperature. For the chemical testing and uh . . . and anyway, the lab equipment is here for all of us to use, so if you need to have exclusive rights to the incubator, I think maybe you should . . . put a sign up sheet or lick it or . . .
Eurus: I don’t need to put a sign up, it’s an incubator, Montague, and I’m the only one who needs to incubate anything! You have rocks!
Montague: Well, hmmm, Victor does too - right Victor?
Stevens: Uh, I mean, yeah, sometimes, why . . . why is this . . ?
Montague: Yes. You do. Help me.
Eurus: Stevens, wouldn’t you agree that maybe us two biologists would be the only ones who need to use the incubator?
Stevens: Umm . . . well . . . yes . . . but we’ve only been on board for a couple of days. Perhaps Dr. Montague didn’t realize what equipment he could and couldn’t use . . ?
Montague: Yes. Yes! Right! Thats what happened! That's exactly what happened!
Stevens: See, classic misunderstanding. Maybe, uh, I can make some labels, and we can all be clear about what we need in order to do our jobs -
Eurus: No, no, no. No. Instead you’re going to help me [grunts, trying to lift or push incubator] push this . . . back to . . . the bio lab.
Montague: What are you doing!? That’s ridiculous! Even if you could get it there-
Eurus: I can.
Montague: Alright let's just assume that you can, where would you put it? Come on Victor, please just, you know, tell her she’s being ridiculous. Because she’s being absolutely-
Stevens: [stuttering, backing away] Actually I just remembered that I had . . . I have a . . .
Eurus: Montague, is this . . . oatmeal . . . is this oatmeal dripping out of here . . .
[Stevens closes door as arguing turns into yelling. He walks along the corridor, mechanical sounds increasing as he moves towards the back of the ship. Eventually he opens a door, which turns out to be to Dr. Wang’s office]
Stevens: Oh! Hi, uh, sorry, I thought this was a closet.
Wang: Oh no. It’s not far off, really. It’s my own fault for just needing a few monitors and not all that bulky apparatus like the other labs. At least right now my office mate isn’t here. You haven’t seen Dee Erickson around have you? My research assistant?
Stevens: I don’t think so.
Wang: Well, never mind that then. So, why were you looking for a closet?
Stevens: Oh, uh, don’t worry about that. So . . . I guess we haven’t really talked before, have we?
Wang: We did talk, actually, at the potluck. Not very extensively, though. However, I did greatly enjoy your pigs in blankets. It’s Dr. Stevens, right?
Stevens: Uh yeah, that’s me! Thanks! Uh, It’s weird for someone to actually call me ‘Doctor’. You’re uh, Dr. Wang right?
Wang: Oh, I prefer Melissa.
Stevens: Great to . . . actually talk to you, uh, Doctor . . . Melissa.
Wang: Likewise. I hear you’re the assistant xenobiologist. How is working with Fred?
Stevens: It’s uh . . . well I’m certainly learning a lot! And I’m also helping out with Dr. Martinez in the infirmary sometimes. I used to be an EMT, before I went back to school, so, you know . . .
Wang: Wow! A person of many skills. Fascinating. Before I knew Fred, you know, I thought all biologists knew medicine, but she quickly disavowed me of that idea.
Stevens: [Laughs] Yeah, I’m no Dr. Bashir. I’m far from an expert on anything beyond my own field of biology. Even some of the stuff Dr. Eurus is doing is beyond my understanding. She likes to remind me sometimes. But you, you’re a person of many skills too, right? Astrophysicist and astronavigator?
Wang: As well as an accomplished pilot. [Straightfaced] But that’s because I’m extraordinary. [Laughs] Sorry, I’m too good at keeping a straight face, and I do like to brag sometimes. But yes, I’ve had an interesting life, and I keep picking up new interests along the way, it seems.
Stevens: Yeah, me too, I guess. Is that why you’re here?
Wang: A little. I’ve had enough professoring for a while. Technically I’m just taking a leave of absence.
Stevens: . . . Really? They let you do that for three years?
Wang: Well, I’m very valuable to the university, so I’ve gained some indulgence. It helps that the Initiative contributes quite a bit of funding to my department.
Stevens: Oh, I guess that makes sense.
Wang: Also, Fred was going, and that definitely helped convince me, if only to keep an eye on her. We’ve been friends for - well, it’s been a long time.
Stevens: Wait . . .
Wang: Yes?
Stevens: . . . Friends?
Wang: . . . Yes.
Stevens: You’re friends with Dr. Eurus?
Wang: Uh, Yes? I am?
Stevens: Oh, I just . . . um . . . she’s . . . terrifying . . .
Wang: [Sigh] Everyone has friends, Stevens. Whether they think so or not. [Beat] So how are you finding the ship so far? I’m pretty familiar with it by now, we did some training runs with it around the system before the non-crew got on board. Finding your way around?
Stevens: It’s . . . big. It’s a lot bigger than I thought. I think on my way here I just walked in a big circle around the habitation ring.
Wang: Well in a year it’ll feel a lot smaller. Oh that reminds me, I should drop by the biolab sometime and say hi to Fred. I’d like to negotiate a potted plant for my workstation. It might liven up my closet a little. After I finish plotting this course through the Oort cloud. After that we’ll really be able to see what these engines can do.
Stevens: Cool, cool. Yeah I think Dr. Eurus would like that. You might want to . . . you might want to wait a bit though.
Wang: Why is that?
Stevens: Uh, well, she was having an argument with the geologist just now.
Wang: Oh no, I see . . . classic Fred. I’ll make that visit top priority, then. After I ensure we make it out of the solar system in one piece.
Stevens: Thanks. I’d appreciate both those things.
Wang: And one more thing, Stevens.
Stevens: Uh, yeah?
Wang: There’s really no need to run and hide in a closet. Come and hang out with me in my closet instead, if you need to.
Stevens: . . . Thanks, I will.
Tides was written by Jesse Schuschu and directed by Jesse Schuschu and Ayla Taylor. It was produced by Ayla Taylor and edited by Bridge Geene.
The voice of Dr. Eurus is Julia Schifini. Dr. Victor Stevens is voiced by Jordan Higgs. Dr. Robert Montague is James Oliva, Dr. Melissa Wang is Emily Wang.
Special thanks to Sarah Durst for designing our cover art and merch, which you can find at teepublic.com/stores/tides or by going to our website and clicking “Store”.
You can find us online at our website tidespodcast.com and follow us on Tumblr and Twitter at @tidespodcast. If you like our show and would like to help us keep making it, you can support us on patreon.com/tidespodcast. Special thanks to Ratheon Miranda, Damien Lunny, Andrea Frickleton, Lucille Valentine and Anthony Dallape for their support and especially to Abysmii, for their continued generous contribution.
We are also currently running an Indiegogo to properly fund our second season! You can check out our awesome perks and consider supporting us at tidespodcast.com/indiegogo
This month we would like to recommend another great show you should be listening to: What’s the Frequency? What’s The Frequency is a psychedelic noir audio drama podcast set in 1940s Los Angeles. Recently radio broadcasts in the city have been reduced to static, leaving a popular radio serial as the only remaining show on the air. It is a bizarre, boundary pushing, wonderfully horrifying audio experience that just finished it’s first season. It’s written and directed by James Oliva and you might recognize some familiar voices!
And now . . .
This is Dr. Victor Stevens and this is an life fact: Anxiety gets your heart rate up, and that’s good, right? Are, are we sure about that?