Episode 63 - Signals

## Signals

A black background with a thin white border made up of squiggly uneven lines, possibly meant to look like torn paper of some form of seismic wave. Within the border is a case in the shape of a box, taller than it is wide though not by much. The case has two labels, the top one has three sections of intangible writing, and the lower one depicts a single red eye in its centre. bellow this image are the words "63.SIGNALS" written in white.

### Author

William A. Wellman

Mr. Raven sees the light, Marco has a workplace evaluation, and Riot takes a night off. The theme of tonight’s episode is Signals.

***Content Warnings:** Abuse, Animal death (a number of birds), Kidnapping and abduction, Death + Injury, Mental illness, Birds, Static (including sfx), Emotional Manipulation, Body horror*

## Intro - The Hole in the Lining

Nikignik narrates Danielle O'Hara for the Dreamers, comparing her learning how to use her abilities to learning how to speak a new language, when she says 'stop' the world around her stops, but she had yet to learn how to live in the silence. It had taken her years to discover how to travel, to break out of the fabric of her shining reality (see the Prime Dream) by pulling at its loose threads, and escape through the hole in the lining. Now she found herself further then she'd ever thought she could go, beyond her Dreaming Box and in a night sky looking down. She questions what it was that allows her to see like this, understanding it to be beyond human. And yet she had always been about breaking expectations. She looks for the mind of Riot Maidstone, one dream bleeding into another before falling into a nightmare.

Nikignik sits in a three-wheeled plastic office chair that dwells grey expanse of panelled rooms, lit only by harsh neon and the glow of box computers. Stacks of paper shift from their places to cover the desk and floor, in the corner of the room, a very small light blinks red.

## Story 1 - A Small Red Light

Mr. Raven asks Mr. Writingdesk how CPE-13 was, and Mr. Writingdesk tells him that she'd been 'Spooky as always' and had taken up singing, which was a good sig as people tended to show their creative potential when they were happy. Mr. Raven rebuts that it might also mean she was planning on killing them, but Mr. Writingdesk is distracted by the sound of one of their sensors going off (see Mr. Raven and Mr. Writingdesk), asking Mr. Raven how long it had been going off for. Mr. Raven states that he hadn't noticed it, as there were so many machines in the room, pulling up a signal application on his computer and saying that it'd been going off for ten minutes or so, and that the " paraspectogram" was also listing spikes in "Zeddemore rays". Mr. Writingdesk concludes this to mean whatever was causing the spike was growing closer, and fast, from the readings these could be up to two "Class 2 Specters" (see Ghosts), and that a CPE unlike anything they'd ever seen was bound straight for them. Mr. Writingdesk says that it didn't matter as they couldn't leave the complex they were in, but Mr. Raven tells him that he was sure that this qualified as an exemption. Mr. Writingdesk tells him that it was a bad idea, but Mr. Raven attempts to leaves anyway, finding Mr. Writingdesk standing in his way, but he eventually gives in and lets Mr. Raven watch from the front door security camera.

Mr. Raven finds himself still unable to see from the security camera and so he manages to get to the front door and open it, getting into a spat with Mr. Writingdesk in the process, watching on in horror as the cause of the readings passes by. Ray and The RV Gang drive past, and then the world goes quiet again. After a moment of silence Mr. Writingdesk closes the door again, turning to Mr. Raven and asking if he was happy now. Mr. Raven simply questions who the people who drove past were, to which Mr. Writingdesk tells him that they should hope that they never find out.

### Interlude 1 - The Phantom Station

Nikignik announces a warning to those who still drove the landscape of America, that not every danger simply stalked in the night beyond their camp or could be outrun by a speeding vehicle, some dwelt in their heads. They might think that they hear a radio station in the static, a buzzing voice that cut through their music. It would begin with light conversation, answering questions that no one had asked, laughing with no audience, and it drew their attention from the road. It would not be content to simply entertain them for long, and it would invite a caller, which they will realise is them, despite having not phoned or dialled, when they speak the host responds, asking them questions. Nikignik tells them not to answer, not to let it into their thoughts, that if they did it would live there forever, follow them till the day they came to rest, that they should hold off its temptations as long as they could. The Phantom Station gave nothing without cost.

## Story 2 - Eyes of the Nation

Marco Torres asks Brooklyn Williams if she'd told Lady Ethel Mallory about him loosing track of Riot Maidstone (see Episode 60 - Flies), and she tells him that she hadn't, asking hoe Marck had lost them. He tells her that they'd stopped at a gas station (see Episode 54 - Roads) so he'd assumed that they were resting for the night and gone to sleep, but when he woke up, they'd gone, probably having changed locations again, and he'd been searching Toronto ever since. Brooklyn asks him why he hadn't just set up the video feed to run though his dream scape, and he tells her that he didn't sleep with his visor on, that he used the Prime Dream for work, but he slept the normal way, or else he didn't feel rested. Marco asks why Ethel even cared so much about Riot, he was a security guard so why did she have him watching the daughter of some random rock star (see Valerie Maidstone), even when she'd already been replaced (see Clementine Maidstone). The RV Gang were going to die along the journey anyway. Brooklyn tells him that working for Ethel meant that they didn't always get answers, but right now he had to stop self-pitying and find Riot because Ethel was going to be checking up on them in less than an hour. She tells Marco they The RV Gang might not be in the city anymore, asking where they might be in that case, that they would have crossed the Cannada-USA border, which meant crossing the Ambassador bridge, asking if there was any wat to look at incident reports in that area.

Marco pulls up footage from Botco drones in those areas, but still finds nothing. Brookly tells him that she didn't know what to expect if they couldn't find Riot, that Ethel could be cruel, so it was best not to do anything that might aggravate her, and Marco agrees that Ethel had a reputation. He tells Brooklyn that he might be able to resign, that he was sure living "out there" (see Botulus Corporation) was better than any punishment that Ethel could come up with, but Brooklyn tells him that no one walked away from Botco, asking him to keep looking. Marco notices that one of the drones had discharged a weapon while at altitude and clicks onto the Cluster's security footage from the night previous, finding Olivier Song (see Episode 60 - Flies). From there they are quickly able to find the RV. Brooklyn and Marco embrace in relief, before Brooklyn makes the urgent announcement that Ethel had arrived.

### Marketing - Advertising Choices

Lady Ethel Mallory interrupts Nikignik's broadcast with her marketing segment. She tells the listeners, in this case her marketing class, that when they were building out consumer programming, there were several key directives they should follow: no more than fifty percent of their content should be promotional. Whether they sell or educate, always entertain. And make sure that everything they touch speaks on behalf of their brand. They needed to flood the market with content, capture a user's attention and hold it with value. The most critical part of consumer choice is the illusion of choice, they may be behind every stage, but as long as users have the option to swap out one avenue for another, they were content to stay. When they created content for Botco they had to remember that they were the home to an incredibly diverse user group, so classic marketing and value-based messaging apply for older generations, irony and deprecation for millennial users, and Generation Z preferred user-generated content and advertising indistinguishable from entertainment. However, no advertising method was more effective than the one which the Dreaming Generation loved—subconscious influence within their dreamscapes.

### Story 2, Continued - Eyes of the Nation

Lady Ethel Mallory scolds Marco and Brooklyn, telling them that they had been given one task, that they'd lost the RV Gang and not informed her of it. Marco tells her that they'd hoped to be able to fix it quickly, but she corrects him, telling him that they'd hoped that she'd not learn of their incomitance, that thanks to him she'd been embarrassed in front of "a vital contact" (see Episode 60 - Flies and Clementine Maidstone). Brooklyn asks Ethel if she could ask a question, but Ethel continues talking to Marco, telling him to answer he like his life depended on it, had he managed to find the real Riot Maidstone. He tells her that they had, bringing up the video feed for the Cluster drone that was following the RV Gang and Ray. She asks who it was with the RV gang, and he tells her that the other vehicle (Ray) was the one that the Cluster drone had locked onto in Toledo as it had tagged "the driver" (see Episode 58 - Enemies and Moth Scarberry), and that the two had been driving together all day.

Ethel asks if they were still heading their way, and Marco tells her that they seemed to be heading south, away from them (see Episode 60 - Flies), Brooklyn points out that Botco had less of a presence in the southern United States, and that this may be an evasive tactic. Ethel asks how much time they had until they reached Box Andromeda and who else was aware of this, Marco tells her that they had 4-5 days, and that no one else knew of this other than him, Ethel, and Brooklyn. She tells him to keep it that way, as someone was giving them information, that they should have no idea where Valier was being kept (see Episode 22 - Mountains and Episode 7 - Nightmares) so someone must be telling them (see Danielle O'Hara). Brooklyn tells her that they knew that the RV Gang had botched a break in at Box Polaris (see Episode 49 - Rescues), so maybe they weren't heading to Box Andromeda, maybe they though she was at Box Cassiopia. She asks Ethel why she'd chosen to share this information with the Other Riot (will be referred to as 'Riot' for simplicity), and Ethel smiles at her, and tells her that apparently Ethel had been the only one to show 'Riot' a shred of honesty, and that this might be enough to turn her against Melanie Flores. That if she wasn't going to be her project, then Ethel could at least make sure that 'Riot' wasn't going to play her part in Melanie's games. Marco asks her if she wasn't worried 'Riot' was going to interfere, but Ethel tells him she wasn't, that if she manoeuvred correctly, she could get control over her as well, when the 'real deal' showed up they'd apply their leverage, but for now they were going to have their work cut out for the over the next four days.

### Interlude 2 - The Unseen Road

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that they may wonder why it was that he continued to infest their nightmares, telling them that what had begun as a twisted circle of life in the northern woods now crawled across the continent, and they dreamt not of gloomy pine valleys but of the barren highways of America. They may ask him where it was that this story was going, and when it would end, and how many strangers would feature in their dreams. He tells them that the road was not yet finished, and if they were to know their destination they might yet turn, ask to dream of pleasanter things until the end came. In truth, Nikignik did not know precisely where the end would find them, being a master of sight but not the future, but the many presents will converge one day into a single future, and that was why, for all who dreamt, he would continue to disturb them.

## Story 3 - The Long Way Round

Riot Maidstone leaves Diggory Graves to drive the RV through the night while she crawled into the back to get some sleep. She finds Olivier and Moth lounging with scattered pencils and paper, she asks them what they were doing, and Olivier tells her that they were talking, that Olivier had explained the events of Season One to moth, and moth tells her that moth hadn't realised that Riot's mum was a celebrity. Riot looks over to find Riot drawing Friday Rescher, and asks them about it, but they tell her that she was just a friend from Downing Hill Public Library, Moth commenting that it must've been weird, still going to school. Riot leaves to go rest, being wished goodnight by the duo, thinking about saying something that sounded cool, but missing her chance and beating herself up about it.

She finds herself sitting on a log by Lurch Lake in her dream, Walter 'Walt' Pensive speaking up from behind her, commenting that you had to wonder what Pollywogs were thinking, that every so often they had to sprout new legs or lose their tail or something and think ‘well, that’s it. I’m done growing. This is me now.’ If he was a frog, he'd always be wondering, is this it? Or was he going to change again? Riot chokes back her sadness (see Episode 36 - Swords) and tells him that she'd seen a talking car (see Ray), and that she was sure he'd love that. He turns to look at her, and she finds him still missing his eye, just like how they'd brought him back to the Scoutpost, except now he had a tiny frog living in his socket. She starts to cry, telling him that she didn't know if she was doing 'it' right, that she missed him, that she wished he was with her because he'd say something that make things almost okay. They'd left the Scoutpost and everyone behind, and it was just them [The RV Gang], it felt like every little thing she did matters, and she didn't know if it was right. He tells her that she didn't have her legs yet. It'd be silly to worry about jumping, just swim as far as she could, she'd get her lungs when she needed them. She looks back out at the lake, and sees Danielle O'Hara emerging from the water, complaining about why it was that Riot's dreams were always to wet, and telling her that she'd come to check up on her. Riot tells her that they were in the USA now, and that they'd mat someone (see Ray) who could help them get to her, but it'd still be a few days. She asks how her mum was, asking if she could let her know that she was close and that she loved her. Danielle tells her that Valier was freaking her out, that 'Riot' was acting weird, and that she'd do her best to pass on Riot's message, but Botco was doing a big psych eval for everyone, that she'd managed to avoid it, but she didn't think she'd be able to for much longer. That she didn't know what they'd do if they discovered her. Riot asks her what they would be able to do, and Danielle tells her that when she came and got her mum, to take her as well.

## Outro - Signals

Nikignik waxes poetics about Signals, telling the Dreamers that in their own ways they cast their voices into the universe, looking for someone to hear them. Hoping that by an acknowledgment of their sound they would know that they were not alone, if for a moment. Their messages, though, echo once through the universe and disappear, even Nikignik's words, caught by the Dreamers only to fade by morning. But it was in the nature of life to wish to live, to leave a mark on existence, however small. To speak or sing or scream while their lungs still hold air, to hear themselves echo in the void until all breath fades, to hope that someone listens and replies in kind. He tells the Dreamers that it was in that, he and them were the same, and just as they commit his voice to their fleeting memory, he committed theirs to his.