The Radio Memories Network is brought to you in part by Liberated Syndication, podcast publishing made easy, LibSyn.com. That's L-I-B-S-Y-N dot com. Welcome to Sci-Fi. From its earliest time, radio has always been interested in science fiction. Characters leap into your living room as we go on an adventure into time and space. We now go back to the early days of science fiction. Now for this week's episode of Flash Gordon. The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon
Hope's emulsified nose drops bring to your radios the further interplanetary adventures of Flash Gordon. It is the same daring and resourceful Flash Gordon, whose exploits have held you spellbound in the newspapers. Now through your loudspeaker every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at this same time... Travel with Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, and Dr. Zarkoff to the lost continent of Atlantis on the ocean's floor. Flash, Grego, and the Empress Luana...
have been rescued by Dr. Zarkoff and the rocket plane squadron from the armies of King Turok, and have been brought safely back to Atlantis. However, their joy of the rescue is turned quickly to sorrow. When the priests of Atlantis inform Flash that the empire is about to celebrate the feast of the god Poseidon, and that in his position as emperor, he must sacrifice the one person he loves best. This means the death...
of either Dr. Zarkoff, Gregold, or Dale Arden. Which of Flash's friends must die? In a moment, we will have the answers to these questions. Here's what boys and girls are saying about Grove's emulsified nose drops. They're the best I've ever tried. They fix a head cold right up and they don't sting the inside of my nose. Here's what mothers are saying about these nose drops.
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back to Flash Gordon. The high priest has departed, and Flash is left alone with Gregor. I know it's a terrible decision to make, but you must make it. You are Emperor of Atlantis. I'll tell you what my decision is going to be, Gregor. I'll not go through with it. I tell you, I won't go through with it. I'm sorry. There's no way out. Oh, yes, there is. Call the royal council together tonight. I'm going to abdicate my throne and name you as emperor in my place. I cannot do that, Flash.
You've got to remain on the throne, and you've got to go through with the sacrifice. Don't be absurd, Gregor. Of course I don't have to do it. Who's to stop me from abdicating? The law of Atlantis, Flash. The law states that if any emperor attempts to abdicate to avoid making the sacrifice of the person he loves best, that he shall be killed. All right. Let them kill me, then. Not only that, but all his friends shall die, too.
So there's no chance of escape for the one who'd have died if the Emperor had not been a coward. A coward? You call it cowardice to refuse to kill my best friend? To refuse means death for all your friends. For all of them? For you? For Dr. Zarkov? Yes, and many more. For Lieutenant Redner, the Empress Luana, and for Dale Arden. But how can I choose Grego? Which one shall I call to me and say, I'm sorry?
But because you're my best friend, I must kill you. It's a dreadful test. A test no one but a man worthy of the name of Emperor could undergo. Your decision must be made tomorrow. It's all so strange, so savage and cruel. I know. Sometimes what is best is most cruel. Now, good night. I'll see you in the morning when the high priests visit you to learn of your decision. All right.
I suppose there's absolutely no way out. None whatever. I'm sorry, Flash. Good night. Good night. My poor friend. Oh, Dr. Zarkoff. Dr. Zarkoff, wait a moment. Oh, hello, Gregor. I've just been with the emperor. How's Flash feeling? Oh, very despondent. He's just been visited by the high priest. The priest told him of the sacrifice required for the feast of Poseidon? Yes, he was told. Poor lad.
Who will flesh select for the sacrifice, do you think? There's no way of telling. It's a horrible decision to make. Yes, I know. Grego lets you and I make the decision for him. You and I? But how could we do that? Quite easily, I think. I think the final choice will lie between three persons. Between you, myself, and Dale Arden. Yes. Dale, of course, is a girl, and his affection for her is of a different quality. But the depth of his love for you and me, I'm sure, is as deep as his love for her.
I think you're right, Dr. Sarkov. What would you suggest? That we relieve Flash of the necessity for making a decision. That either you or I go forward and offer ourselves to him as the sacrifice. Doctor, that's an excellent plan. The right to make the offer is mine, of course. Hold on there. I'm not so certain of that. I am an older man, Grego. My span of life is nearly done in any event. I claim the right to offer myself to our friend. Oh, there. You see what a dreadful decision it is.
Even you and I cannot make it. I'd never consent to allowing you to offer yourself, and I don't think you'd permit me to do it. No, I would not, Grego. But the matter can be decided between us. I have a deck of cards in my room. We will cut the cards for it. Oh. Very well. We let the cards decide. Then come along to my rooms. I have the cards here in my desk. Here they are.
I frequently amuse myself at night by playing solitaire. I've always observed that men with mathematical or scientific minds enjoy matching their wits against themselves in a game of solitaire. We're playing a more deadly game, Doctor. One in which the loser wins and the winner dies. Yes, it's a deadly game with death holding the stakes. We'll let the ace of spades be the fatal card, shall we? Very well. I'll shuffle the cards and you cut them.
We'll place the deck face down on the table and start drawing. We will draw alternate cards until one of us draws the ace of spades. That's agreeable to me. Shuffle the cards. Here, you cut them. All right, we'll draw. Shall I draw first? I'd like that privilege. Very well. The ten of diamonds. Your draw. All right. The nine of hearts. Draw, Grego. Here. The three of clubs.
Poseidon. I've drawn it, Gregor. I've drawn the Ace of Spades. It shall be my honor to offer up my life for my friend. Allow me to compliment you on your chivalry and your courage. I wish there were more men in Atlantis like you. Thank you, Grego. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone. We'll see Flash in the morning and tell him what we've done. Yes, I'll go now. Thank you, Grego. Come in.
Well, flash, my boy. Good morning, Dr. Zarkov. Good morning, Drago. How did you sleep? Not at all. As if I could. I don't imagine any of us slept very much. I know I didn't. Nor I, naturally. What do you mean, naturally? Tell him, Grego. Very well. We knew the horrible decision you were faced with, are still faced with, because you've not decided which of your friends must die, have you? No. I'm not a coward, as you both know.
But somehow I haven't the courage to make that decision. We know how you feel, Flash, and we're deeply sorry. That is why we did it. That's why you did what? Dr. Zarkoff and I decided to relieve you of the decision by making it for you. By making? What do you mean? What are you talking about? Just this flesh. We know that you would rather die than select a friend for the sacrifice. Yet we all know there is no escape, no alternative, no hope.
Grego and I know that the choice would lie finally between Grego, myself, and Dale. I suppose you're right. Well, we left Dale out of it. She's a woman. She must live. Dr. Zarkov and I drew cards for the honor of making the sacrifice. And Dr. Zarkov won. Gregor, do you mean that you're the one to die? I'm sorry to say no. The winner received the honor of making the sacrifice. It is Dr. Zarkov who must die. Dr... Dr. Zarkov is...
Is this true? Yes, it's true. I don't know. I don't know what to say. What can I say? Dr. Zarkoff, we've been through so much together. First on the planet Mongo. And in Atlantis? There's no need for you to say anything, Flash. I understand all the things that will remain unsaid, and believe me, I'm deeply grateful. It's been given to few men to enjoy the friendship of a man such as yourself.
To die for that friendship is an honor. Yes? Miss Dale Arden is here to see your imperial majesty. Shall we tell her? She must know sometime. Let her come in. Yes, your imperial majesty. You may enter. Oh, Flash, I've heard about the sacrifice, and I'm so terribly sorry for you. Yes, it's a dreadful thing, dear. Of course, there can be but one decision. Atlantis needs every man.
You must allow me to be the sacrifice. Oh, no, Dale, no. We can't allow that. You've made your decision? Yes. Who is it to be? Dr. Zarkov. Dr. Zarkov? No. I sure consider it an honor, Dale. It comes to us all sometime. But, Dr. Zarkov, not you. Oh, it's hideous, Dale. Savagely, barbarically wrong. But what can we do? Someone must be chosen or...
or all of my friends will be killed. Yes, Miss Harden. It's better this way, to sacrifice only one life. I suppose it is, isn't it? Well, Dr. Zarkov, I want to tell you that you're the finest, truest friend we've ever known. Thank you, Dale. What is it? A messenger from the temple to take your decision to the high priest. Tell him to wait a moment. Your imperial majesty. Bring me some paker. An ink and a quill. Very well. Here you are.
Thank you. To the high priest of the temple of Plato, greeting. It is our imperial decision that for the sacrifice to the feast of Poseidon, the man who dies will be my, my dear friend. Dr. Zarkov. Signed, Imperator Rex. Give this to the messenger, Grego, and tell him to deliver it. Very well. The priests will acknowledge this at once with a letter.
The messenger's been gone for an hour. Why don't we receive an acknowledgement from the priests? Because after receiving your sealed decision, they'll pray to Poseidon to determine whether the person you've selected is the one dearest to your heart. Oh, I see.
Yes, it would be easy to send the name of an enemy, wouldn't it? I never thought of that. It's not your custom to consider deception, Flash. Just the same. We should have an acknowledgement soon. Yes, it shouldn't take much longer. That may be it. What's wanted?
The messenger with the letter from the temple. Bring me the letter. Your Imperial Majesty. Thank you. That's all. Lord Majesty. What does it say, Flash? It's probably a verification of what amounts to Dr. Zarkov's death warrant. We'll see. What does it say, Flesh? Read it to us. Yes, we're all anxious to know. All right. It says, Your Imperial Majesty. We have received your decision, and according to the customs of the temple, we have prayed to Poseidon for guidance.
In his great wisdom, Poseidon has appeared to us in a vision. And this is his answer and ours. A mistake has been made. Dr. Zarkov must be spared from the sacrifice. The one to die... Must be the one most dearly beloved by you truly. And the person to be sacrificed is... Dale Arden. So the priests of Poseidon refused to accept. the noble sacrifice of Dr. Zarkoff, and demand instead the life of Dale Arden. Poor, lovely, loyal Dale. Must she die? Grove's emulsified nose drops will surprise you.
with the way they look and act. These nose drops are white and creamy. They don't look, taste, or smell like medicine, yet they are highly effective. That's because they are medically superior, because they stay up in the nose. Any child can understand that nose drops that stay up in the nose will do more good than nose drops that run right out. Impress this fact upon Mother, and she will undoubtedly let you try these new type nose drops when you have a head cold.
or stuffed head. All drugstores sell Groves emulsified nose drops and they're really more economical than the old-fashioned kind because you get more for your money and because you can use less. Ask Mother to get a bottle today. Come with us every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at this same time for further interplanetary adventures with Flash Gordon.