Star Hunter – Part 4: Fortress of Ancients
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Welcome to Series 2, Episode 6 of the Curious Matter Anthology. I'm Jonathan Pezza, the creator and host of the show. If this is your first time tuning in, you're going to want to stop here and head back to Star Hunter Part 1, because there are spoilers ahead.

For the rest of you eagerly awaiting our next chapter in the epic tale centered around the jungle planet of Jamala B, we left off last time with Ross Hune, Elise Brody, and Marina Yaktisi's escape from the cartel. Ross kept his word to Milana Wass and used the Flitter to successfully draw away the attacking gargantuan, but before they could make it back to the others, the teleporting orbs returned.

With no time to react, the alien creatures attacked. And when we left our trio in the final moments of part three, they were plummeting uncontrolled and helpless towards the ground.

We'll forego our longer introduction this week, because I'm sure you are all eager to find out what happens next. But before we kick things off, if you want to take a visual tour of Star Hunter and the world of Jamala B, we've been posting some really fun character and world art on our Instagram and Twitter accounts. So come find us online at twitter.com slash cm anthology and instagram.com slash cm anthology. You just might get a peek at your favorite character or creature.

Curious Matter is designed to be a completely immersive HD audio experience and is at its best when played through high-quality stereo speakers or headphones. This episode is rated explicit and does include scenes with violence. So, without any more delay, grab your popcorn, turn out the lights, and enjoy Star Hunter Part 4.

There's a hat, so I'll have none. You look like a hat to me.

Ma'am, there's a new stream coming in from on-task file. The system has flagged it as priority Aurora. Hume Coma Ras is approaching the facility. Technician, bring it up on hold. Well out Hunter, how far the mighty are falling. Major Yak-TC, coverage is spotty in the lower city. I just need a few moments here. Lowering into the thermosphere now.

You ever watch the hollows of the sky in action? Katagina was my favorite. Always had a soft spot for the frontier tales. You ever wonder why we make folk heroes of them? 'Cause they are the last explorers. They are the only ones crazy enough to make the blind jumps to new star systems. They always seem a little too tall for the doorway if you catch my drift. Signal acquired. It's time. Never been to a chop shop before. Not the kind of place an icon expects to walk out of with

Oh, they're organs, you know? Get me a cleaner signal. I need an ID on the wall. You know how to juice this and shave it through the back, Ernie? Tasking additional drones to their position. This isn't that kind of place. We'll ask gators to a clientele looking to plant roots on a family tree. So, it's got all the gleam of the world they're selling entry to. But, don't be fooled. We'll walk out of here alive. Bloody hell. Play back the last line. And filter out the EM distortion.

If Lassa's people smell anything off, neither of us will walk out of here alive. 9 and 12 now on station. Signal integrity in the green. System has just identified the second surveillant as Lancer, Vina. Bring a profile. Only ping his colonial services as a ward of the state. What are you playing at here, Hume? Look, there's something I didn't tell you. And it may change things.

But I need you to know everything before you do this. I don't. Your father renounced. He emigrated from Terra and had his identity modified. What are you saying? I don't know if your mother even knew. You are in the Brody bloodline and entitled to your share. You can build a life for yourself without doing this. Why did my father renounce his inheritance? I don't know. This? This doesn't change anything. This is the last chance to back out.

After the procedure, you won't know anything but the world they give you. I'll have her memories. Veena will be gone. And you will be Elise. Everything she went through. Everything but... Diane. No. She won't remember that. Wasa's people are good. Elise will do her job. What? Where do I go? Wasa's text will remove your chip and Engram. It will be safe. Promise me, Wasa. Promise me you'll put me back when this is over.

The real me. When the job is done. When we've taken those bastards for everything. You put that princess back in the ground. I have you now, Mr. Hume. I promise you. Swear to me on Vince. Star Hunter Part 4 Fortress of Ancients Fucking hell. You're still not dead, Out Hunter. Is everyone alright?

My arm feels a bit worse for wear. Try not to move. How are we not a smear on the mountain? Crash foam. The charges must have gone off just before impact. Thank the stars crime lords splurge on the bells and whistles. We appear to be on some sort of cliff or escarpment. The last thing I remember was the orb striking the flitter and then light. Okay, so teleporting orbs. Huh.

They aren't done with us. What is that? The... The Watcher! Oh. What... are you? I don't think it means to hurt us. Can you communicate with it? Where... am... The Watcher did something to me. To us. Why are you sad? Sad... sad little rich girl.

What did you do to me? What did you do? So many dried bones licked clean. Mask worn on Hallows Night. Trick or treat. I feel your pain. Why do I feel your pain? You don't know pain, Sion. And I felt puppet. So many strings to pull. Your parents died. You were left alone. Mine too. I am alone. I was alone.

But not anymore. Illusions and Zircon. Drill to the brain pan. It's mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Enjoy the ride. I'm coming to get it until the... No. I... No one goes to... I am Elise Brody. You are no one. No name. A shadow hanging from a dead man's tree. I am Elise Brody. Scion of the Kogan Brody Wassilets line.

My family built the engine that freed humanity from its cage. My people claimed the stars. Slavers! Thieves! Killers! Who come and put us mine, no name? Liars! Liars! Liars! Liars! Liars! Liars! Snap out of it! Holy stars, that thing... What did it do to you? I don't know. Are you okay?

I think so. What did you see? Bigger fish. They're trying to push us off the cliff edge! Stop it now! Mark it, bastard! Where is that antique cannon of yours? Eat it! They are trying to drive us away from the cliff's edge. There's nowhere to go! It's just a sheer wall of stone! Perhaps we should do what they want. Move to the rock face! Where are we, Hume?

Could be the northern range. That's what... the camp's 2,000 clicks from here. How? They brought us here. To a cliff with a thousand foot drop! What are our options? I don't know. There's nowhere else for us to go. What the hell do you want from me? Help me understand! You... Ross, can you hear me? I'm right! It's some sort of an illusion!

Patisi! The rock faces, it's some kind of... I don't know what. The wall, it's transparent on this side. I can't get back through. Hume, he's still stuck out there. Ross? Ross? Is this the afterlife? Nope. It's a cave. I think I'll just lay here for a while. Are you okay? Fine. I'll be fine. Those things hit like a ton of ferroblocks.

The wall appears solid to the touch. I've never seen technology like this before. We need to see that arm. Here. Any emergency supplies we had went off the cliff with the flitter. I can make you a sling for now, but don't have anything to splint the break. Thank you. I'll manage. Not my first broken bone. Yeah, but we don't have any nanite med spray. So tell me if your arm starts to swell or starts turning colors below the break. Yes, sir. You okay? Yeah. I...

I think so. What happened in the flitter? What did the Watcher do to you? Nothing. Did it show you- I said nothing. How is it you surveyed mist to the orbs? Well, this. Whatever those orbs are, they're far more advanced than we are. My only guess is that they didn't want us to find them. It's completely transparent and solid to the touch. Transparent from this side. How do we get out? Those things teleported us through. So...

This is where the orbs were herding us. Like cattle! Just so. Perhaps we should venture farther in, and see why they went to such trouble. I don't think we have much of a choice. So seriously, someone want to fill me in on what the hell cattle is? Big, dumb, tasty earth animal harvested for food until they went extinct about a century and a half back. No, I'm hungry. It's getting warmer the farther we venture in. That's a good thing, right? It was freezing on the cliff.

Usually, the deeper you go underground, the colder it gets. So what's making it warmer down here? Precisely. Holy fuck! What is this, Hume? It's a geofront. A massive system of caverns with their own ecosystem. A greenhouse... inside a cave... These are not natural formations. The wall's too smooth. Something cut this cave into the mountain. Maybe we can get out through one of those massive holes in the ceiling.

Climbing that would be like scaling a skyscraper freehand. We should have picked up this cave system in our scans. In the same way we detected the lava tubes the gargantuans used to travel. But you didn't. Those skylights must have the same energy barriers as the cave entrance. We are stuck in here. There's a reason the orbs brought us here. What supplies do we have? I have the sidearm I took off one of Wass's men. Only got a few shots left on the bat. He took the rest of my kit.

Got a couple of e-rations. They stripped everything they could find when they took us to Wasser's cruiser. Damn. I said what they could find. What didn't they find? Kevlar composite survival mag. Emergency subspace transponder. And a holdout blaster with ten rounds. What are you, a spy? Rich people. If the transponder's signal can penetrate the mountain's defenses, my family will send help.

Ah, almost forgot the boots. There's more? An emergency medical kit. You can use it on your arm. I think we best save it for more dire circumstances. Don't you agree, Mr. Hugh? That everything? You're welcome to check. Yeah. We're gonna need hydration. Most definitely. Hey, it looks like there's a lake in the middle. Then we head for the center. Keep an eye peeled. Or... Where there's plants, there's... Strong dog! Get back!

Over here, you bastard! Are you hurt? I'm fine. Kill this thing! Wait. Look at it. It's starving. This seems like an odd place to find a creature adapted for the trees. Don't. Poor thing. What are you doing here so far from your brood? So far from your home?

It's all right. That's it. That's it. Let the orbs drive you here. The first rule. Batter is dead. Broth! This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Whether you're selling a little or a lot...

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We fashioned a sledge from tree branches and dragged you to the lake. Water? No water. It's some kind of geothermal pool. Too much ammonia and sulfur. You are severely dehydrated. We worried- I was worried you wouldn't wake up. The arm. What arm? He's delirious. Help me sit up. It's my prosthetic. Runs on electrolytes. Lost my arm below the elbow bringing in the Rigel Ranger. Prosthetic looks real enough, but-

Requires me to up my intake of sodium and potassium. The ear rations? Yeah. You should take one of the ones we have left. Won't help. He's already too dehydrated. He needs fluids. Tell him. Tell me what? You missed quite a lot, actually. That wasn't a normal strong jaw you killed. Beyond its severe malnutrition, it had clear genetic anomalies. A much larger head, odd pigmentation, dual opposable thumbs...

I only had a few moments for a proper assessment before- The glowy orby thingy showed up? And then we dragged you to the treeline just in time. You are really heavy, by the way. The orbs seemed to scan the body before teleporting away with the remains. Where did they take the body? That is the question. That's... not all, Sleeping Beauty. There is more. Oh, yeah. There is something in the lake. Show me. It's definitely not naturally occurring.

You can just make out the shape. It's hard to see through the murk from up here. It looks symmetrical. See the protrusions at regular intervals? I'm surprised you didn't jump in and swim down for a look. I kept watch over you. It has to be, right? It's starting to look that way. It has to be what? It's a PG ship. Primal Genitor Ruins. Take me to the edge of the lake. I want a closer look. ...

I don't think these are ruins. It's... an entrance. It wants us to go in. That is a very bad idea. What choice do we have? I mean, if... if we all want to get out of here before we're as weak as he is? Look, I want to understand what's going on here as much as anyone. But we have no idea what we're walking into here. Ross... We take the night. Set up camp. You'll only get worse. There's always water. If you know where to look.

After the sun sets, the air should cool. A greenhouse and a cave. That's brilliant. We'll collect the condensation in the morning. It should buy us a little time. We all need rest. It's so quiet here. Tell us the story out, Hunter. To keep our minds off our empty stomachs. Anything specific? I think you mentioned the Battle of Teegarden Star. I actually had another in mind. Ask away. Tell me the one where you made a deal with the head of one of the most dangerous cartels in the T-Fed.

and convinced an orphaned dirt rat to implant the engram of a dead scion. Wait. What is she talking about? Who are you? I figured we're all likely to die here, so might as well get some answers even if they die here with me. That about summed up Elise? Or should I call you Veena? I don't think any of us are quite sure who is driving at the moment. I... I... I don't... No, I... I... I don't understand.

You work for the T-FED, I take it? Section 11, Cartel Task Force. Been after wars for years. Elise. It is still Elise, right? Yes. What am I- Do you want to tell her, or should I? I'm not sure how, but the Watcher broke through your imprinting. Imprinting? I've been here on Jamala for- For five days. Stop. Please. I'll explain everything. You died.

here on Jamala after your lifeboat crashed, just like the Watcher showed you. During my survey, I found your LB and your... your... remains. And your memory implant. No, no. I remember years here. Memory constructs. Voss's people created them to help us fool KBW. Along with some sort of way to send commands? Subliminal suggestions to funnel funds? One of Voss's famous backdoors, I take it? Mm-hmm.

So this is Veena's body. Why would she allow you to do this to us? To her? Hate. Hate. A chance to strike back at the people who take so much and give back nothing. A chance to take KBW for all they're worth. Not all of the families are so ruthless, but KBW is notorious for putting the bottom line above all else. No matter the consequences. They killed my son. And Veena's parents. I feel her rage. She hates me. Do you hate me?

No. She's here with me right now. Her pain and anger are like white hot knives behind my eyes. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She shouldn't be in there at all. Her engram was extracted. It's on my ship. And I can't begin to understand how the Watcher was... It's irrelevant now. Our implants are derived from PG Tech. They clearly know how to use it better than we do. How?

Not public knowledge, of course. Whispers, sure, but that fades. Hard to think of a technology we have today that didn't in some part come from them. We owe everything to the primogenitors. I am so sorry, Elise. Where did I go when this plan was over? When your plan was complete? I'm tired. I'm gonna go and get some sleep. Tomorrow? I'm going into that thing. Wake up, Hume. Breakfast in bed.

I collected what I could, but there's only a few hundred milliliters here at best. Sit up. Drink. Thank you. Did you? Elise and I had a sip. But we saved the lion's share for you. Where's Elise? By the lake. What is this place? Scout ahead. Report back what you see. How do you plan to get us past that force field? We'll find this being controlling us and blow it to hell. Boss? Hide. You're gonna need backup. Not in your condition.

It's my problem. Ever the white knight. Head down into the lake. What if there are more of those flying things or worse? Well then, report back and tell me, of course. Yes, boss. Boss. Ah, Hume's favorite little tourist. I wondered if those flying Farkers got you as well. You are under arrest. Section 11. Ah. Hello, Milana. Slip that shooter off your hip. Slowly.

and throw it and your bag over to me. Apparently an out-hunter's word isn't worth much. Just before we broke atmosphere, something downed the William. Knocked out our reactor like a light switch. Parting gift of yours, I take it? Not my handiwork. The orbs. My comrade and I were the only survivors. What happened to my ship? It started burning hard for orbit, just after we lost your flitter on sensors. Did they make it? I have no idea.

Dea! You kill us both? Death seeks death seeks death seeks death! It awaits us right there. You don't get a say. Ghost girl wants to return to the void. I won't let you drag us to hell. I'm driving this boat. Your objections noted. Freeze. Hands in the air. Now. Danger! Who are you talking to? Where are they, Koyo? You're one of Wasa's people.

Move away from that thing. Over here. Just stay calm. Take his gun. Get him. While you still have a chance. You're coming with me now. Elise. Wasp's people are here. Are you hurt? He's dead. What did this? He pulled his weapon on me. And the ship? It reacted. What is that? That's a... Yes, it is. Okay, you...

That kind of explains a lot. It protected me. The weapon must have triggered some soldier defense system. I'm going inside. I'm going with you. You are in no condition. If you go, I go. Back the fuck up. Wait. No one move. You don't want to do that, Milana. Put the gun down. I told you this wasn't over, Hugh.

No one crosses the Orion Syndicate and lives. Even an outhunter. Even the legendary Ras Hume. But this is where the legend ends. Get down! Drop the gun! Fucking hell. I suggest everyone leave their weapons here. It might be smart for someone to stay behind. Do I need to remind you again? I like her. After you. I hope you enjoyed this installment of Star Hunter.

If you liked today's episode, please check out our after show, which releases between the main episodes on this feed.

Please leave us a review and connect with us online at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram under the handle CMAnthology, or check out our website for more information at cmanthology.com. This episode was dramatized, directed, and edited by me, your host, Jonathan Pezza. Casting assistance was provided by Sandeep Parikh, Anand Shah, and Jeff Winkler. Assistant editing by Mohamed Moiz Riaz. Tonight's show starred Colin Ferguson as Ross Hume.

Tiffany Smith as Elise Brody, Sri Swara as Yakhtisi, Celine Gench as Milana Was, Tien Nguyen as Young Elise, and Jonathan Pezza, that's me, as the Cartel Goon. AI performances were provided by Play.ht.

The score was provided by Epidemic Music and featured the talent of Bonnie Grace, Joe Wandrini, Bon Fields, The Bright Arm Orchestra, Kraft Case, Golden Anchor, Max Anson, Trevor Kowalski, Hampus Nacelis, Grant Newman, Wendell Shearer, and Dream Cave. Star Hunter is a work in the public domain and it was produced in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Curious Matter Anthology is produced by the Knightsville Workshop in association with F and Funny Productions. Copyright Knightsville Workshop 2022. All rights reserved. We'll see you back here next episode for the grand conclusion of Star Hunter in part five, Those That Came Before. I'm Jonathan Pezza, your host. And as always, thank you for listening. The Fable and Falling Network, where fiction producers flourish.

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