Chapter One

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Santa's gonna slay. Hey everyone, it's Pacific. I'm the producer of Dead Space Deep Cover, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for tuning in to our first episode. This show has been a passion project for everyone involved, and we are so excited to share it with you. If you like the show, you can support us by leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or just by sharing the show with a friend.

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to get our show into the ears of new listeners. So once again, thank you so much. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the first episode of Dead Space Deep Cover.

And there was a great rejoicing, even as the blessed Altman was led to his death. For it was known that everything he had said was true, for the governments of Earth would not have feared him so. His very assassination was proof of his truth. His death is proof of our faith. Proof that we are one. That the living and the dead are but facets of the same existence. That we shall be made whole.

As the Ganymede colonial government insists the power shortages that have threatened all Ramon's major cities are a thing of the past, thanks to a total restructuring of prices in healthcare affecting both Enki Katana and Marius Landing. Medical facilities are said to be at breaking point in spite of the emergency funding provided... Do we not witness the jealousy and rage that our truth engenders? They have spread lies about us.

They have lobbied for laws to be made against us. They have sought to infiltrate and divide us. But brothers and sisters, they have failed. Don't think that's true at all. The first settlers on Ganymede were tough. The people here are still tough. It's a myth that the unitologists prey on the weak. They take anyone, but they particularly target the rich and powerful for membership.

It isn't some lack of mental fortitude in the population that makes them such a force on Ganymede. It's the very fact we are tough. We have something to offer them. We're useful. What we should be worried about is, what are they using us for? Meanwhile, Marius Landing has been confirmed as the Jovian city of culture. Settlements throughout Jupiter's moons bid on the honor.

which is estimated to have cost enemies. The colonial government has denied suggestions of interfering in media reports concerning the recent corruption scandal. Members of the Civic Oversight Committee deny influence brokering involving lobbyists representing the Enki Katana chapter of the Church of Unitology. A spokesman upon the wrongdoers and the bearers of false witness.

In their ignorance, they will struggle against us. And the fight shall make us stronger. And the knowledge we shall not move on and leave them behind. We shall... It will make us whole. Dead Space. Deep Cover.

Episode 1 What am I watching? This is from the apartment of Fumihiro Zane. Zane? The guy who... Yes, the guy who bought it. This is from three nights ago. His household AI kept the last 48 hours of camera footage, and this is from near the end. It's mostly sound. The lighting isn't great. Where did you get this?

We're a news channel. This kind of thing isn't supposed to be public. Shh. Clementine, draw the blinds and divert all calls. I'm done for the day. Clementine? The household AI. One of those ones with a name. At least he didn't set it to talk back. And take a message. If anyone from the Colonial Parliament calls, I didn't know they were going to ask me those questions. I was just going to tell them the facts. They had all these... these traps. You know...

What would you do if it was one of your relatives? Who in the government do you think is a unitologist? Be specific, Mr. Zane. No sitting on the fence. Our viewers need to know. They knew what buttons to press, so I... Yes, I used some forthright language, but I didn't say anything that was untrue as far as I knew it. I don't know. Turn it into something more diplomatic and feed it to them if they call. And put the lasagna on.

I haven't eaten all day. What was that? What was that? Clementine? Is something broken? Uh, speech protocols activate. Did something break? Clementine, is there someone else here? Clem? Clem, are you on? Hey. Hey. Whoever you are, this is private property. I have a silent alarm to the police, and they'll be here in less than three minutes. Stay back! What the fuck are you?! And that's it.

The recording cuts off. So that's what killed him. Someone got into his apartment, and they were making a hell of a noise. Sounds like someone crazy, or on drugs, maybe? Who was it? We're not sure. Here, I'll run it back. We ran the few frames where they appear through the analysis programs, but there aren't enough angles. There's something about the arms. They're too long and jointed wrongly. I'm thinking some kind of prosthetic. You didn't answer the question.

I told you, we don't know who it was. The question about where the hell you got this footage. I'm an old school journalist, Emily, and I never reveal my sources. Don't give me that. The only news on Zane was that he died in his apartment. Nothing about any evidence or a suspect. This isn't public, Marsh. You got this from the cops. A good editor has contacts everywhere, including the police.

Look, I don't want you knowing anything that might be compromising. It's better that I protect you from sensitive information. Zane got ripped in half. That's pretty sensitive. Why show me this at all? You've been with us, what, six years? About that? Why? And you've got the experience of a journalist with many times that. When the boss starts complimenting me, it's usually bad news. But you have.

Your work with the cops means you're a damn sight more competent than any of the stringers I work with. What I'm saying is... I appreciate what you can do, Emmeline. Thanks. But remember, I haven't worked with the police in a long time. They're very different from when I was there. Half of them are in the riot squad now. You still have the technical skills, though. In the common damn sense. I trust you. I guess that's not in great supply these days.

The Marsh I know isn't the hugs and free pizza type of boss, so you're not telling me this just to pass the time. No. Emmeline, I can't go public with this. But I'm not just going to let it lie on some police server forever either. We're not just talking headlines here. Ganymede has to know. I have to follow up on Zane, and there aren't many people I trust to do it. I don't like this.

Of course you don't. A man got turned into dog food and colony security is keeping a lid on it. This is exactly the kind of story that makes journalists disappear. It's also the kind that makes us actually change things for the better. You want me to look into it. More than that. I want you to go undercover. Oh, come on, Marsh. I haven't done that for a long time.

And if I remember rightly, it was three months of misery and boredom for about 30 seconds of coverage on the local news. That was organized crime, two-bit stuff. This is bigger. Who is it, Marsh? The Unitologists. Of course it is. Zane lobbied against the Unitologists for years. If anyone wanted him dead, it was the Church. Quibono, remember? You think they killed Zane?

That's what you're going to find out. There must be a dozen reporters you could put on this you trust, at least as well as me. None of them were technical aids to call any police. If the church has anything hidden on a server, you'll find it. You can keep up the mask and dig up everything they've buried while you're at it. You're ready for it, Emmeline. I think you know that. It feels like something I should be pushing back against. Alarm bells should be going off.

I look for a reason to say no, and... I can't think of a damned one. And then, there's your sister. Who told you about Maddie? Sorry. I have to protect my sources. You asshole. When did you hear from her last? Three years ago. Just after Mom died. She didn't even tell me she was joining the church. She just...

Stopped calling one day. Then we learned she'd run to the unitologists. If she's still with the church, you'll find her. But only if you're looking from the inside. I can set you up with credentials so they'll never know you're a journo. The text can get you fitted for biological recorder. Every way I can help you, I will. I'm serious about this. The unitologists have had their claws into Ganymede since the colonists built the first domes.

we can break them wide open. And you had to bring Maddie into it. Like I said, I'm an old-school journalist. The old ways aren't always nice. You know full well that doesn't leave me with a choice. There's always a choice, Emmeline. Bullshit. When do I start?

Do you feel empty? Do you wake up in the morning without direction? In the blur of our fast-paced interstellar existence, do you seek something more than simply wondering why? inhabiting countless planetary colonies, has left the human species scattered and isolated. We were not meant to exist light years away from one another, with travel between our colonies both difficult and expensive, and the intimidating vastness of space mocking our attempts to connect.

We were meant to live together, but in the current age, we are so often alone. If only there was a solution to the cruel distance between us. Well, we have good news, because there is. In the Church of Unitology, you will be among friends, not only your fellow faithful, but all those loved ones long past. With Unitology, we are one. Past, present.

and future. With Unitology, we are whole again. When Michael Altman discovered the marker on Earth, he was witness to the ancient truths of the universe. Inscribed on that ancient artifact, was divine wisdom that altman alone could understand even today centuries later we hold his discoveries sacred and honor altman as a prophet and a martyr

His teachings emphasize the unity of all humankind and the continuity of life beyond death. When you join the Church of Unitology, you will begin to learn the secrets of connectedness, enlightenment, And finally, the Sacred Convergence, as you ascend through the levels of Initiate. You will be prepared for the next stage of understanding with advanced mental techniques, learn psychic fortitude, and ascend towards convergence. The church also provides living space for initiates.

education and health care facilities for their families, live-in care for its older members, and above all, a dignified and respectful journey at the end of this life as you transition to the next. In a society where the dead are incinerated or discarded without ceremony, Unitology honors its members with internment in a church mausoleum to await the sacred convergence.

Unitology welcomes all. You can contact us through all intracolony electronic messaging services, singularity wormhole communications, or even physical mail. Alternatively, simply pay a visit to your local chapter of the Church of Unitology. No appointment is needed. We will be only too happy to provide you with an orientation and literature on the many benefits of Unitology.

and answer any questions about your forthcoming initiation. Don't delay. With every moment, we drift further from our fellow human beings. Only the Church of Unitology can bring us back together. Open your mind to Altman's teachings and accept the loving embrace of Unitology.

Okay, say something. My name is Emmeline Ayuba, and this may be the worst idea I've ever had. Great. We're transmitting and recording. How does it feel? It hurts like hell. Good, no numbness. It works by detecting vibrations, so it'll pick up anything you say or that's said or done nearby.

You can upload it to a RegLink server or transmit it back to us once you're someplace that won't be monitored. You're sure they won't find it? This little sucker's deep inside the jawbone. No way to detect it without a full autopsy. No autopsies, then. Got it. Just don't use the transmitter unless you're confident no one's got the area bugged. Stay away from strong magnetic fields and try not to get it wet. What? Just kidding.

Oh, uh, yeah, you have to sign this. It confirms you understand the bone-implanted covert data acquisition device is the property of Ganymede First Press Incorporated. These things ain't cheap, so this authorizes them to get it back if you... You know. I know. I'd say we're done. Thanks. I'll remember this moment every time I get a toothache.

Good afternoon, ma'am. How may I help you? Oh, hi. I'm... well, you might say I'm interested. Of course. You're in the right place. Have you visited our cathedral before? No. We grew up in the rougher parts of the city. I've never been here. I have to say, it's impressive.

Oh, if you've only seen the cathedral from the outside, you haven't seen it at all. We have public services every day at 2pm. There's one going on at the moment. I'm sure we can fit you in if you'd like to experience the end of the sermon. I'm more interested in joining the community here. Joining? Well, of course. A new truth seeker is always welcome in the church. Why don't you come with me? Sure.

What's the procedure? We'll just take down some details first. How did you come to hear of the church? It's hard not to hear about it. Unitology is in the news every day, it seems like. Oh, there's a lot of misinformation about the church. People of faith have been subjected to repression by the colonial government since the chapter was founded.

Thankfully, there are smarter folks like yourself who can see through the propaganda. You just can't trust the press. Yeah, bunch of scumbags. Where are we going? Does this go underground? The cathedral is a lot more than a place to hold sermons. The cathedral's lower levels are home to our library and study rooms. One of our duties is study.

The works of Altman and even the data from the marker itself are all studied in detail to reach a higher understanding. Is that something that interests you? Absolutely. Anybody can pray and buy the books, but that's just... Surface stuff. I've tried to find what was actually on the marker that Altman wrote down, but it doesn't seem to be public. It's information that must be studied with care.

It's only in the church that one can really begin to understand it through the framework of Altman's teachings. Initiates outside the cathedral can learn of it third-hand, but we can only permit study of the original text at the rank of vested and above. Is it dangerous? Quite the opposite. Such study has changed innumerable lives for the better. It is crucial that misinterpretation of our sacred texts not be circulated. They can be challenging.

Our scholars guard against errors in interpretation. That can only happen at the cathedral. Where do the vested stay? Our accommodation and learning spaces are in the lower levels, along with recreation and meditation and prayer rooms. Hobbies? Me? We have a gym for use of the vested, a choir and a band. Regular potlucks, of course, in spite of what the press might say. We have fun here, too. Do you have children? No. We can educate from birth to postgraduate level.

Initiates of Silver Grade and above are guaranteed places for their children absolutely free. Silver Grade? You'll be there before you know it. Here, I can get you registered at the terminal. We have a number of packages available for initiates. Of course, wealth is no obstacle to joining the church. An initiate is welcome to serve here at the cathedral until such time as they are chosen to advance on to the rank of vested.

Certain gifted individuals can reach this rank much faster, and in return for a donation to our good work, some of the necessary procedures can be expedited. So I can pay to get fast-tracked? Is that how the church is funded? Many members retain their own livelihoods and generously tie the portion of their earnings to us. That's after the necessary period of induction, of course.

And the process of ascending the ranks does incur some inevitable expenses, which members are asked to assist with. But most of our income is from the goodwill and generosity of our members. May I have your name? Emmeline Lambert. I have you here. Clerical worker with the Colonial Sanitation Board. That's correct. Will you be seeking our regular induction or an expedited package? I think... expedited?

Oh that's wonderful news! The standard donation is 20,000 credits. Place your hand here please. Your bank has authorized your payment. We thank you for your generosity. And we can use your biometric data to ensure you have access to our facilities. You're in luck! We have a single-person residence, perfect for a pre-initiation recruit.

I can take you down there right away. There will be a set of tax investments waiting for you. Now? Right away? Of course. I was thinking I'd at least go back to my apartment first. Why? To get my things. Do you have a medical apparatus or prosthesis? No. Do you require medicines that cannot be synthesized by a regular medical facility? No. Then is there anything in your apartment that you really need? I guess not.

You are now granted the rank of initiate in the Church of Unitology. Welcome, Sister Emmeline. Thank you. It feels... I don't know how it feels.

There's someone you should meet before you get settled in. Now, we don't allow recording devices while a sermon is in progress, and I should ask you to remain quiet. So we are left to ask. Why? If Altman was divinely inspired, if the Margo had indeed granted him wisdom beyond any other human understanding, why did he have to die? Could the cosmos not protect him?

Did the Marker's creators not give him the means to predict and avoid his own death? I will not give you an answer to that question. Indeed, I say we should not ask why Michael Altman died, but if... He died. We are speaking of him at this very moment. We are reading his works and studying the knowledge he passed down to us. The Marcus did not tell him anything so prosaic as how to survive an attempt on his life.

Instead, it told him how to set down everything he learned in a form we could study and absorb over the following centuries. In a very real sense. Through the writings he left us, Michael Altman... is alive. Thus, he provided us with the first example of convergence. The Marker teaches us through Altman that all lives will come together as one.

Perhaps this will happen at a specific time in the future. Or perhaps it has already happened. And we are linked in a way the human mind cannot comprehend. Except perhaps... through the lifelong and devoted study of the marker. But those minds will become one. They will not end. Michael Altman showed us this by living forever through his word. He has converged with us all. He became part of the whole. I have given you all much to think about. Go to your homes and your loved ones.

And speak to them of what Altman left us. And whatever tribulations this universe sends your way, remember that Altman never died. And through his word... Neither shall we. Altman be praised. Altman be praised. Overseer, do you have a moment? Emmeline here wishes to enter the church. I always have time for a new seeker. Emmeline, this is Overseer Rader. He leads this chapter of the church.

As you have heard, he still preaches to the lay people just as he did when he was a missionary. We are fortunate to have him as our guide. Oh, you are too kind. Sister, would you finish up with Emmeline's registration? I can begin her orientation myself. Of course, Overseer. Altman be praised. Altman be praised. I don't recall you from our sermons to the laity.

I always remember a face. Just listening to sermons and reading leaflets doesn't do much for me. Maybe most folks find solace through superficial worship. I found myself wanting something deeper. Oh, many do. The people who visit the cathedral here are valuable members of the church, but not all have the desire for the deeper understanding. You can take solace from Altman's teachings anywhere but to...

truly become one with his message, you need to live it. So, I take it you've heard the sales pitch? Oh yeah. She sure did make it sound tempting. If I hadn't made up my mind before I got here, I might have been persuaded anyway. Our members have to follow a certain script when they deal with people from outside the church. It can come across as a little formal.

Corporate, even. You'll find it's very different when we can be ourselves. The world expects us to be cold and stern, but we're like a family here. Brothers and sisters. You'll find comfort among friends you can trust. Unitology is about love most of all. Love is something Ganymede doesn't have nearly enough of. It's no small thing to join our community here.

I know we say our faith is the only answer, but it's still a lot to ask to drop so much of one's former life. Even if it's something we want to escape, it still has things that are familiar to us. This is a frightening step you're taking. May I ask what prompted the decision? I just opened my eyes. The world out there is falling apart.

It happens bit by bit, so you don't notice it while it's happening, but I took a step back and saw it for what it was. The hospitals are full of people losing their minds. Public services are breaking down. The colonial government just sits there arguing. EarthGov has left us here to rot. And don't get me started on the media. It's like a contest to see who can get away with the biggest lies. I don't want that world anymore.

None of it is true. None of it is real. I wanted something real. There's something more than that, I think. I see someone who's driven by more than the chance to read the marker text in our study rooms. What truly drives you, Sister Emmeline? I live on my own. My family are estranged or dead. I can count on one hand the people I trust. I wake up every morning a little further away from everyone else on this moon. I...

I can't be alone anymore. I feel your pain, but it does not have to continue. You made the right choice. From this moment on, you will never be outside the company of friends.

I swept the room for bugs. Light fittings, outlets, nothing behind the mirror, nothing in the walls. I won't risk transmitting back to Marsh in here, but I have to get my thoughts down somewhere. So, I'm a unitologist. Not just a run-of-the-mill markerhead with a shrine in the back room and a copy of the hymn book on the nightstand. I'm an initiate now.

And the next stage is to become one of the vested. That's when I'm expected to either work for the church or get a career outside and give almost everything I earn over to the unitologists. Because I paid for the deluxe package, that's going to happen soon. Less time for me to change my mind, I guess. It cost me almost all the money Marsh made available for expenses.

It had better be worth it. I hope the ID Marsh set up for me can hold up. The Unitologists will be checking up on my credentials and digging up whatever they can use. Emmeline Lambert might be welcome, but I doubt they would be as happy to see Emmeline Ayuba. An investigative reporter won't be high on their list of ideal recruits. I don't know what they'll do if they find out who I really am. And with a little luck, I never will. It's scary how easy it was to tell them what they wanted to hear.

Feels like Ganymine really is falling apart. No wonder so many people are joining, with what we see on the news every day. For every critic of Unitology like Zane, there's someone else going crazy and... killing their family, or another suicide cluster, to make everyone think the church is the only sane thing left. They took my clothes away. Now I just have three sets of plain Initiates robes. My room is more of a cell. There's just enough room for a bed and a shelf of books.

Volumes 1 to 6 of The Teachings of Unitology by Michael Altman. A painting of the marker. There's a communal bathroom down the hall, which I'm not the biggest fan of. Tomorrow, I start praying and meditating, and I start the crash course on the wisdom of Blessed Altman. I did my homework on this place. I couldn't find the number of people who live here, but just from what I've seen, it's in the hundreds, at least.

The church cut a deal with the colonial government to exempt their schools and hospitals from oversight, and they're staffed entirely by the vested. A person could live their whole life. life at the cathedral and never been seen by anyone outside the church. They could just disappear, and there's nothing any authorities could legally do about it.

Maybe that's what happened to Maddie. Maybe she's in one of these rooms just around the corner. I don't know what I'll do if I find her. I'll have to come up with an exit strategy on the fly. Did these people kill Fumihiro Zane? If they did, how did they do it? Whoever was in his apartment, did the church send them? Right now, I don't even know what I'm looking for.

But I get that vibe from these people. Something behind the smile. The feeling I got when I was undercover with the worst scumbags of the underworld. The same... predatory look, like they're about to shank you in the gut and rifle through your wallet. At least the gangsters didn't pretend they were doing it for your own good. I say all this to myself, and then I remember how it felt when Raider asked me why I wanted to join. I had some stupid line about being spiritually unfulfilled, but...

When it actually came time to answer, it all came out of me. About the universe going to hell. About being on my own. I damn near told him how much I missed my sister. I told him. The truth. Marsh said something to me before I left his office. I should have it tattooed on the inside of my eyelids. He told me, don't forget who you are. I get the sense the Church of Unitology is very good at making people forget.

have again denied there is a power issue with Ganymede's radiation shielding and atmospheric domes. Though experts have cited the power expenditure is far greater than Ganymede's generator farms can provide. a spokesperson for the government assured journalists that innovations in efficiency have dramatically reduced the demand they walk blind through the chaos and the suffering pity them

For they cannot see as we do. The light that Altman still casts. That guiding star drawing us together and out of the darkness. convince them of the truth, if you can. But those who will not believe cannot always be made to see. They will not pass from this realm. to the wondrous unity of convergence. Azanki Kataina Zero-G Handball Team advance to the final eight of the Jovian Area Championship.

Hopes are high they can avoid a repeat of last season's fiasco, where they threw a 3-0 lead in a series against Europa United in Seams. A reporting there is no longer an active threat in the 17th Tenement District. as police have restrained the assailant at least three people are reported killed with an unknown number seriously injured the death toll is expected to rise eyewitnesses claim the attacker used a bladed weapon

and assaulted bystanders seemingly at random in a 30 minute... No matter what legal repercussions there should be... If you or I denied access to someone's relative, deleted their records, took possession of their life savings, and kept them locked up, we would be arrested.

But the facade of a legitimate religious organization is a weapon they use to mire any such action in a stalemate so that these people simply disappear. And that's not to mention... New provisions for paramilitarizing both the urban... and the private companies providing security to medical facilities. Opposition to the bill has come in the form of both community leaders and members of the medical profession.

who claim increased use of lethal force. Until there will be no room for pity. Some will be left behind, but there will be no room to grieve them. Some will fall. but there will only be celebration of their martyrdom, for true death comes only to those who will not join in the blessed convergence. When, I am asked. If it has not yet happened, if it might not happen for a thousand years, then when? And the answer is always the same. As...

The universe reckons it. As the marker reckons it. As Altman prophesied it. It will happen. Soon. This was Dead Space Deep Cover. Written by Ben Counter. Starring Jordan Cobb as Emmeline Ayuba. And Mick Wheaton as Overseer Raider. Featuring Isaiah Rothstein as Marsh. Shelby Novak as Unitology Recruitment. Lauren Tucker as Technician and Receptionist. And Brandon Nguyen.

as Fumihiro Zane. Media broadcasts by Atticus Jackson, Rissa Montanez, and Bailey Wolfe. Dialogue editing by Atticus Jackson. Sound editing by Brad Colbrook. Original music by Matt Roy Berger. Showrunning by Veronica California and Reese Tirado. Produced by Pacific S. Obadiah. Executive production by Tom Owen and Brad Miska. Made in partnership with Electronic Arts and Motive Studio. Special thanks to Joanna Berry, Roman Campos-Oriola, and Gregory Hosen.

The Bloody FM Show. For more information, visit bloody.fm. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies try it at progressive.com Regressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

This holiday season, the last place you want to be is the naughty list. Rowan Campbell plays a bloodthirsty Santa in Silent Night, Deadly Night. Director Mike P. Nelson's grisly update to the most controversial horror film ever made is only in theaters December 12th. Go to sndnmovie.com for updates this Christmas. Santa's gonna slay.