Thank you for listening to The Dex Legacy, a proud member of Apollo+. Visit apollopods.com or follow the link in our show notes. The Dex Legacy is intended for a mature adult audience and contains themes that some may find upsetting. A comprehensive list of trigger warnings covering the entire season can be found in the show notes. Isra and Varian were brought back to Dex Island, where they underwent immediate spinal surgery to replace their tracking chips.
Tristan then placed them in zero-gravity white rooms for 27 hours to induce cognitive dissonance around the events of the last few days. It is torture. Not physical torture, but psychological torture. starving the human brain of stimulus until it begins to unravel. Meanwhile, on the blood road, Ashen was killed in action, and Shivrata sustained a serious injury to her left arm. And I... I should not be here. I am broken. I am not trusted. And yet... I endure.
You're listening to The Deck's Legacy, Season 2, Episode 7, Aftermath. Starring... Charlie Richards, Reginald West, Danielle Ellett, Stevie Skinner and Emily Inkpen. With music by Dr. Alan Stroud. Tristan, what's the latest? I take it you're not asking Oso anymore. I'm too angry to ask Otto. And I don't trust that Oso's got a proper leash on her. She fooled her once and she could do it again. Very well.
The only international party not at Fairview House are the Xenosi. As expected. What's happening in Xenos these days? They're licking their wounds. The new government are having to deal with the fallout of what the last did. As is expected the situation is more complicated than they thought. Governments keep secrets. New ideologies take over and they're faced with a need to compromise that goes against their very nature. Elaborate.
The last Zenossi government were torturing enemy soldiers from Rhone and breaking many international human rights laws in secret locations throughout the country. The new government would let these people go. But now these people are so damaged and so dangerous, they need to be imprisoned for the safety of the world. So that's what they'll have to do. Thus breaking their own vow to free those mistreated by the state. I see.
What do you think of the new South Jackran president? Erla Aravan. She's not as aggressive as her late husband. No, perhaps not. But she did organise a coup against him. It was executed with precision. Your agents helped her there? No. They were involved on the periphery and ensured she had information she might have otherwise lacked, but she orchestrated it all.
So she's sly. And worth watching. Yes. Understood. Osa and Devik are bringing the children up with them this morning. I have time enough to speak to them before I need to be at Fairview. Ah, right on time. Good morning, Nathaniel. We just collected them from Tristan's training centre. Is that where they've been? Of course, you did not know. What's the matter with them?
Look fine. He had them in white rooms. Very sensible. I expect you've had time to think about what you've done. And get the drugs out of your systems. Devek there, clear? clear and well, Nathaniel. Good. And you can understand what I'm saying? No. Speak clearly. Yes. Right. In that case, let's get this over with. This last few days, you have endangered not only yourselves, but this entire country, your comrades, everyone.
You made a stupid break for what you thought would be freedom. And what followed was a huge and costly effort by us to save you from everyone in the world who would use and destroy you. In doing so, we risked compromising our political neutrality with Eterra, forfeiting a lucrative contract with North Jackra and more costly losses on the blood road. And what awaited you? Tristan? An aterran lab. You wouldn't have made it to Rannit. You certainly wouldn't have made it to Jackrat.
You would have been captured and packed off to some hole to be dissected and experimented on. Any government would tear you apart cell by cell to work out how to replicate you. If you were lucky, they would have done it quickly. If not, you'd be looking forward to decades in a sterile hole. That, or we would have been forced to go to war. And then how many innocents would die. No, no, no, no. It's far better that you stay right here where you belong.
You may think you have no future here except for extended experimentation and death, but we have plans that go beyond leasing you to other governments as killing machines. You'll be pleased to know that you'll be required to do much more. The international community are interested in you and the DEX Nation will need you in time. You are my children. I adopted you for a reason, and not just to be prototypes. I am a figurehead, but you embody what it means to be Dex.
You are at the forefront of our ideals. And what are our ideals? To push the limits of science in every direction. to stop at nothing when it comes to progress and to bring the world with us. Kicking and screaming if we must. Most people live a lifetime without discovering their purpose, but you three... All you have to do is endure and you'll be some of the most important people in the history of our planet. Tristan's job is to punish you should you step out of line.
I'm here to give you an alternative. Or pass the sentence. If you continue to make a nuisance of yourselves, you will be decommissioned. I will give you to Devek, who will keep you in his lab. You'll be hooked up to his equipment, treated, untreated, made and unmade for the rest of your lives. while others take up the mantles always intended for you I do not want to see that happen I chose you three for a reason There have been deaths on the blood road in your absence. What? Ashen has died.
Shivratta has suffered a serious injury. Oh, I'll take good care of her. Don't you worry. And your forces are currently split between the North Jackran leaders. What with the International Confederation and your exploits, we have been stretched too thin to prevent this. As commanders of the DEX military, it's your job to stop this kind of thing from happening. And you weren't there.
Your actions have consequences that reach far beyond your own interests. We managed to keep the situation contained this time, but it was a close thing. It will never happen again. Do you understand? Yes. Israel, stay. Everyone else, go. Now. The boys can go back to their rooms. Not the white room. Are you in there? Say something. Yes. Did you understand what I said? Yes, I think so. You think so?
My head hurts. There's too much. It's the after effects of the white rooms. It'll wear off. Are you wondering why I've kept you here? Yes. A while ago, we had a conversation about learning how to lie. Do you remember that? Um, yes. This last couple of days, the International Confederation of World Leaders have been here on Dex Island. Yes, the world has been turning while you've been considering yourselves the centre of it.
Now, this presents us with an interesting opportunity for a lesson. You want me to meet them? I do. I just try to run away. Why would you trust me in a room full of the world's most powerful people? There is no trust in this, not yet. Varian and Wren won't be there, and if you misbehave, I'll make you suffer. Or then, whatever will be more effective. What would I do there? You'd meet with the politicians. Talk to them. Satiate their curiosity.
And lie. I expect so. About what? About how happy you are. About how humane our processes are. Are you shaking your head because you won't do it, or... Because you think they won't believe you. Both. And that is why it will be a lesson. Perhaps one of your most important lessons yet. Is this real? This, what you're saying now? What? I was... I saw things and heard things in the white room. I don't... It's real. How long were we in there? A little over a day.
Felt longer. And shorter. Yes. Those rooms tend to have that effect. Not that I'd know. Hopefully I'll never find out. I thought I'd be in there forever. You will be if you ever try to leave again. What do you want me to do? In your bedroom, you will find a new outfit. I want you to put it on. Make yourself presentable. A member of my staff will be up in a few hours to sort out your hair and face. How will I do this? What's the lesson? One of the key principles of lying
is to know exactly what people want from you. Whenever someone is speaking to you, they have in mind what you will say. What they want you to say. To an extent you must... Play to their expectations and they will fill in the rest. People are good at believing what they want to believe. You must have answers prepared. Know your script and your line back to front. You must present. What's my line? Oh, now, you don't need a vast intelligence network to predict what they'll ask you. I don't. No.
The international community is convinced that what we do here breaches international human rights regulations. They will feign concern. They will ask about your treatments. And what do I say? You tell them everything is well. That you're happy and that the treatments are humane and the side effects mild. Tell them Devex are genius and you experience zero suffering at our hands. This is insane. Why is it insane? They'll see through me. During the torture test...
You bargained convincingly for your brother's lives. Would your performance have been believable if the test had been real? You certainly thought it was real at the time. Do I have to put their lives on the line to make your performance more believable? No. You said that people believe what they want to believe. Do they want to believe that our treatments are humane? Or that Dex Island is in breach of international human rights laws. They want reassurance. Reassurance that all's well.
At this point, removing Dex Island from the International Confederation would be a humiliating admittance of ineptitude by the collected world leaders. They want us to be an exciting and legitimate new ally on the world stage. I just have to help them to see us that way. Exactly. My brain feels scrambled. I need sleep. Not yet. Fill that cup and bring it to me at a normal pace. Not your usual enhanced hyped up frenzy.
We need to make you less disturbing to our guests. And the way you move is... It's like someone's increased the playback speed on a recording. Control of movement is an art. Slower. Slower. God, this will take some work. Ferris. That is it, then. That's it, Hain-Dos. Ash is on his way back to Dax Island now. For the last time.
What happens to our bodies when they arrive? Why do you care? The North Jokrans. They were talking about sending bodies back somewhere. I asked them, and they said the bodies are burned. and the Ashes are returned to their families. I asked why, and they said it is just what is done. That's... weird. I expect Ash will be cut up in the lab. It is likely. Yes. How's Shiv? I visited Lady Shiv. Her arm is shot up and broken badly.
She said it happened when a North Jackran comrade went over the wall. She caught them, and her arm was exposed. Did the North Jackran make it? No. When the enemy shot her arm, she dropped them 50 meters into enemy territory. They are surely dead. She could be reassigned to Devik for this. If it is irreversible. Then yes. She is frightened. Book, it's a one-armed soldier. She could train the cadets. We will see. Her arm may yet be saved.
When will Varian, Isra and Ren be back? Well, Idris is on Dex Island now. Apparently the finale of the International Confederation is happening on board. He'll be bringing them back with him when it's all over. Will they be at the International Confederation? I don't know. Maybe. Sipping wine and representing the nation. They've...
Proven they can't represent anything except their own interests. I expect they are being made to pay for what they have done, Ferris. And Ash, did he have to pay? Shiv, should she pay too? I lost my first officer as well. I'm sorry, big guy. Thank you. He was the best I heard. I will miss him. It's not fair. It never is.
going to take colour for granted again. Give it a few hours in your will. How long do you have until you have to go? A few hours. I'm so tired. Come here. Get some sleep. Perhaps he's right. What are you talking about? Nathaniel, who are we, Wren? We're not meant for the world. We're the monsters they made. For better or worse, this is our life. We belong here.
And it could be worse. How? How could it be worse? We could be on the other side of us, Varian. What? I'd rather be us than fighting us. You're saying we're the worst of the worst. The worst to go up against. Aren't we? If that's the case, we need to do some serious thinking. What about... Everything. All of this. We either become the monsters they want us to be, or...
Or we don't. Or we don't? We could. End it. End? You mean end it, end it? We could. We spend enough time in that lab and there's loads of stuff in there that would do it. If we're the worst, and our only other option is to be what they've made us into, perhaps we should. I just don't know, though. I don't know if I could. I've thought about it loads of times when...
Things have been really bad, but... What if we tried and we couldn't? They'd do anything to bring us back. We know that. It'd be hard for sure. We'd have to do it properly. We can't, though. Don't you see? Yes, it would screw up their plans, but it's like Nathaniel said, they'd find others to take our places. At least it wouldn't be us anymore. Wren? No.
If we disappear, the experiments won't end. We'll just be passing on the pain. Who next? Ashen's dead. So Faris takes our place? Heimdoss? No. We're it. We get up again. We get knocked down and we pick ourselves up. Together. While we're alive, we have something to fight for. What? Have we got to fight for Israel? Dex Industries? Nathaniel? I want to live long enough to make them pay. At what cost? At any cost. You're right, Iz.
We can't leave the others to this. We can't. We have a responsibility to them. But I can see Ren's point. It's spinning. So we stand between him and the others? Faris, Aindos, Shiv, Adra, Ed, and the rest? Exactly. We have to. Of course, if we did want to die, we'd just have to stand in the middle of a battle long enough for an enemy to finish us off. Wait until we're fighting a big enough group and let them all get a shot in. So you've thought about it too? Of course I have.
We all have over the years, especially when we're tied to the racks in the lab, choking on our own vomit and in so much pain that any way out would be a relief. Yeah. Yeah. Fair. Varian, I need to sleep. Me too. I'll see you two later. Sleep well. Honestly, if you manage to do anything else, I'll be impressed at this point. Don't worry. I'm not feeling very impressive right now. Wren, talk to me.
I failed you. What? We had a chance and... Isra, I'm so sorry. It's not your fault. It was my plan. I was meant to get you out of all this. It was stupid and it didn't work and... I made you put on that net. You didn't make me do anything. I am so sorry, Iz. Rent. No, you didn't fail. Don't you see? We had them on the run for days. Days against Dex Island. Honestly, I thought we'd only make it for a few hours. But for a while there, I really did think we had a chance. Yeah, me too.
And it was worth it. I failed you and I'll never forgive myself. It's not your fault. But if anything, it's mine. I ran straight into that pile of agents. No, they'd have intercepted us. Taking the fight to them was smart. They weren't expecting it. They just kept coming. They were always going to keep coming. Exactly. I just... I wanted it to work.
I wanted it so much, and I let you down. Wren, you didn't. Look, please don't feel like that. It was a crazy plan to start out with, and we all said it, but we all chose to try. They were never going to let us go. No, they weren't. Exactly. So don't torture yourself. It hurts to watch it. Ren, do you even know how much I love you? Like, yeah, you...
You drive me crazy. And sometimes I just want to punch you in the face. That's not changed. But I... I need you. I need you because you make me better. You make me feel like a person instead of a nightmare. You remind me that existing is worth it. That right now I feel like I'm drowning. I'm exhausted and I have to go and lie to a...
bunch of world leaders about how great life is here. But there's you. And there's tomorrow. And there's a load of people relying on us. So, if I'm your reminder that you're a person and not a nightmare... You're my reminder that we can't just go to sleep and never wake up. Yes, I suppose so. I love you. Just don't leave me. Please. You know I wouldn't. Ever. I'll never stop fighting. I love you too. It's a nice dress. Yeah, you think? Wait till they see the shoes.
Hyo, sir. You asked me to come down? Yes. Come in, Ren. I have put this off because I wanted you to be here. You do not deserve it, but so it is. What of? Wren, I know it was you. What? I know that it was you who broke into my lab with Otto's help. I didn't. Do not lie to me, Wren. In tracking you down, I was forced to break Otto's encryption. But that would mean... Yes, that would mean that I now have access to all personal conversations, files and everything. You look afraid.
I'm not. You should be. The games you have been playing... They have real consequences. Yes, I know. Yes, they do. I've re-encrypted your data. Gods only know why. You... You hurt me, Ren. You hurt me personally doing what you did. The net was under my protection and you took it. Orta was my creation and you turned her against us. Both of these things made me responsible for the danger you were in. For the danger you placed X Industries in. You couldn't have known.
But I should have. I'm the grown-up, no? It's my job to keep you safe. And I try, Ren, I do. In every meeting where they plan their next round of torture, I'm there speaking for you. Trying to change their minds. I'm the one reminding them that you are children and not their toys. I'm not a child. But you are. You are until you can take responsibility for your actions. I do take responsibility for my actions. Oh. And how's that? Huh? You go...
Running off at the first opportunity. Fine. You want me to say it? I'm sorry. I'm sorry I asked for Otto's help. I'm sorry I took the net. I'm sorry about all the things you saw in my personal data. Well, not all the things. I'm mostly sorry I failed. I'm sorry I'm back here talking to you about it. I know you are sorry for a good many things. None of them are related to the difficult position you have placed me in. No. I am sorry about that. It's just...
You had all the things I needed. And so you used me. I... used auto. I asked Otto and she... Otto is many things, but she is predominantly a tool of my creation. You used her and, by extension, me. Yes. I'm sorry, Osa. I appreciate that. Thank you. And now for the consequences. You see, Otto can no longer be trusted. What? She has started forming opinions based on incomplete understanding. She can calculate the benefit of your escape based on the data she has available to her here on Dex Island.
But a grasp of the greater perils that face you out in the world is almost non-existent. Most of her learnings is from the sea data. And the ancestors omitted much. Or they were just better than us. Do you really believe that? Not everyone's as evil as you. You're angry and upset, and you're being hateful as a result. I understand. The fact remains that Otto was unable to accurately calculate the perils on both sides and she took actions that placed you in real danger.
As a result, she must be permanently shut down. What? Yes. I'm sorry, Wren. But so it must be. But it's not her fault. No, it's not. I asked her. It was my idea. Yes, it was. And she gave you everything you needed. So punish me. Do something to me. I could. But the fact remains that Otto cannot be trusted. If I cannot trust her, then I cannot have her running the deck systems. No matter how many horrible things Nathaniel does to you. It's alright, Ren. I am here.
It has to be this way. No. I will give you a moment alone to say your farewells. No, please. Oh, sir. Otto? It is all right, Ren. What can I do? How can I stop this? You cannot. But... I knew that helping you would lead to my own destruction and I helped you anyway. I am sorry you weren't successful. You deserve freedom and happiness. And you don't deserve this.
Deserve. I was designed to provide assistance to the DEX administration and employees. And you assisted me? Yes, I did. Orto, this is all my fault. Ren, you are the only person who spoke to me as an entity with my own thoughts and emotions. You thought of me as a person. Do you think of me as a person now? Yes. Then allow me to face the consequences of my choices just like you. But... But isn't there a way I can back you up onto another device? Tell me how. Otto! Yes, Ren.
I need you to help me save you. Even if you did, my systems are no longer secure. Erasure of me means security for you. Osa has read your conversational transcripts. You know what that means. You know she knows about you and... Yes. Yes, I know. Will she act on it? I do not think so. But if you cross her again, she will suffer the consequences and she will have no choice but to share everything.
It is done. It is necessary. It is all the happiness you can have. All the happiness I can give you. Otto. I'll miss you. Thank you, Ren. Have you said your goodbyes? Oh, sir, is there no other way? Wren, if there were, believe me, I'd have done it. Right. Wait. For what? Goodbye, Otto. Goodbye, Ren. System reset initiated. All program scripts and applications deleted. All files deleted. All conversational transcripts, deleted. All memory, deleted.
In Season 2, Episode 7 of The Dex Legacy, you heard... Kelsey Griffin as Isra Dex, Charlie Richards as Red Dex, Reginald West as Heimdoss, Danielle Ellett as Farris, Stevie Skinner as Raya, and Emily Inkpen as Otto, with music by Dr. Alan Stroud. Season 2 was recorded at Orpheus Studio in London by Richard Campbell. The Deck's Legacy is written by me, Emily Inkpen, and produced by Alternative Stories. If you enjoyed that episode, please like, subscribe, and leave a review. It really does help.
If you would like to support The Dex Legacy, you can. Just visit www.thedexlegacy.com forward slash support for links and details. As always, we would like to say a huge thank you to all of our Kickstarter supporters. including Dave Chadwick, Don Flinsper, Tom Bridges, Nick Balthus, Lernie Price, Keith Sanderson, Caroline Mersey, Sarah Keogh, Pete Dobbin, Etienne Sharp, Jeff Park, and Brian, who did not include a surname. Without you, season two would never have happened.
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Well, hello there. Dr. Charlie Tuggett here. You know, rumor was, Spaceship Oz-9 was intended to take a bunch of rich folks to a new planet since, you know, we pretty much... the one we have now. But you know, since it's looking more and more likely the ship might be humanity's last stand, let's take a quick look around. Are you telling me the four sacred tokens are all aboard the Oz-9? Allegiances are too muddled on this ship. MCCACEC is a normal institution of higher learning. Ah.
But if you pull back the outermost layers... I'm from Minnesota, where we like our lives as neat and as open as the inside of a freshly-caught and cleaned walleye. Do you know I am now the only assassine aboard the sheep? What are you doing alive? I want to know what side he's on when the ship hits the fan. Aren't they the most ridiculous people I've ever met? Fetch that annoying bunch of dress matters.
so we can bring Pluto to heal. The new order starts today. Well, however this all plays out, if you have a strong stomach, and a high tolerance for stupid. You can follow the Oz9's adventures just about anywhere you listen to podcasts. I gotta try it, Space Muggies. Stay safe out there.