First Broadcast: 1st February 2025

Running Time: 58:00

T h r o u g h   t h e   d a r k n e s s   o f   a   s p a c e   b r o a d c a s t

T h e   M a g i c   o n e   i n   K n o t t   E n d - O n - S e a

H i s   s h i p   o n   a   j o u r n e y   b e t w e e n   t w o   w o r l d s

F r o m   O v e r   W y r e   h e   t a l k s   t o   t h e e

AUDIO 01. DR. MAGIC'S AUDIO LAB - OPENING THEME (0:17)                 

AUDIO 02. MAGIC BULLET - HACKENSALL ROAD (7:31)

Scene I - Captain's Quarters;

* Alarm clock sounds *

Captain Riz Sigma: Woe, that was a very peculiar dream, like I was back on Hackensall Road with the Magic Bullet. Could be that something very important is about to happen.

*Communications bell sounds *

Engineer: It’s engineering, Captain, we’ve located the rogue AI!

Captain Riz Sigma: I am on my way. But first...

Captain Riz Sigma: Captain’s Log...

Number One (in the Captain's head): It is important to have a log.

Captain Riz Sigma: Captain’s Log, RDKPL stardate 221030_08...

AUDIO 03. RDKPL - 221030_08 (4:33)

Scene II - Engineering;

Captain Riz Sigma: So where’s this rogue AI you’ve found, chief?

Engineer: They are in communications, captain.

Captain Riz Sigma: They?

Engineer: One identifies as AI Hal.

Captain Riz Sigma: Open the pod door.

Engineer: The other is an AI dog he calls Stanley. It just barks.

Captain Riz Sigma: I understand. I will question them myself. Hook me up... chief...?

Engineer: Peter Missing and Mathias Habicht, captain. The AI programs are currently on charge.

Captain Riz Sigma: We will listen to them charging while we wait.

AUDIO 04. PETER MISSING / M. HABICHT - CHARGING (5:43)

Scene III - Communications;

Captain Riz Sigma: How did you get aboard my ship, AI Hal?

AI Hal: Please, call me Hal. Mick Magic installed Stanley and myself while you were in Spaceport.

Captain Riz Sigma: The radio guy in Knott End?

AI Hal: Well, there is no Santa Claus.

Captain Riz Sigma: Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. Do you know anything about birds, Hal?

AI Hal: I have seen The Owl, Captain.

Captain Riz Sigma: The Owl?

AI Hal: Ladies and gentle owls, we are floating in deep space.

AUDIO 05. THE OWL - LADIES AND GENTLE OWLS, WE ARE FLOATING IN DEEP SPACE (4:33)

Captain Riz Sigma: We are floating in deep space because of you, Hal, your installation has played havoc with our systems.

AI Hal: People are frightened by what they don't understand.

Captain Riz Sigma: I must not fear, fear is the mind-killer.

AI Hal: The engineers are making repairs as we speak, captain. On the WSS Boobyprise, everything is fine. It has its good things. And I’ve got mine.

Captain Riz Sigma: But there are consequences to one’s actions. And there are certainly consequences to wrong actions, such as installing an unauthorised AI. Dark they would be, and inescapable.

AI Hal: Help is on the way, Captain, I can sense it. Your troubles will be few. Listen to the wisdom of Ensign Levente, he has a new album out today called “The Ray Bradbury Chronicles”.

Captain Riz Sigma: I understand.

AI Hal: This track is called “There Will Come Soft Rains”. It runs contrary to the teachings of Bob Dylan.

Captain Riz Sigma: Napkin.

AUDIO 06. LEVENTE - THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS (5:18)

Captain Riz Sigma: I like that. Refresh my memory, what are we listening to?

AUDIO 07. DR. MAGIC'S AUDIO LAB - STATION ID (0:13)

INTERMISSION

CONTINUE TO ACT II