When the Bombs Fly: A Cosmic First Contact Story "Second Chance"

0:11 Speaker 1: Hey guys, this is Crimson, and this is Swan, and we'd love to know what you think of the stories, even if it's bad. So leave us a comment, or give us a thumbs up.

0:21 Speaker 2: Thank you!

0:32 Speaker 3: It lies in wait amidst your dreams, where nothing is ever how it seems. It is a portal to a terrifying world beyond the doorway to nightmare. Nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host, Artemis Black. In the last half century, the human race has made more technological advances than in any other time in history. From the miniaturization of computers to scientific discoveries, we have made leaps and bounds towards what many consider A brighter future.

1:34 Speaker 1: But it can't be that simple.

1:38 Speaker 4: It really is, Professor Stewart. You simply had two of the numbers transposed.

1:45 Speaker 1: It will take years before this could work. The computer matrix alone would be more than our current systems could handle.

1:54 Speaker 4: Sadly, it may never be used.

1:59 Speaker 1: What do you mean?

2:02 Speaker 4: I believe you know exactly what I mean.

2:04 Speaker 3: Our mystery drama, Second Chance, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Winslow Swan, Crimson McKenzie, John Rosignol, and Mick Davis. I'll be back shortly with Act One. Have you ever been outside on a cool, clear evening and looked up at the stars? Did you ever wonder what lies beyond our small part of the universe? The question of intelligent life somewhere other than our own small and insignificant little planet has been pondered for generations.

3:08 Speaker 3: Is there an answer?

3:11 Speaker 1: And as you can see, ladies and gentlemen, if we continue down this road we call the human race, great strides can be made that will ultimately be for the better. Or it can be taken away. Please think about this lecture in the next few days and ponder upon the part you will play in the future.

3:40 Speaker 5: Professor Stewart?

3:41 Speaker 3: Yes?

3:42 Speaker 5: I'm Robert Hanson.

3:43 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. Have we met before? You must forgive an old man and his memory.

3:49 Speaker 5: Well, I certainly know you. I was in your class about five years ago.

3:54 Speaker 3: Young man.

3:55 Speaker 1: Many people have taken my class.

3:57 Speaker 6: I wrote my thesis on the vibrational frequencies created by the human race. You said, and I quote, that it was a brilliant piece but needed to be researched a little more.

4:07 Speaker 1: It certainly sounds like something that I would say. What are you doing with yourself now? Did you go on to become a famous research scientist?

4:18 Speaker 3: Hardly.

4:19 Speaker 4: No.

4:20 Speaker 5: I work within the government as a consultant.

4:23 Speaker 1: What a shame. Yes, Mr. Hampson, I do recall you as a rather headstrong sort of person. I believe you once called my class Oz, and that I was the man behind the curtain.

4:38 Speaker 5: Oh, that you would remember.

4:42 Speaker 1: Do not be embarrassed, my young friend. The memory may not be as sharp as I would like it to be, but it does kick in occasionally.

4:53 Speaker 6: Well, I was invited to a conference next month and I have to run a sort of class. I was wondering if you could give me any pointers, any advice.

5:02 Speaker 1: Yes, I can. Don't do it. Run for the hills and never look back.

5:10 Speaker 5: But sir, I'm committed to it now. I can't just.

5:17 Speaker 1: Forgive me again, Mr. Hudson. Simply a little joke. What exactly are you asking of me?

5:24 Speaker 6: I just remembered how fun your course was.

5:28 Speaker 5: I really wanted to know your secret.

5:30 Speaker 3: Secret?

5:31 Speaker 1: There is no great secret to opening the minds of the youth.

5:36 Speaker 6: Sir, I've tried doing these things in the past. And I simply come off as, well, a boring student who's trying to impress.

5:47 Speaker 1: I'm sure it is not as bad as you let on.

5:50 Speaker 5: When you hear snores, it is that bad.

5:54 Speaker 1: Would you really like to know my secret?

5:57 Speaker 5: Yes, please.

6:00 Speaker 1: The imagination.

6:01 Speaker 5: I don't understand.

6:04 Speaker 1: Mr. Hanson, you said that you enjoyed my classes.

6:09 Speaker 5: Very much so. You seem to make the subject come alive.

6:13 Speaker 3: No, sir.

6:14 Speaker 1: You see, it was all you. Don't you see? I tried to spark the imagination in each of my students. Without that, we are all simply computers. You put data in and you spit data out. My phone can do the same thing. But with imagination, you can do anything.

6:40 Speaker 5: I'm beginning to see what you're talking about.

6:42 Speaker 1: Sadly, in the last several years, we have been told not to use that wonderful gift. It will be a sad day indeed when the imagination is completely taken away from us. Ah, such a beautiful night. I am incredibly lucky to live so far away from the city. The stars are so lovely.

7:28 Speaker 2: We interrupt our regular program to bring you an important news bulletin. The peace talks in Paris have completely broken down. The American ambassador was quoted as saying that if the Russians did not pull back its troops within 24 hours, the consequences would be severe. Meanwhile, the Russian spokesperson said that the ambassador was adamant in his demands for the Americans to pull their forces back. All hopes for a peaceful end have now faded us.

7:57 Speaker 1: Ah, the fools. Do they not know we all live on this planet? Ah, oh well. Hey, what is that? Oh, dear God!

8:31 Speaker 4: Where am I?

8:33 Speaker 1: It is going to be okay.

8:35 Speaker 3: You are safe.

8:36 Speaker 1: I'm driving you to the hospital.

8:38 Speaker 4: You're Professor Abraham Stewart.

8:41 Speaker 1: Well, yes, I am.

8:42 Speaker 4: This is not the way that I wanted to meet you.

8:45 Speaker 1: Are you from the Air Force Base? I saw your plane crash and was afraid there would be nothing left.

8:51 Speaker 4: What is the condition of the craft?

8:54 Speaker 1: Well, I fear that our government has just lost another trillion dollars or whatever the cost of that thing was.

9:02 Speaker 4: No matter. It is of little consequence that it was destroyed. Please, can we now go to your domicile?

9:11 Speaker 1: I believe that you need medical attention.

9:14 Speaker 4: No, Professor. I am here to help you and possibly everyone else.

9:27 Speaker 3: Professor Stewart looks over at his passenger and wonders. He notices the wounds that he had seen before are no longer there. I'll be back shortly with Act Two. Jill Bolt Taylor once wrote, I am always in quest of being open to what the universe will bring me. For Professor Stewart, it has brought him an unexpected visitor.

10:10 Speaker 4: You have a very nice home, Professor.

10:12 Speaker 1: It suits me. I have the opportunity to observe the skies without light pollution from the city.

10:21 Speaker 4: I see you're still working on that equation.

10:24 Speaker 1: And how do you know about my theory?

10:27 Speaker 4: Please do not be alarmed.

10:29 Speaker 1: Well, can I at least offer you something to drink?

10:32 Speaker 4: I'm afraid there is little time.

10:35 Speaker 1: Oh, yes, of course. How stupid of me. You would like to make a phone call back to the base.

10:40 Speaker 4: If I were able to make a phone call, it would be much farther than the base.

10:47 Speaker 1: I do not understand. Where are you from?

10:51 Speaker 4: In normal circumstances... I would not have come to you this way. But now I have no choice. I am from a galaxy that is millions of light years away.

11:01 Speaker 1: Oh, I see. And I suppose that the wreckage is what is left of your spaceship?

11:11 Speaker 4: That is correct.

11:13 Speaker 1: And just what is your name?

11:16 Speaker 4: In my language, it would be impossible for you to speak. You may simply call me the Keeper.

11:27 Speaker 1: Did Mr. Anson put you up to this?

11:30 Speaker 4: I do not understand.

11:31 Speaker 1: Oh, play a little joke on the old man standing behind the curtain, eh? Well, tell him that I almost fell for it.

11:44 Speaker 4: Change the factor of X to 13 and Y to 27.

11:49 Speaker 1: Did you say.

11:51 Speaker 4: That is the problem that you are having with the equation. You simply have two of the numbers reversed.

12:00 Speaker 1: That would make it.

12:02 Speaker 4: Do you see it now, Professor?

12:05 Speaker 1: My God. There it is. But this equation... It would take years to figure out the matrix.

12:15 Speaker 4: Time. Such a fragile thing. And while it goes on, we never have enough of it. But we are always wanting more.

12:25 Speaker 1: So is this supposed to prove that you are from some distant planet?

12:30 Speaker 4: We have been coming to your small world for millions of years. At first to simply observe. Over time, we decided that it would be advantageous of us to help you along.

12:44 Speaker 1: To push us, so to speak.

12:47 Speaker 4: More like Small nudges into the right direction.

12:50 Speaker 1: Oh, and how are we doing so far?

12:53 Speaker 4: There has been a faction of our society that wanted to advance your kind beyond what you were ready for.

13:01 Speaker 1: As in the last 50 years?

13:04 Speaker 4: We nudged before, and have on occasion, helped in ways that you would not understand. Chernobyl, for instance....

13:16 Speaker 1: Ah, yes. I remember reading about the strange object observed over the nuclear plant.

13:23 Speaker 4: We stopped what would have been a much greater disaster, which would have had consequences well beyond the scope of what citizens, wildlife, even in the depths of the oceans, are dealing with now.

13:38 Speaker 1: So, is this the beginning of your invasion?

13:44 Speaker 4: Our purpose is not to invade. We know that in the distant future, mankind will be making its way across the vastness of space. We were hoping that it would be in a friendly manner.

13:58 Speaker 1: But your kind has already done that. Why can't you just come down and introduce yourselves?

14:05 Speaker 4: We have. We made pacts with many of your leaders, which has only led your species to the atrocities of war, famine, and deceit. all on behalf of those same leaders. By giving to them, they took from you. Our efforts have only culminated in a better way to kill and destroy for their own profit. It is something that we will not allow to continue.

14:37 Speaker 1: So you have come to destroy us?

14:42 Speaker 4: No, Professor.

14:44 Speaker 1: You.

14:46 Speaker 4: will annihilate yourselves.

14:52 Speaker 3: Abdul Kalam once said that we are not alone, that the whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.

15:07 Speaker 1: I'll be back.

15:07 Speaker 3: Shortly with Act 3. T.S. Eliot once wrote, This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.

15:43 Speaker 1: What exactly are you trying to say?

15:45 Speaker 4: We had such great hopes for your tiny planet, Professor. Our species was looking forward to a mutually beneficial meeting. One day.

15:56 Speaker 1: But you are saying that day may never come.

16:03 Speaker 2: Why?

16:03 Speaker 4: I'm afraid I may have arrived too late.

16:06 Speaker 1: But why is it too late? What is going on?

16:10 Speaker 4: Your formula would have been used to thrust humans to the outer reaches of space in the next millennium. Unfortunately... There are too many short-sighted humans on this planet thinking only of.

16:22 Speaker 2: No.

16:29 Speaker 1: No, they... They couldn't have. The fools....

16:40 Speaker 7: Special announcement. I repeat, this is a special announcement from the emergency broadcast system. All residents should take shelter immediately. All residents should take shelter immediately. The basement of your residence is the best.

16:55 Speaker 2: Best. Oh, Christ. It's happening. The bombs are coming. We are all going to....

17:12 Speaker 1: It will only be about 30 minutes before the first bombs arrive.

17:20 Speaker 4: 27 minutes and 13 seconds, to be exact.

17:23 Speaker 1: Isn't there anything?

17:26 Speaker 3: Ah, no.

17:30 Speaker 1: There is nothing that can be done now. Our world is doomed.

17:36 Speaker 4: Does this surprise you?

17:39 Speaker 1: No, it does not. Would you like a drink? I've been saving a rather rare brandy.

17:53 Speaker 4: Why are you crying?

17:55 Speaker 1: I'm thinking of all of the newly born and the unborn.

18:07 Speaker 3: No.

18:08 Speaker 1: No, it is so stupid. What could they have been thinking?

18:15 Speaker 3: No!

18:17 Speaker 1: That's not the problem. They never think. You are correct, Keeper. We do not deserve this planet we have called home.

18:30 Speaker 4: Professor, if you were given the opportunity to have a second chance, what do you think the human race would do?

18:39 Speaker 2: No.

18:40 Speaker 1: Well, it's all academic. You see, Keeper, our world has been plagued for centuries with tyrants and rulers who only think about themselves. A second chance? For what purpose? To have another group of leaders grow into greed and war again?

19:02 Speaker 4: Are you truly that pessimistic, Professor?

19:07 Speaker 2: No.

19:09 Speaker 3: No.

19:11 Speaker 1: I suppose not. If by some divine intervention the inevitable did not happen, I would hope that the world would learn its lesson.

19:24 Speaker 4: Do you believe this planet would ever learn?

19:28 Speaker 1: As I said, it's all academic now. I suppose that you have a way of escaping the destruction.

19:37 Speaker 4: Unfortunately, with the crash... My ship was destroyed.

19:42 Speaker 1: What exactly did happen with your ship?

19:45 Speaker 4: Perhaps a simple miscalculation in the guidance system. Or something to do with frequency disturbances.

20:01 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh.

20:06 Speaker 4: What is it that you find so amusing?

20:11 Speaker 1: Oh, that even with such an advanced civilization, mistakes can be made.

20:20 Speaker 4: I suppose, to use your words, an advanced civilization is not infallible.

20:33 Speaker 1: Oh, thank you, Keeper. I'm glad to know that in the last few minutes of my life... There is always something to laugh at. What happened?

20:51 Speaker 4: Turn your radio on, Professor.

20:53 Speaker 2: Don't believe it. Can we get someone, anyone, who can tell us what happened?

21:00 Speaker 3: All right.

21:01 Speaker 2: All right. But no one is going to believe this. We are getting reports from, well, Everywhere. According to what we have learned, both the Russian and U.S. forces launched multiple nuclear missiles. Just a minute ago, every last missile has been disabled. No one has been able to supply a reasonable explanation for.

21:30 Speaker 1: I don't believe it. Keeper, what happened?

21:37 Speaker 4: I shall be leaving you now, Professor Stewart. Make good use of that formula.

21:41 Speaker 1: No, wait. Where are you going?

21:46 Speaker 4: I do have to leave, but we will be keeping our eyes on you.

21:50 Speaker 1: Helping us out when necessary?

21:55 Speaker 4: Something like that, yes.

21:58 Speaker 1: Is that what happened with the missiles?

22:01 Speaker 4: Oh, and one more bit of advice. Your kind was given this planet with only one simple rule to live by. Something we believe you have forgotten.

22:15 Speaker 1: What rule?

22:16 Speaker 4: Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

22:24 Speaker 8: A rather few simple words.

22:40 Speaker 3: With such a powerful meaning. And yet, have we forgotten the power that they hold? You don't forget to return with me for a few final words. I suppose the only way to end our play is with the words of Dave Wilson. Sometimes, life gives you a second chance. It is what you do with that second chance that counts.

23:24 Speaker 3: Our cast included Winslow Swan, Crimson McKenzie, Mick Davis, and Jonathan Rosignol. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie and directed by Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale. I'm home.

23:46 Speaker 4: I'm sorry.

23:47 Speaker 1: I didn't mean to be so late. Oh, it's okay. It's perfectly fine, you stupid little dumb piece of- Please don't do this!

23:57 Speaker 5: I couldn't help the traffic!

23:59 Speaker 1: Oh, don't let him hurt me anymore. Please, just hold me. Come here.

24:08 Speaker 4: Hush now. It's okay. It's okay.

24:14 Speaker 8: I'm here.

24:15 Speaker 4: I won't let anything happen to you.

24:23 Speaker 3: This is your host, Artemis Black, inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully. Epilogue. The butler did it.