If you enjoy our rambling intros, then you'll LOVE this episode length behind the scenes chat. We answer questions from listeners, wax philosophical about the rigors of life in the end times, and even tease a few bits and pieces for our next adventure. We are extra excited to introduce our very first guest, Katrina Coleman! Katrina is a Memphis comedian with her own podcast (You Look Like - check it out) and a dear friend of the cast. She'll be trying to keep us in line for this extra special ep...
Jul 21, 2021•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 40
We join the crew mid-battle in this, the concluding part of our Glasir System finale. We'd tell you more but then why would you listen? If you enjoy the show, please follow us on your favorite platform for new episodes every Wednesday. We also love seeing your 5 star reviews over on Apple Podcast; it really helps us spread the word and find even more fantastic audience members just like you. You can check us out online at www.astronomicapodcast.com ; here you'll find links to all of our social m...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 39
While Mackie and the Grace shake off the cobwebs from their recent trip down memory lane, the rest of the crew scrambles to reach their battle stations. Anton puts the "ace" in, uh, "space pilot" (look, we never promised to be clever, ok?). Mackie and Theophania try to patch up all these new holes and Hilde works on jamming the three pretech fighters on the ship's tail. It's an honest to goodness ship combat, gentle beings, so strap in, strap up, and strap on for this exciting first part to our ...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 38
It's time for the main event! With all other options exhausted, the crew of the Admiral Grace starts chucking grenades at the enveloping Dove of Peace. We have just enough time to figure out that chicken f**king joke from last week's episode title before a massive explosion rocks the ship. Insert joke here about Anton's impending doom and keep your fingers crossed for the rest of the team as we come face to face with the consequences for a whole heap of questionable decisions. If you enjoy the s...
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 37
With the team as prepped as they're ever going to be, the crew of the Admiral Grace charges headlong into danger with only the barest haze of a solid drunk between them and the knowledge of certain death. It's time to suit up and, in the words of a beautiful and sacred ancient Aegean proverb, f**k this chicken! (Yeah, we have questions, too) If you enjoy the show, please follow us on your favorite platform for new episodes every Wednesday. We also love seeing your 5 star reviews over on Apple Po...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 36
It looks like the crew is ready to ignore all logic and self preservation as they plan their attack on the ominously intelligent pre-tech Dove of Peace. Hilde's clone sib reluctantly agrees to help with the preparations and the team works to duct tape a few special munitions together in the hopes that at least one of them might survive. Sure, Stardaddy warned us this was a great idea (DMs, amiright?) but we remain resolute in trying to achieve the ever illusive total party kill. Who are we kiddi...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 35
It's a long one, y'all, and we're not just talking about Anton's...stories about Aegea (what did you think we meant?). This week the extremely refined crew of the Admiral Grace sits down to dinner with a whole monastery's worth of nuns. Mackie chats a bit with Dr. Theophania about the Dove of Peace while Hilde engages in theological discourse with Mother Marwazi herself. Later Anton and Hopper enjoy the after dinner entertainment while Mackie and Hilde introduce the good doctor to Terry Fizz and...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 34
With their slight detour of hunting down and murdering GhostDotGov well and truly behind them, the crew finally makes their way to offload the artifact that brought them all together in the first place. Let it never be said that the Admiral Grace Limited Liability Corporation doesn't deliver...eventually! While Mackie gears up to wing man for Hilde with the Reliquary Institute's representative, Humberto Hollis, Anton demonstrates that he is still very much like this and gets his wink on with an ...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 33
With vengeance served, the crew of the Admiral Grace realizes they're sitting on a ton of sweet loot. Mackie preps a special project while Anton gently loads up his brand new fighter and Hopper has serious questions about whether it's time to be a real boy. Meanwhile, Hilde and Grace attempt some very uncomfortable girl talk. The description is short but the shenanigans are plentiful so give us a listen and brighten your day by at least 27.23 percent! (Percentage not guaranteed, day brightening ...
May 26, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 32
This week the crew gets down to business interrogating Data Geist (aka GhostDotGov) on his involvement with the increasingly ominous Jeff Cho. Anton and Mackie ask some insightful questions while Hilde's excitement over her first conversation with a non-terran sentient quickly fades. Later, the crew gathers to mourn their first true casualty with an impromptu funeral for everyone's favorite butt of the joke, the late Mr. Ren. It's a heavy episode but have no fear! The Astronomica crew takes ever...
May 19, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 31
With our battle concluded, Team Meatbag regroups to deal with their primary objective: the likely location of the wily GhostDotGov aka DataGeist. But before they meet the mysterious potential mafioso, they've got to tend to Hopper and sort out at least some of this sweet loot just laying around. The newly liberated Squirtle Bells joins the team officially - well, is used as a meat shield in case DataGeist has any dangerous tricks still in the offing which is basically the same thing, right? - an...
May 12, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 30
If you thought part two of our epic train combat was intense, just wait till you click play on the final installment! This week ups the action with more explosions, more giant mooks cut down before their time, and more reasons NOT to blow up those enticing "fuel" tankers. Anton continues to live his best combat life while Hilde shows those ones and zeros who's boss. Meanwhile, Mackie discovers some brand new friends and tips Team Meatbag's moral compass back to the green. It looks like our intre...
May 05, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 29
Combat mode engaged! As Anton makes his presence known on board the speeding train, the rest of the crew finally gets down to business. We've got dueling hackers, desperate sprints to hop on a moving train, and lots and lots of looking up the rules to make sure we're doing this thing right. Oh, and the ever present threat of the Dove of Peace ready to turn everything to goo just as soon as it figures out what's going on. If you thought the crew of the Admiral Grace was incompetent last time, jus...
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 28
Good thing we put an asterisk on that "most competent crew in the multiverse" claim. With Operation: Barn Owl completely screwed, the crew of the Admiral Grace flounders around trying to remember what Anton taught them about combat situations. Meanwhile, Anton himself gets his action hero on and kicks off some serious shenanigans down in the crater. Will we see our very first character death or will the crew get their shit together in time to deal some decent damage? Only listening will give you...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 27
Leaving the cavern and vowing to eschew any further distractions, Team Meatbag continues further down the tunnels towards the last known coordinates of Ghost dot gov. After handily dispatching a suspicious looking tripwire, the team discovers a secret exit leading to the planet's surface. Meanwhile, Gracie's communications with the Dove of Peace are returned by a strange entity identified only as "Terry". You won't want to miss this next installment of the adventures of the most competent* crew ...
Apr 14, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 26
Oh boy did Team Meatbag find a treat this week! After following the siren call of the mysterious recording, the crew finds themselves in a giant cavern full of pre-tech vehicles ripe for salvage. Well...ripe for being turned into general scrap anyways as it quickly becomes clear that they aren't the first scavengers through these parts. As Mackie, Anton, Hopper, and the minions stock up on junk, Hilde is drawn to the hologram of a strange young girl wearing cat ears and an ancient Terran school ...
Apr 07, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 25
It's time for a good old fashioned dungeon crawl, y'all! This week the crew of the Admiral Grace sets forth in earnest on their quest to bring justice to Ghost.gov. After a quick trip on one of Glasir's swankiest virtual experience train cars, the group gets oriented and starts down some old mining shafts. Anton double checks to make sure everyone is in optimal combat position before stumbling on a mysterious glowing side tunnel. Will the crew stay on task or will this literal shiny distraction ...
Mar 31, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 24
With Hopper's body - and the remains of the AI core - now safely aboard the Admiral Grace, the crew preps for their very first mission of vengeance. Hilde and Grace get to work finding out as much as they possibly can about Ghost.gov and their potential whereabouts while Mackie diligently pieces Hopper back together. Anton bonds with Chili Cheese and takes his new AITF credentials for a walk out on the town to snag some free weapons' carry permits at the local Guns and Stuff. They all end up bac...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 23
We join the crew of the Admiral Grace mid-conflict with three AITF (Artificial Intelligence, Tobacco, and Firearms) bots on the ground and the ominous sound of the Dove of Peace drilling into the ice above. While Mackie and Anton try desperately to pull Hopper away from his efforts to destroy the AI core, Hilde swoops in to check the wreckage for salvageable material. It's only a matter of moments before the scene changes yet again and the crew is faced with a terrible choice: try to restrain Ho...
Mar 17, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 22
The crew prepares to meet their mysterious contact for a completely above board and not at all shady hand off of the smuggled AI core. Hilde finally digs into her new drone and discovers it is even cooler than she thought it would be. Before long, DefConDoc shows up and turns out to be a punk kid with a wicked fashion sense. Unfortunately there is no time to get to know this dapper fellow as a bevy of mall cop robots start pouring out of the walls and blasting away at DefConDoc and his henchman....
Mar 10, 2021•58 min•Ep. 21
After several weeks (okay, a few days) of playing host to the Apogee Station refugees, the crew of the Admiral Grace is more than ready for a little R &R. Anton and Hopper head to the nearest tattoo shop for an update to the ol' chassis while Hilde and Mackie look for a quiet tea room. Before long, Mackie is hosting a bidding war for the AI core smuggled more or less safely in the Grace's secret hold. It looks like the crew can expect a hefty pay day just as soon as Hilde and Mackie collect ...
Mar 03, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 20
While Anton takes one last shot at obtaining a fancy new fighter ship, Mackie gives his favorite kid a tour of the Admiral Grace. Turns out our Mr. Mackie has a Tragic Backstory (tm) after all and at least some of that surprise brain surgery from Hopper might actually be a good thing. Anton rejoins the crew just in time to get the galley fires under control and the team finally heads to Glasir IV. This new corporate hellscape looks to be a whole lot sturdier than the last, which is good because ...
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 19
While Anton practices a bit of full contact diplomacy, Hilde presents Mackie with an intimidating possibility: his old home the Empress Helene is nearby and looks to be the most promising option for the majority of the Apogee Station refugees. Unfortunately this means an extremely uncomfortable conversation with his least intimidating progeny. With this new plan more or less set, Anton tries to figure out why the Admiral Grace is diverting course without him. He's not that worried though as the ...
Feb 17, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 18
It turns out that guy trying to board the ship is actually pretty chill. After a bit of haggling with this Loc Xi De representative, the crew agrees to send Anton over to the Albatross in the hopes of securing passage for the remaining refugees. Hilde and Mackie work on finding a landing site on Glazier IV, not an easy task with competing corporate ships breathing down their necks. Meanwhile, Anton employs his legendary charm with the captain of the Albatross. Fingers crossed this goes a bit bet...
Feb 10, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 17
Welcome to Astronomica! If you gave us a try any time in the previous 16 episodes and found that the audio quality just wasn't doing it for ya, we have good news. Now that we've found a new permanent recording home we are bringing you 99.999% clear audio for your listening pleasure. In thanks for giving us another chance, we've thrown together this short recap of the story so far. It may not have every detail but you'll definitely get a nice little primer on the crew, our setting, and the shenan...
Feb 09, 2021•22 min
Hoping to offload a few of those hungry Apogee Station refugees, the crew of the Admiral Grace answers a call from an incoming corporate vessel. It seems their moral pangs have more or less sorted themselves out as everyone decides pretty quickly that negotiating with shady business dudes is just about the best way to move things along. To that end, Anton and Mackie pull a mini-heist on a potential spy for the Loc Xi De corporation. They liberate a high tech data pad which Hilde immediately plan...
Feb 03, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 16
Leaving the once bustling Apogee Station somewhat the worse for their visit, the crew of the Admiral Grace struggles to process their various pangs of conscience. Hilde experiences considerably more emotions than she is used to while Anton remembers how he came to be on the Grace. Mackie exhibits an unusual level of leadership, at least while the refugees are paying attention. Before too long, though, the crew is forced to deal with the reality of babysitting a bunch of hyper-capitalist cronies ...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 15
Anton lives! The crew continues to battle those pesky drones while realizing that some of their actions might just have consequences. Mackie continues to romance his lady love but complications arise when she remembers she has a dog and is desperate to save it from all those explosions. Speaking of consequences, Anton battles through his combat haze to insist on saving as many civilians as possible. Hopefully the Grace has enough food - and oxygen - to get everyone safely to Glazier IV. If you e...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 14
Surprise! The murder droids are still on the trail and totally fine with collateral destruction. The Admiral takes aim while Mackie, Hilde, and Anton mill about in predictable confusion for a round or two. Eventually, the crew comes up with a plan: rendezvous in the food court, flag down the Gracie, and get the hell outa Apogee Station. This foolproof retreat is shockingly complicated when Mackie locks eyes with the most gorgeous mall walker he's ever seen. Meanwhile, Anton is similarly enamored...
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 13
After narrowly escaping a swarm of murder drones, the Admiral Grace once again succumbs to the sweet, sweet oblivion of hyperdrive. Meanwhile, her very good boy Mackie shows a surprising level of deceit when he recruits the rest of team meatbag to hide a rogue AI in hopes of selling it for a truly righteous payday. Nothing particularly interesting happens until the team hits the Glazier system - that hive of corporate slime and franchisery - and remembers why intergalactic ad blockers are a nece...
Jan 06, 2021•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 12
