Episode 2

full
Published on:

31st Jan 2021

2 - The Seaman And The Colonel

In which we meet Seaman Francis Delroney and Colonel Steven Bennett. These two individuals will not be friends. Colonel Bennett pays a visit to Doctor Crenner in his lab and both men learn something they wish they hadn't.

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Credit and Attribution

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Music from https://filmmusic.io

"Volatile Reaction" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5014-volatile-reaction

License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Distortion and voiceover applied.

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Transcript

0:01

[Music]

0:12

human

0:14

extinction level yes

0:22

disciplinary action

0:26

seaman francis delrony thought it was

0:29

0:30

he was only in the military

0:32

because some judge thought it

0:34

would be funny to up his life

0:37

francis wished he had chosen prison over

0:39

the navy

0:41

he would probably be in some toughest

0:42

gang right now running the place

0:45

those prison guards would be jumping

0:47

when he gave the word instead of being

0:49

pushed around by these jack-booted

0:51

government issue

0:54

he almost made it out too if it wasn't

0:56

for the two no-necks on either side of

0:58

him

0:58

jumping in the lake was a damn good idea

1:01

throw them off the scent go prison break

1:03

on their asses navy beats army and

1:05

sayonara

1:07

who knew these steroid-rabbit army

1:09

automatons could even swim and that was

1:12

another thing

1:13

how come they got to change their

1:15

clothes while he had to stand here

1:16

dripping like a drowned rat all shivered

1:19

and

1:20

he had half a mind to call his

1:22

congressman let him know how the

1:24

army treated a citizen who is my

1:26

congressman anyway

1:28

it didn't matter he would look

1:30

it up and then these army

1:31

would brew the day damn straight

1:34

understand these charges against you

1:37

delrony looked up at colonel stephen

1:39

bennett the tail end of the question

1:41

piercing his internal rant and bringing

1:44

him back to the reality of his situation

1:47

what

1:48

he said

1:50

senior chief charles huxley glared at

1:52

delrony semen dalroni you will address

1:56

the colonel by his rank and you will

1:57

call him sir you read me

2:00

now say yes sir i understand the charges

2:03

against me

2:05

seaman delrony shrunk under the

2:06

penetrating gaze of his senior chief

2:10

he hung his head and whimpered

2:12

yes sir colonel sir

2:14

i understand the charges against me

2:17

senior chief huxley seethed as he kept

2:19

his glare on delrony for several seconds

2:23

it's alright senior chief we're not

2:25

going to yell at seaman delrony anymore

2:27

today we're going to help him

2:30

all that fresh colorado air and

2:32

beautiful scenery outside our mountain

2:34

is just too much of a distraction

2:36

we need to put him someplace where he is

2:38

away from all that temptation

2:41

i think i have just the place for you

2:44

i am ready to pronounce judgment

2:46

colonel bennett said

2:48

senior chief huxley shouted at delrony

2:50

simon delrony a tan john

2:54

delrony's efforts amounted to nothing

2:56

more than raising the slope in his

2:58

shoulders

2:59

this did not rise to the level of

3:01

satisfaction for the senior chief

3:04

sergeant the big dow known it help the

3:06

young seaman come to proper attention

3:08

please

3:09

senior chief huxley barked

3:12

the two military policemen on either

3:14

side jerk to tell rooney's arms straight

3:16

down to his sides and pulled his

3:18

shoulders back

3:20

colonel bennett rested his hands on the

3:22

podium and stared at seaman delrony

3:26

seaman delrony i reduce you in rank by

3:28

one grade i further reduce you in base

3:31

pay by half for 60 days and restrict you

3:34

to the base for the same

3:36

you will no longer be a daily thorn in

3:38

your senior chief's side but are to

3:40

report for duty to special projects

3:42

disposal unit for a period not to exceed

3:45

45 days

3:47

they call it the skunk farm seaman

3:49

apprentice del roni do you want to know

3:51

why

3:52

it's because when dr kraner finishes up

3:54

running his experiments the test

3:56

subjects have to be disposed of

3:59

that's your job for the next 45 days

4:02

it's buried deep down in the ground

4:04

it will free you from any and all

4:06

distraction and give you plenty of time

4:08

to ponder the choices before you

4:10

the judge sought to give you a second

4:12

chance we are going to see to it that

4:14

you have every opportunity to make the

4:16

most of it

4:17

maybe if you feel the bite that your

4:19

irresponsibility has given you it will

4:21

make you want to change your ways and be

4:24

something else than what you are now

4:26

seaman apprentice delrony you are

4:28

dismissed

4:29

colonel bennett said

4:31

he folded up the file in front of him

4:33

and exited the room as the burly

4:35

sergeants led frances delrony away

4:42

human testing

4:44

dr krenner paced around the lab

4:48

he had a call to make but he was loathed

4:50

to do it

4:51

he did not like talking to the military

4:53

brass

4:55

in the field of science they were a

4:56

broadsword where a scalpel was required

5:00

they were to his way of thinking

5:02

unnecessary evil

5:04

the military was only concerned about a

5:07

particular set of results and then only

5:09

so far as those results furthered their

5:12

mission parameters

5:14

dr krenner knew there was something

5:16

always to be learned from every

5:18

scientific endeavor the successes and

5:20

the failures

5:22

he did not even think in terms of

5:23

failures so long as new information was

5:26

gained

5:27

the outcome of his latest experiment

5:30

an experiment that resulted in the

5:32

termination of 20 test subjects was of

5:34

no real concern to him

5:36

he knew there was information to be

5:38

gained and facts to be gleaned

5:42

it was of no great concern to him

5:44

but he knew it would be of tremendous

5:46

concern to the colonel

5:48

that military man would not see a

5:50

phoenix from the ashes he would see only

5:52

the ashes

5:54

colonel bennett would not see the

5:55

potential in what he would most

5:57

certainly call a failed experiment

6:00

he would only see budget overruns and

6:02

lost time

6:04

dr krenner approached the wall of glass

6:06

separating him from the 20 dead

6:08

chimpanzees in the habitat

6:11

he clasped his hands behind his back and

6:13

fumed at his circumstance which had

6:15

nothing to do with the carnage before

6:17

him

6:18

he knew what colonel bennett would say

6:21

it is what he always said when given the

6:23

news that was anything but a total and

6:25

categorical success

6:28

colonel bennett would remind him that

6:29

the program was a hair's breath away

6:31

from being scrapped that if there was

6:34

not real results and soon the lab would

6:36

be shut down and the file closed on the

6:39

project

6:40

dr krenner tried to calm his nerves and

6:42

rehearse in his mind what he was going

6:44

to say to the colonel when he came down

6:46

to the lab and saw what was on the other

6:49

side of the glass

6:51

dr krenor was going to have to try and

6:53

make colonel bennett understand

6:55

he was going to have to convince him to

6:57

authorize human trials

7:00

despite what he saw in the habitat

7:02

beyond

7:03

colonel bennett marched down the

7:05

brightly lit halls towards the lab

7:07

the doctor had requested to see him when

7:10

he had asked dr krenor what it was about

7:12

he only received the cursory response

7:15

that it would be better if he just came

7:17

down

7:18

while that answer could mean anything

7:20

stephen bennett was not a man to assume

7:22

it was good news

7:25

dr krenner continued to stare into the

7:27

habitat his arms again clasped behind

7:30

his back

7:31

in the wall of glass he saw the

7:32

reflection of the monitor above the

7:34

security door

7:36

and knew that the colonel had arrived

7:39

a second later he heard the swish of the

7:41

door slide open

7:43

dr krenner did not turn immediately

7:45

instead he took a deep breath and put on

7:48

his best smile

7:49

coming about to face his overseer only

7:52

when he was sure it would be convincing

7:55

he rushed up to the colonel hand

7:56

outstretched as if welcoming an old

7:59

friend

8:00

colonel thank you for coming i have much

8:02

to report but i want you to know colonel

8:04

bennett took one look at the glass and

8:06

brushed past the doctor ignoring his

8:08

congenial efforts

8:10

he stood a gate at what he saw

8:13

what the hell is this doctor

8:15

are all those test subjects dead

8:18

colonel bennett said

8:20

dr krenor winced as he lowered his hand

8:22

and stared at the back of colonel

8:23

bennett's head

8:25

gathering his resolve he attempted to

8:27

put a good light on the situation

8:30

today's trials resulted in an ulterior

8:32

set of parameters to be sure but for the

8:35

second time his words were cut short as

8:38

colonel bennett spun on him

8:40

ulterior set of all i see are dead apes

8:44

those aren't results of any kind those

8:45

are 20 failures in there 20 line items

8:48

on a budget report that i am going to

8:50

have to file

8:51

assets in the red with nothing to show

8:53

for it doctor

8:55

colonel bennett said

8:57

dr krenner grit his teeth

8:59

what he had predicted had come to pass

9:02

he thought it his curse to labor under

9:04

those who had not the intellectual

9:06

dexterity to see how the scientific

9:08

method must necessarily progress

9:12

he let out his breath quietly through

9:14

his nose and unclenched his teeth

9:17

there is much we can learn still

9:19

autopsies will be conducted of course

9:21

from this set of ashes the phoenix will

9:23

yet rise colonel

9:25

dr krenor said

9:26

he had used that phrase several times

9:28

before

9:29

in appeal to colonel bennett's martial

9:31

sensibilities

9:33

in an attempt to assuage him save your

9:36

platitudes doctor this program is in

9:38

real danger i have already been on the

9:40

phone with the pentagon and they are

9:42

this close to shutting it all down

9:44

if we don't see some real results and

9:45

damn quick it's over

9:48

colonel bennett said dr krenner was

9:50

caught flat-footed he blinked at the

9:53

colonel

9:54

the pentagon why are they calling they

9:56

must know colonel bennett waved dr

9:59

krenor off even as he turned back toward

10:01

the glass i called them it's all fine

10:04

and good to be playing mad scientists

10:05

down here doctor but i have some very

10:07

powerful and impatient people to answer

10:09

to and they have to answer to the

10:11

stooges in washington about line items

10:13

that aren't what they are if you know

10:14

what i mean

10:16

colonel bennett said dr crainer swayed

10:19

on his feet the need for results while

10:21

putting the program in danger could also

10:23

make those desiring results amenable to

10:26

an accelerated set of clinical trials

10:29

dr krenor took a breath and then took

10:31

the plunge

10:33

you know colonel chromosomally the

10:35

primate and the human are very similar

10:37

perhaps it is in the differences that

10:39

our problem lies

10:40

if we could move into human trials we

10:43

might again colonel bennett turned on

10:45

him his face sparing even more shock

10:48

than when first seeing the dead chimps

10:51

you want to what

10:52

you want to begin human trials when what

10:54

we've got down here won't work on

10:56

monkeys

10:57

no doctor we need something we can show

10:59

the brass animal test subjects that do

11:01

what we want them to do

11:03

can you imagine the storm that

11:04

would rain down on us if we tested this

11:07

failure on humans

11:08

you're supposed to be a smart guy doctor

11:10

surely you can see that

11:12

colonel bennett said storming toward the

11:14

door

11:16

i've got another call to make doctor but

11:17

i can tell you will not be a pleasant

11:19

one you have one week give us something

11:21

we can use or get your resume together

11:24

he said as he punched in his access code

11:27

oh and i've assigned you a new body to

11:29

the skunk farm he's almost as big a

11:32

washout as this program appears to be

11:34

by what i see in that cage he's got his

11:36

work cut out for him colonel bennett

11:38

said as he walked out

11:41

dr krenner found it hard to breathe as

11:43

if the door had slid shut on his

11:45

windpipe

11:46

he reached out and grabbed the corner of

11:48

the table for support

11:50

to take a man's life work was to take

11:52

his life

11:53

he slumped onto a stool and closed his

11:55

eyes trying to control his breathing

11:58

if the troglodytes in washington

12:00

canceled the project it would almost

12:02

certainly mark the end of what he was

12:04

trying to achieve

12:06

at the very least it would be a setback

12:08

of perhaps years as he wasted time

12:10

trying to secure funding and facilities

12:13

that would allow him to continue

12:16

and what would he tell his new

12:17

benefactors to persuade them to give him

12:19

what he needed

12:21

governments already worked on the shady

12:22

side of the street and were more

12:24

inclined to take and hence allow

12:26

liberties with ethical boundaries

12:29

the fact that the private sector was

12:30

just as concerned with results as

12:32

governments were if not more was no

12:35

consolation

12:37

no his best chance his creations best

12:40

chance was with those he was in bed with

12:42

now

12:43

his breathing returned to normal and he

12:45

stood

12:46

governments knew how to work in the

12:48

shadows to defer and cover up

12:51

and so did he

12:52

if colonel bennett demanded bricks but

12:54

would not provide the straw then he

12:57

would gather his own straw

12:59

and indeed he already had

13:02

dr krenor pushed away from the table

13:04

those failed test subjects would have to

13:06

be disposed of down in the skunk form as

13:09

he knew others called it

13:10

he smiled let them think in a detestable

13:13

place a place they would avoid

13:16

he knew it to be something else entirely

13:18

it was where his true work

13:20

his life's work

13:22

would live

13:27

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thanks for listening

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About the Podcast

DEADLAND
A Journey Through The Zombie Apocalypse.
In a world plagued by the undead, Nicole Bennett embarks on a perilous journey to reunite with her estranged father, Colonel Steven Bennett, head of a secret government facility in the mountains of Colorado. She gathers a group of survivors along the way and leads them through the treacherous Deadlands towards the sanctuary she prays awaits them. As they face relentless obstacles, they fight to cling onto hope amidst the chaos of the zombie apocalypse.
As they traverse through a landscape overrun by the walking dead, the survivors must confront their deepest fears and make harrowing decisions to ensure their survival. With danger lurking at every turn, the group must band together and trust in each other to navigate the horrors of this new world and reach their destination.
In a desperate bid for safety and a glimmer of hope, the question remains - what sacrifices will they be forced to make along the way, and will they ultimately find refuge in Nicole Bennett's promised haven in Colorado? As they struggle to survive amidst the chaos, the true test of their humanity and resilience in the face of the zombie apocalypse is about to be taken.

The Human Extinction Level Loss series written and read by Philip A. McClimon.
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About your host

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Philip McClimon


Philip A. McClimon is an author who likes to write about the end of the world (post apocalyptic / zombie), mostly because he thinks the shopping would be awesome (No crowds, everything free). He likes heroes that are the strong, silent type and not necessarily male. By silent he means up until the time there is something snarky to say, usually before, during, and after doing something cool.

So, that's Phil. He's not strong, rarely silent, and isn't known for doing a lot of cool things.

But his characters are.