Scheherazade

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Episode 2. Scheherazade. Dr. Rosalind Lear Project Log. Type CA5-17-1. Stardate unknown. Approximate recording date... Day 29 of Augment Exile. Recorded in the field by Lieutenant Marla MacGyvers. Voice print confirmed. Initiate playback and generate transcript. Three weeks. For three weeks after finding me with my communicator, Khan avoided me. Of course, I avoided him too. And it was easy enough.

The only official gathering was the next evening, a memorial of sorts for Hugo. As soon as his body was discovered broken on the rocks near the shoreline, rumors flew through the camp. Though some suggested he had taken his own life in despair after having so deeply offended Kahn, most, including Kahn, believed he'd fallen. He called us together that night and commanded that from that moment on...

all work around the camp perimeter would be done in pairs. Safety was essential. No one offered to accompany me anywhere, and I never dared ask. There's a clearing ahead. We'll pause there to check our position. And then, as if nothing had happened, he appeared at my door and ordered me to join this survey party. I wanted to refuse. To tell him this was no way to treat me. But I didn't.

A long walk far from the mocking eyes of his people who seemed to know how far I had fallen out of favor sounded like heaven just then. So, instead of arguing with him, I packed up.

Yes. This will do. Joaquin? Ivan? If I didn't know better... I'd say we were back in Tashkent. At least here the jungle isn't crawling with deserters and death squads. We have left such things behind where they belong. With each step we take, we claim this paradise known as Seti Alpha Phi for ourselves.

and those who will come after us. We are this world's new masters, and everything we behold is a gift waiting to be claimed. Is it not strange that the land formations and the variety of wildlife are so reminiscent of those on Earth? It's astonishing. Countless light years separate these two worlds, and yet they evolved along similar courses. Yes and no, my lord. Erika, speak up.

Take these not-ferns, for example. Not-ferns? The shape of the leaves on the lamina is almost identical to a fiddlehead, but here at the apex, do you see these spikes? They're poisonous. At least to us. How do you know that? Madot asked me to collect and test samples for her as we walk, Sylvana. Excellent work, Erika. Well done. These yellow berries are filled with nutrients, but avoid the red and the blue ones. Hmm. What shall we call them? My lord?

This is our world, Erica. Our home. We will not call things by what they are not. These spiked ferns and yellow berries are your discovery. You shall have the honor of naming them. May I think about it for a while? Of course. It's a great responsibility you bear. Thank you, my lord. Richter? Why is he always falling behind? His head is in the clouds. Richter! Where are-

Sorry. Sorry. I'm coming. Richter. You must keep up. We are in a jungle. Keep your senses sharp. Eyes open. Want to smell danger. Everything in this world wants to kill us. Stop helping it. I didn't mean to. I just... There's a gigantic flower back there, and I wanted to grab a quick sketch. Show me. It was blood red, and it smelled awful. A single bloom was at least three feet around. My pencil doesn't quite do it justice. We call them corpse flowers. I've heard of those.

They mimic dead animals in color and smell to attract the insects that pollinate them. It means the hunting will be good here. Indeed. I want you to add everything Erica has discovered to your journal, Richter, along with the name she chooses. Yes, my lord. If you like, we could use my scanner to record images and take accurate measurements and molecular composition of each sample. Just for the sake of accuracy. Or not.

A lesser man might feel threatened by your admittedly advanced technology, but not I. We must learn quickly which elements within our environment must be tamed, and which conserved. We have not come to lay waste to this world's magnificence. but to become part of it in the most respectful and responsible way possible. That's... well said. Thank you.

Joaquin, what's our position? 74 kilometers from the colony and a bearing of 270. Have you made any updates to the map? As we go, of course. I would welcome fresh meat for dinner tonight. As always, our thoughts are one, my brother. You, Joaquin, and I will venture further west, toward that valley to hunt. I'll load the rifles. Didn't you bring your blade? I did. But if we find some not deer or not antelopes, the rifles will be more useful. Fair point. Marla?

You and Sylvana may camp here and use your scanners to aid Richter and Erica. Of course. We'll return before dark. Okay, I don't know about you, but I could use a little break. I have to finish this. Finish it later. Where did you put the spades? Ignore her. Stop. She's coming this way. Did you hear me? Ask Erica. She might know. I already did. She said it was in your pack. Fine.

You have a very good eye, you know? It feels important to capture it properly. I've taken scans of each of these to help you remember what you're sketching. Thank you, but your scanner distorts the light the images are perfect, but also flat exactly I want to do more than remember what the thing looked like or was made of I Want to capture how it felt to to see it? For the first time. I often have the same problem when I paint. Found it for you. That fire pit isn't going to dig itself.

I was just telling Richter... No, well, he doesn't need your help. He's the best artist any of us have ever seen. He might well be. Time will tell, and lots of hard work. Excuse me. Don't do that. Do what? Alienate her. She's Khan's woman. It doesn't seem like it to me. He barely looks at her. You don't understand what it's like to be different. To be on the outside. Remember how the others used to torture me because all I could do was draw? Hey.

Don't think about that place. Everything is different now. We're free. And we have each other. I don't understand why we had to travel so far from home to be free. They could have just... let us go con says they feared us we were just kids we weren't gonna hurt them i would have if i'd have the chance now stop wasting time oh okay okay okay okay okay follow me

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The edge of the valley will be approximately 100 kilometers from our settlement. Will we push on? Not this time, Joaquin. We'll circle back around to the south from there and allow the shoreline to guide us home. Another week, then. Most of us could be home in half that time, but... Yes. Marla. She's kept up well, though. And without complaint. Is that why you brought her? To test her endurance?

She is angry with me. I hope we might... I don't know. What did you do? Why do you assume it's my fault? She was the one who... Let's just say I don't think either of us were completely right or completely wrong. Oh, then you're well matched. You don't believe she is inferior? I'm the wrong man to ask. I married Talia. over many strenuous objections, including yours, if I recall. Surely you've forgiven my doubts by now. I couldn't see what you saw in her, nor could I understand the necessity.

At first, she was nothing more than an eager bedmate. I was unprepared the day I realized that whenever she left, I felt she had taken the best part of me with her. Marla asked me... If I had ever truly loved another. I hope you said no. I didn't know what to say. I still don't. The only thing of which I'm certain is that I cannot abide her displeasure. Does she know that? I fear she might. As I said, well matched. If you ladies have quite finished with your tea, I've found dinner.

They're small, but there are at least five or six of them. Four legs? Hooved. Gods above and below, has this cursed rock been blessed with wild boars? Shhh! A sounder. Two mothers. Six borelets. Even the little ones have tusks. Give me leave. My mouth is watering already. Stay, Ivan. Joaquin? I have her. Take the shot. Reload. Finish her. What? Ivan! Ivan! Huh?

I mean, Ivan, I almost shot you. I couldn't wait. I can taste her already. Joaquin is right. It was an unnecessary risk, Ivan. Perhaps. But this way, there's less shrapnel to break our teeth. We might build a pen. Trap a few more for the rest of our journey. Plenty of daylight left. This will be more than enough for the next few days.

I didn't see that one. It's weird. Also kind of cute. Sort of like a duck-billed koala bear. What do you think, Erica? Food or not food? They don't have much fat on them, Marla. I wish I knew what they ate. that might tell us more get down now that's too big for a bird look at the webbing on the wings a reptile a hungry one from the look of it stay out of sight

Richter should see this. Uh, I think he and Silvana are... Again? They can't keep their hands off each other. Look, there are dozens of them. At least the flock is heading away from us. We should probably sleep near the trees tonight. What are you going to call them? Sedidactyls. I like it. Hello! Ivan, you're covered in blood. I hadn't noticed. Richter! Silvana? I'd like him to get a sketch of this before we... You might want to leave them be. They're working up.

An appetite. To be that young again. Speak for yourself, old man. I do not wish to discourage or embarrass them, but I don't want any of you wandering too far off. Perhaps I'll just take a little walk. Stretch my legs. Thank you, my brother. I'll take a few scans for Richter and then get the fire going. It'll take hours to roast. We'll cut the beast into smaller pieces. Eat only what we need. Preserve the rest and carry it with us. We?

Unless you prefer others to labor so that you may eat. May I borrow your machete?

Tonight our rest is well earned. Ivan, you know I've forbidden the use of chemical weapons on civilians. We should have a story. Yeah. Oh, come on, Ivan. Tell us how you killed that boar. We stopped. Joaquin shot. I finished it off. The end. You're our historian, Marla. Why don't you tell us a tale? You will be our Scheherazade. You like that one, do you? I never heard it. Yeah, who was he? She was a very clever woman who lived long ago.

The local monarch. The sultan. Are you telling this story or am I? Apologies, please continue. The sultan's first wife had been unfaithful to him. So he executed her and swore that he would never again. be so humiliated every day after he married a new woman a virgin and the following morning before she could betray him he beheaded her of course It was a less civilized time. Are we sure about that? Finally, the only virgin left was the daughter of his Grand Vizier, a girl named Scheherazade.

who had spent her entire life reading every story she could find. She volunteered to marry the Sultan, and the first night after they wed, she told him a story that lasted for hours. almost until the sun came up. Just before she got to the end, she said she had to sleep. He agreed, but made her promise to tell him the end of the story the next evening, which she did.

It went on like that for one thousand and one nights, by which time the sultan had fallen in love with her. He spared her life and made her his queen. Aw. Wonderful. Let's have another. Why don't you tell us a tale? Of what? Of you. Your life. Your rule. You must have at least a thousand and one tales and they should be recorded. Why? Because history is written by the victors, and it's rarely fair to the vanquished. So, now I'm the vanquished, am I? In Earth's history books? Yes. They...

Paint you as a villain? Of course they do. Even the ones that treat you fairly still misrepresent your intentions. Define fairly. The best histories of your era show you avoided wars unless you were attacked and that no massacres were committed under your rule. In an era marked by genocides, your reign was uniquely... benevolent. And those are the best histories? Don't you want your descendants to know who?

You really were. But what difference would that make? If you don't set the record straight, all they will believe are the lies. What if their lies flatter me better than your truth? What do you want from me? Shall I confess the sins of my youth? Or bear all my secrets like a dying man who fears to face his god? No. No, I don't think I will. Khan. Marla, Marla. Leave him be.

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. Benevolent as he may be, he can still be pushed too far. What you ask requires trust, and that you must earn. We should set these up closer to the fire, Erica. No, Syl. Here by the trees. There are city dactyls out here. City what? Huge flying reptiles, Richter. Marla and I saw a whole flock of them earlier. Well, if we have to sleep under the trees... I know a good spot. Still. Follow me. Ow! What is it?

A really big bug with a hard shell. How big? Almost, but not quite as big as my foot. Well, I can't sketch that one now. I'm sure there are more. I'll help you find one tomorrow. Promise? Promise. You open the fridge. There's nothing there. So what's it gonna be? Greasy pizza? Sad drive-thru burgers? Dish by Blue Apron is for nights like that. These are the pre-made meals of your dreams.

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I will take the first watch. Good night, my friend. Eyes up, Ivan. We had some flying reptiles circling earlier. Let them come. We'll have a hearty breakfast. Marla. Khan. I believe I owe you an apology. For what? For whatever it is I've done to make you so angry with me. The great Khan mystified?

I'm learning that when it comes to you, it's... it's folly to assume anything. I think I have the same problem. The questions you ask, I'm not accustomed to the kind of self-reflection they demand, particularly in public. Socrates said, the unexamined life is not worth living. Wasn't he also charged with failing to honor the gods? The heresy of creating new gods and thereby corrupting the youth of Athens? Ah, a Plato fan.

You fancy yourself an idealistic philosopher king. I am not a king, Mahler. My authority was not granted to me by any named or unnamed god. It was earned. Through daily toil. What's the difference when the end result is the same? Your might grants you all the rights. The rest of us have no choice but to obey. Careful. If your intention is to heal, you might take care not to make the wound bigger.

That night, in my cargo pod, you accused me of betraying you. Again. Which suggests you saw my actions aboard the Enterprise as my first betrayal. But I have always been honest with you. Even when you told me that you planned to take the ship, I told you not to ask me to hurt them. I can't be held responsible for your inability to hear what I said simply because it wasn't what you wanted. I did betray someone that day. But it wasn't you. Your captain.

Kirk? I don't think Captain Kirk even knew my name until the day I was called into the transporter room to join that boarding party. How is that possible? How can a man lead those he does not know? Specialists like me are only summoned for specific missions. I spent almost a year on that ship, leaving my quarters or the Archives. only to eat and exercise. I had plenty to read and study, but I didn't feel necessary or terribly useful, if that makes sense. It does.

And it saddens me to think of you living like that. You were the first person I met on that ship who saw me. Who needed me. But you went too far. I couldn't watch you hurt them or kill them. And I knew, as you did not, that you would never turn them. They would have died to the last man before they surrendered. I thought you chose me as an alternative to prison, but... You were already in prison, weren't you? I chose freedom. Not for you. But for myself. Which...

Doesn't mean I don't want... Go on. What do you want? I thought because I had read your history that I knew who you were. But that day... When you and your people tried to take the ship, I realized I didn't know you at all. What you were truly capable of. And you didn't know me either. I... I owe you an apology too. I... I think I led you to believe I was someone that I'm not. I was designed to lead armies into battle.

But to win, one must first destroy. I would have made Earth a paradise, not for myself, but for all who lived there. But I could not make them see the future I wanted so badly for them. The peace and glory of it. I don't know how to tell you who I am, Marla. But I want to be remembered for what I create, not what I destroy.

Silvana, be calm! What is that? Be still, child! Get it off! Are you okay? Moving. Khan, can you hold her? There now. Let us help you. I see it. What? Are they? Some sort of large insect attached itself to her leg. This must be its larvae. Where were you when this happened? Erika told us to sleep under the trees! I did not! Marla did! What's that? Another boar! A boar! Joaquin, look up! Joaquin, look up! Joaquin, get back! No! Joaquin!

Joaquin. Take me! Come for me! That's right. Look here. I am the one who gave the order to slay your mate. Your quarrel is with me. No! Come on, take cover! My lord, are you hurt? I'm fine, but... Joaquin. Dear gods, please. Let me. No, Khan, it's too late. No. No! Step back, all of you. But he... Did you hear me, woman? All of you, stay together. I will make sure this one was alone. I've never seen a boar that size. Wait, where's Richter? Wasn't he with you?

Yes, but when that thing crawled up my leg, I just... I... Richter! Richter! Richter! Richter, hello! Richter, where are you? Richter! Richter! Richter! Retrace your steps, show me where you were, and watch the ground. There might be more of those things out there. Richter! Richter! Please!

He can't have gone far. He might have fallen asleep in some cave, unable to hear us. Or he might have been attacked by one of those seti eels. He could be unconscious. Seti eels? Can we argue later about what to call them? Stop it, both of you. Ivan, you will lead Marla, Erica, and Silvana back to camp. I will strap the bier carrying Joaquin's remains to your back. I will carry it with honor, my lord. But there is nothing more we can do for him now.

Let me help you find Richter first. We will not leave his body to rot here. He must be returned to his son. I have spoken. Are you certain you will be safe alone? I do not fear the creatures of this world. It is they who should fear me. Seti Alpha 5 has taken two of my people from me in as many months. They shall not have a third. If you have not returned to camp, two days after we do...

I'm coming back here to find you. If I have not returned in that time, I'm not coming back. She'll fall to you, Ivan. A strong right arm to lead our people without me. Khan, no. Wait.

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Star Trek Con is based on a story by Nicholas Meyer, written by Kirsten Beyer and David Mack, produced by iPodcast Productions, Inc., Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment. Production by Realm. Directed by Fred Greenhalgh, executive producers for Secret Hideout, Alex Kurtzman and Aaron Byers. Executive producer, Kirsten Byer. Executive producers for Roddenberry Entertainment, Eugene Roddenberry and Trevor Roth.

Executive producers for Realm, Molly Barton, Carly Migliori, and Fred Greenhalgh. Co-executive producer, Robin Johnson. Co-producer, Greer Mathiat. This podcast is based upon Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry, starring Naveen Andrews as Khan, Ren Schmidt as Lieutenant Marla MacGyvers, Sonia Cassidy as Dr. Rosalind Lear.

Tim Russ as Ensign Tuvok, and George Takei as Captain Sulu. Also starring Oli Haskovi, Maury Sterling, Mercy Malik, Zari Washington, with additional voices by Phaedra Al-Casey. Hayden Bishop, Paul Castro Jr., Chad Chennai, Ethan Dubin, Aaron Fors, Juan Francisco Villa, Juliet Golia, Aaron Hendry, Cynthia Hood, Tina Ivlev. Adriel Yovinares-Riviera, Alina Khan, Jacqueline Jackson, Jeremy Maxwell, Christina Oates, Hamish Sturgeon, Regina Toffin, Maxwell Whittington Cooper.

Casting by Meg Moorman CSA and Sunday Bowling Kennedy CSA. Looping group casting by Barbara Harris. Sound design and mixing by Daniel Brunel. Additional sound design by Jonathan Roberts. Original score by Marcus Thorne Bagala and Sam Bagala. Production manager, Devin Shepard. Production coordinator, Chad Chennai. Additional writing by Mac Rogers. Dialogue editing by Gordon Bramley. Original song, You'll Be With Me, written and performed by Lisa Carbet and Jean-Pierre Duran.

Recorded at Mark Grau Studios, The Invisible Studios, Real Voice LA, Adrenaline Studios, and City Vox, New York. This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA agreement. Copyright 2025 CBS Studios Inc. All rights reserved. This program is protected under the laws of the United States of America and other countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution, or exhibition may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution. Star Trek and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.