[SHOW THEME – INTRO]
ANNOUNCER
Rusty Quill Presents: Trice Forgotten.
Episode Six: Lay Day.
[INTRO MUSIC FADES OUT, REPLACED BY THE ROARING OF THE SEA]
[INT. THE SICK BAY OF THE NETAOANSOM. AFTERNOON]
[FAINT, MUFFLED, THE EDGES OF MEMORIES]
ZHU ANRAN
Jump, Ndiliswa, go!
[SPLASH]
NDILISWA
Appa!
ZHU ANRAN
Ndiliswa!
[WHOOSH.]
ZHU ANRAN
(singing) …little carp, flying through the river there… watch how she swims…
NDILISWA
Appa!
[WHOOSH.]
GAMMON
Alestes, you little tick, get up that rigging now!
ANH
Scared of heights, land-slug?
ALESTES
I was born in the water, dullard. I’m not a slug, I’m a carp!
ANH
What?
ALESTES
You heard me! I said, I’m a –
[THE NOISES OF MEMORY-WATER FADE AWAY]
ALESTES
(back in reality) ‘m a carp – can swim good as – you’re a slug – oh. (woozy) I don’t feel… good…
[A THUMP]
[A DOOR ROLLS OPEN]
BAKER
Come on, get her in the bed!
NOOR
Gently, gently! We will not wake her by hitting her head.
INEZ
More’s the pity.
NOOR
Not helpful, Inez.
SIVA
What can I do? What’s wrong with her? Is it the sickly tummy from the bad fish again?
BAKER
Inez, get the blankets – she’s got a fever.
[INEZ SNORTS. THE DOOR ROLLS BACK SHUT]
NOOR
She will be well, Baker, we will see to it.
SIVA
Shall I mop her brow? Make a broth? Bring cold water? (gasps) I could read to her from Homer! I find the original Greek most soothing – ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε, μοῦσα, πολύτροπον, ὃς μάλα πολλὰ – [Translation: Tell me, muse, of the man of many ways, who was driven –]
BAKER
Yes, yes, do – all of that, Siva.
[SIVA RUNS OFF]
BAKER
(calling after him) Except the Homer!
[THE DOOR ROLLS OPEN, THEN SHUT]
[BAKER EXHALES A SHAKY BREATH]
NOOR
(reassuring) It is a fever. Quite simple to nurse, and Alestes is strong.
BAKER
Is she?
I tell her not to over-exert herself. She gets these tired spells and then –
NOOR
Hmm.
BAKER
What?
NOOR
I do not like how her heart is beating. Feel.
[A HAND IS PLACED]
ALESTES
(woozy) Get OFF me you snake-bellied… I can take all of you any day –
NOOR
(amused despite themself) I suppose we should be grateful that she is still Alestes, even dreaming…
[EXT. THE DECK OF THE GALLOPING ENGLISHMAN. DAY.]
[ALESTES’S MEMORY AGAIN]
GAMMON
My girls return!
[CREW CHEER]
And they’ve only gone and got the BLOODY SWAG!
ALESTES
Well, Gammon, credit where credit’s due: you couldn’t have done it without me.
[ANH COUGHS]
ANH
Ahem. Us.
ALESTES
Us. Yep, me and Annie here –
ANH
Anh.
ALESTES
– have come up with the goods –
ANH
– once again.
[ANOTHER CHEER FROM THE CREW]
GAMMON
Alright, alright, enough showboating. What do you want, a bloody medal?
ANH
Just our fair share of the prize, óc lợn. [translation: pig brain]
GAMMON
(audible smile) Of course. A third for Alestes… and a quarter for Anh.
ANH
What?
GAMMON
(abruptly louder) Maybe that’ll teach you to keep a civil tongue in your head!
ANH
But Alestes –!
ALESTES
Alestes what?
ANH
The way you talk to him is a thousand times worse than the way I do.
ALESTES
I’ve earned the right to talk to him like that.
ANH
“Earned the right” to be a cheeky –
GAMMON
Hold your tongue or get your pay docked, Anh. Again.
ALESTES
You want to know how I earned the right?
ANH
How?
ALESTES
By being better than you.
[CREW NOISES OF EXCITEMENT AND BETTING: A FIGHT IS BREWING!]
ANH
I’ll fight you any day, any way, with whatever weapon you can get your sea-rat paws on.
ALESTES
Why wait? Right now is good for me!
[ALESTES DRAWS HER SWORD]
ANH
I thought you’d never ask!
[ANH DRAWS HER SWORD]
ALESTES
I hope you’ve got a will because –
GAMMON
ENOUGH!
[CREW MAKES NOISES OF DISAPPOINTMENT]
Shut up, all of you. Pissing about with brawls when there’s money to be made. (contempt) Put your swords away, girls.
Anh! Now!
[A SWORD IS SHEATHED]
Alestes.
[RELUCTANTLY, ANOTHER SWORD IS SHEATHED]
That’s better! Alright, get the wax out of your fetid ears and listen up – duty roster. Jammy, you’re swabbing decks! Pike, caulking! Kai, you’re on…
[HIS VOICE FADES, REPLACED WITH:]
BAKER
Alestes? Alestes!
ALESTES
What? Not now, I have to listen to…
BAKER
Alestes!
[INT. THE SICK BAY OF THE NETAOANSOM. LATER.]
ALESTES
Anh… Gammon…
BAKER
(gentle) It’s alright. They can’t hurt you now.
SIVA
Those names –
[A BEAT]
BAKER
It’s, it’s, it’s nothing.
SIVA
Anh is… the pirate who kidnapped me.
NOOR
The one with the bamboo flute.
BAKER
Does it matter? That’s the past.
NOOR
I do not think Siva being abducted and held at knife-point two weeks ago can be said to be “the past”!
SIVA
Yes, it was very traumatic for me, I still have trouble sleeping.
NOOR
It is clear that your past is rapidly becoming our present.
BAKER
Noor, we need more broth.
NOOR
Send for Inez, then.
BAKER
Noor!
NOOR
I am sorry, Baker – but if people are coming after us and you know who they are –
SIVA
We do have a right to know.
BAKER
Yes. You do. But Alestes…
NOOR
(voice dangerously close to cracking) You said, before, that your story was not only your story to tell. You were right. This is now our story too.
[BAKER SIGHS. A BEAT.]
BAKER
…They were called the Florists. The crew that Alestes and I sailed with before the Netaoansom.
SIVA
The Florists! Oh, I thought Anh was asking me about horticulturalists! No wonder she was cross.
BAKER
I was just a ship’s cook, a skivvy – but Alestes… she was his star pupil.
NOOR
“His”?
BAKER
(grimly) Gammon. Commander of the Florists, Captain of The Galloping Englishman.
SIVA
(snorts) Gammon.
BAKER
It was a nickname, and not a kind one. But it’s good for those that have power to laugh at themselves now and then. Makes it easier to believe they’re… your friend.
NOOR
What happened?
BAKER
We sailed, and we fought, we plundered, we set sail again. I saw Alestes becoming… something else. Something she hadn’t always been.
I wanted us to leave. She’d put away a tidy sum, enough for us to return – to go anywhere we wanted. She wouldn’t hear of it. I think she was… (searching for the right words) enjoying herself too much.
SIVA
But – you’re here now, so…
NOOR
…What broke this – galloping Englishman’s spell?
[EXT. AN ISLET. MOONLIT NIGHT.]
[THE VOICES ECHO, AS WE HAVE LEARNED IS CHARACTERISTIC OF ALESTES’S DREAMS]
ALESTES
My God, old man, where are you taking me?
GAMMON
Now, now, Alestes, good things come to those who wait.
ALESTES
Come quicker to those who nick ‘em.
GAMMON
(laughing) Ahahaha! Oh, you’re a chip off the old… ah, nevermind.
ALESTES
(pleased) No, go on.
GAMMON
What?
ALESTES
You can say it.
GAMMON
Whaaaat?
ALESTES
You think I’m good.
GAMMON
Ha!
ALESTES
You think I’m a natural!
GAMMON
Do I now.
ALESTES
The most fearsome buccaneer on the seven seas since Anne and Mary strapped on breeches!
GAMMON
Is that so –?
[HE STICKS A FOOT OUT AND TRIPS ALESTES, WHO GOES TUMBLING]
ALESTES
You tripped me!
GAMMON
You want to be the most fearsome buccaneer on the seven seas, you got to be quicker on your pins than that, girl.
ALESTES
Slimey bastard.
GAMMON
Oi! English bastard. Right, we’re here.
ALESTES
“Here” looks suspiciously like “everywhere else” on this godforsaken spit of land.
GAMMON
“Here” is where we start looking.
ALESTES
For what? Treasure?
GAMMON
(cackles) You really are a grubby little thief, aren’t you? Yes, treasure.
ALESTES
Go on then, where’s the map?
GAMMON
No map. Not for this one.
ALESTES
Then what?
GAMMON
Hush your yap, girl, and I’ll tell you. There’s a story to this hoard.
ALESTES
Ugh, ‘course there is.
[GAMMON CLEARS HIS THROAT]
GAMMON
There are many ways to lay markers back to treasure, they say. Maps, notches in trees, instructions whispered in a sleeping mermaid’s ear –
ALESTES
Please don’t go near any sleeping women, Gammon.
GAMMON
(voice suddenly raises) Do you want to hear this – (lower) or not?
ALESTES
Fine.
GAMMON
But there’s only one way to ensure that only the bravest and truest find what you’ve laid in the dirt. Now. I’ve taught you to dig, yes? How to pick a spot to hide… sensitive items from the law? How to slip a boat onto a cay by moonlight and be off again, without so much as a whisper to tell you were ever there?
ALESTES
…Yes.
GAMMON
Exactly. You were trained, girl, just like generations of honest privateers before you. And if there’s one thing privateers like, it’s a pet. Jammy, with his monkey. Pike’s got that old cat.
ALESTES
Kai with that bird that shits everywhere.
GAMMON
Kai with that bird that – yes, exactly. But before monkeys and cats and… incontinent birds, there was one animal that was favoured of buccaneers everywhere: the sea turtle.
ALESTES
(disbelieving) The sea turtle?
GAMMON
It’s true, true as I’m standing afore you now. And the more these pirates looked after these turtles, the more a special bond grew up. Every Captain who buried his treasure released two sea turtles at the same time, each fed with a tiny, tiny nugget of the gold he was hiding. And if you can find those two turtles that belong to a particular treasure, and you ask ‘em with the right words and the right manner – why, they’ll lead you right back to it. Easy as eel pie.
[A VERY LONG PAUSE]
[ALESTES BURSTS OUT LAUGHING]
ALESTES
Bollocks!
GAMMON
No, it’s true!
ALESTES
Oh, you almost had me there for a minute, you whey-faced, cloth-eared – treasure-seeking turtles? Of all the things I’ve ever heard, that has to be the stupidest damn –
[PAUSE]
Are those – No.
GAMMON
Don’t be so sure of yourself, Miss Alestes. There are more things in heaven and earth.
[INT. THE SICK BAY OF THE NETAOANSOM. LATER.]
ALESTES
…Turtles… s’not… stories, Gammon…
NOOR
Her heartbeat’s rising again. (worried) So is her temperature.
BAKER
No, no, no, no, no – Siva, we need more water, more cloths – get Inez to help.
[DOOR ROLLS OPEN, INEZ ENTERS]
NOOR
Good, Inez – take Siva, get as many rags as you can find.
INEZ
(deadly serious) We’re being followed.
BAKER
What?
INEZ
Off the starboard bough, just a rowboat. But it’s been tailing us for the last hour.
BAKER
Ay! Not now!
INEZ
What we do, Big Man?
[PAUSE]
BAKER
…We make Alestes well. She’s our captain. (faster, more certain) Inez, get up there and keep an eye on the boat – if it gets any closer, you let us know. Siva –
SIVA
Rags and water, yes, I know.
[HE EXITS]
ALESTES
I can’t keep… I have to stop…
[HIGH, DISSONANT STRINGS]
[EXT. AN ISLET. MOONLIT NIGHT]
[DIGGING AND SCRAPING NOISES]
GAMMON
(straining) Come on, girl, put some welly into it.
ALESTES
(straining) I’m digging faster than you, old man.
GAMMON
You’re half my age, you should be hitting the seabed by now.
ALESTES
Fine!
[EVEN MORE ENTHUSIASTIC DIGGING NOISES AS ALESTES GROANS]
GAMMON
Here.
[CORK IS POPPED, LIQUID IS DRUNK]
ALESTES
Agh!
GAMMON
That’s best English ale there, lass.
ALESTES
(derogatory) No kidding.
[BEAT]
GAMMON
(sighs) What do you want, Alestes?
ALESTES
Some beer that doesn’t taste like piss would be nice.
GAMMON
No, no, no. From – all this?
ALESTES
The beach?
GAMMON
Life, girl! I’m asking you what you want out of life.
ALESTES
Why?
GAMMON
I’m curious. Most of my crew, they’re a simple lot, and I don’t mind that. Full bellies, weekly rum rations and a pretty girl or two when we make port. Or in Anh’s case, weekly rum rations, someone to kill, and a pretty girl or two when we make port. But you… you don’t give much away, do you?
ALESTES
Don’t I?
GAMMON
(chuckles) Very good. You are a card.
ALESTES
What about you then, what do you “want”?
GAMMON
Me? Oh, I’m a simple chap, really. An easy life.
ALESTES
A bit more than weekly rum, though?
GAMMON
True, true, I’ve got some plans. A few more hauls like the one you brought in today and who knows?
There. I’ve shared. Now you.
ALESTES
(thoughtful) I want… the same, I suppose. A quiet life, a nice island to retire to, and a pile of gold to keep me warm at night.
GAMMON
That’s – all?
ALESTES
That’s all.
[A PAUSE]
GAMMON
Well, who am I to judge? In that case, I think we can come to an accord.
ALESTES
(slow) What d’you mean?
GAMMON
A nice island, and a pile of gold? I could fix you up tomorrow.
ALESTES
But my contract –
GAMMON
Early release for good behaviour.
ALESTES
This is a trick. You’re not seriously offering to let me out.
GAMMON
I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.
ALESTES
Yes you do.
GAMMON
Alright, yes I do. But I don’t renege on deals that are in my interest.
ALESTES
“Deals”?
GAMMON
Like I said, a private island and a mountain of gold. Could be yours tomorrow.
ALESTES
…What would I have to do?
[INT. THE SICK BAY OF THE NETAOANSOM. LATER.]
NOOR
Get another cloth, Inez!
INEZ
I’m doing it!
SIVA
What happened?
NOOR
I don’t know! Her temperature just shot up out of nowhere. Feel her heart –
SIVA
Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear…
BAKER
Siva, stop panicking, just keep that bucket topped up, we have to keep her cool!
SIVA
(hurrying to do so) Oh, oh, oh…
NOOR
Baker, she’s speaking –
ALESTES
(delirious) No no no no, won’t… can’t… (pained) you can’t make me…
SIVA
She’s distressed!
INEZ
We’re all distressed, Siva!
BAKER
Oi! Enough of that, go outside if you want to fight.
SIVA
Do we have any bananas on board?
INEZ
What?!
SIVA
A banana skin laid across the forehead can help bring down a temperature! My Nani used to –
BAKER
Siva!
SIVA
Right! Yes! I will go and see if we’ve got one.
[BEAT]
[A BUMP FROM SOMEWHERE AGAINST THE HULL OF THE BOAT]
NOOR
What was that?
BAKER
Sounded like… someone boarding.
SIVA
(clearly terrified, but putting on a brave face) I – I’ll go and see.
INEZ
No. I’ll go. Could do with banging some heads together.
BAKER
Be careful!
[THE DOOR ROLLS OPEN-SHUT DECISIVELY]
Come on, Alestes… where are you?
[EXT. THE DECK OF THE GALLOPING ENGLISHMAN. DAWN.]
[CREW CHEERING, LAUGHING, CLAPPING]
GAMMON
That’s right, while you lazy sacks of ordure snored in your bunks, the lady Alestes and I were bringing home… this.
[HE KICKS OVER A CHEST AND GOLD COINS POUR ONTO THE DECK]
[CHEERING RENEWED]
Feast your eyes, boys – there will be buns for tea.
Oi! “Fingers” – you better keep yours to yourself or I’ll get my sword out and everyone will wonder if that nickname of yours is ironic.
[LAUGHTER]
Bo’sun! Get this lot down to the treasury and a heavy lock on the door – after Miss Alestes has taken her fair share, of course.
[OOHS, MORE LAUGHING]
Don’t you have jobs, you horrible reprobates? Get going!
ANH
Another successful mission, was it?
ALESTES
(not in the mood) Mm.
ANH
You know, we could all be rich if he deigned to take the rest of us out on as many… “solo trips” as he does you. I wonder why that is.
ALESTES
Piss off, Anh, I need to sleep.
ANH
(annoyed) What’s wrong with you? You usually can’t wait to crow about Daddy’s latest favour.
ALESTES
(breathing harshly) Nothing. Just leave it, yeah, Anh? I need to see – (notices him) Baker!
ANH
(calling after her) Coward!
[HURRIED FOOTSTEPS]
ALESTES
(voice lowered) Baker. We have to leave.
BAKER
What?
ALESTES
Tonight. When we moor off Sibolga, we have to grab what we can and go. I’ve got my gold stashed in an apple barrel, so just be ready.
BAKER
Did something happen?
ALESTES
(steamrolling) We can use the gold to buy a ship, make a bit of coin on the trade routes, and then –
BAKER
Did you do something?
ALESTES
No. It wasn’t me, it was –
[SHE FALTERS]
Gammon offered me a deal. He said he’d buy out my contract. If…
BAKER
If? Alestes…
ALESTES
He wants me to kill someone.
BAKER
Who?
…Me?
ALESTES
No. But. I can’t. (a bitter remnant of a laugh) Maybe if I could, it would be better.
BAKER
No, child. You cannot buy freedom with something you’d regret for the rest of your life.
ALESTES
I’m sorry, Baker.
BAKER
What for?
ALESTES
As soon as we run, they’ll come after us. It won’t be easy, just you and me crewing a ship.
BAKER
Hey… You sound more like yourself than you have for a long time. That’s enough for me – Captain.
ALESTES
Captain. (a little cheered up) I do like the sound of that.
[BEAT]
[THE NOISE OF RUSHING WAVES, BUILDING, STARTING TO DROWN OUT THEIR VOICES]
…Can you hear that?
BAKER
Hear what?
ALESTES
You – (alarmed) you must be able to hear.
[BAKER’S VOICE IS FAR AWAY]
BAKER
Alestes? Alestes, where are you?
ALESTES
Baker! I-I can’t see you! Baker, where are – the bananas – they’re – everywhere –
[WAVES CUT OUT]
[INT. THE SICK BAY OF THE NETAOANSOM. LATER.]
ALESTES
Baker!
[SHE PANTS IN EXERTION]
BAKER
It’s alright, I’m here, I’m here.
INEZ
(dry) Aw. Sweet.
ALESTES
Where – this isn’t my room.
[SHE PEELS SOMETHING AWAY FROM HER SKIN OVER HER NEXT WORDS]
Why is there banana on my face?
[THE BANANA IS DISCARDED]
NOOR
(slowly, clearly, like talking to a child) You are in the sickbay, Captain. You had a fever.
SIVA
Do you feel better now? Noor nursed you all through it, they were amazing, it was truly a privilege to watch.
NOOR
Myself and Baker have been keeping watch over you.
ALESTES
Oh… Good.
[SHE SHIFTS A LITTLE]
Why are you all staring? Don’t you have jobs to do?
INEZ
I think we can safely say she’s feeling better.
ALESTES
You can get out now. I’ll just… have a wash and a little nap and…
BAKER
(dark) That won’t be possible.
ALESTES
(snorts) Why? The ocean didn’t evaporate while I was out, did it? Bring me some water –
BAKER
You have a visitor.
[BEAT]
ALESTES
In the middle of the sea? Am I still asleep?
BAKER
No. They rowed here. Boarded an hour ago. You’re… you’re going to want to get dressed.
[ALESTES GROANS]
ALESTES
Fine. Bring me my boots. And my biggest hat.
[FOOTSTEPS]
[INT. ALESTES’S CABIN. NIGHT.]
[A DOOR IS ROLLED OPEN]
ALESTES
(immediate) Get out of my chair.
GAMMON
Manners, Miss Alestes. “A merry host makes merry guests.” Did I teach you nothing?
ALESTES
Guests are usually invited, Gammon. Get out.
GAMMON
I just want you to have a little chat. A social call, really. You look like shit, by the way.
ALESTES
At least that’s unusual for me.
GAMMON
Can’t say I care for the service here but it’s always hard to find a decent cup of char outside of Blighty, isn’t it?
ALESTES
Whatever you have to say, I don’t care.
GAMMON
(laughs) Oh, I think you might.
ALESTES
Why, have you suddenly become interesting in the last two years?
GAMMON
Oho, so young, and so untender!
ALESTES
(half drawing sword) I swear to God –
GAMMON
I’ve buried my treasure.
ALESTES
You’ve – what?
GAMMON
Business has been good since you left. In a way, you solved my problem, leaving like you did. Anh’s really stepped up since I gave her her own ship.
ALESTES
So? I’ve got my own ship too – whatever, Gammon.
GAMMON
The money’s been pouring in, a bit too noticeably for my comfort – so! I’m leaving some of it in an… on-shore account.
ALESTES
Why should I believe you?
GAMMON
You don’t have to.
ALESTES
It’s a trick.
GAMMON
Could be!
ALESTES
But why would you tell me? Why invite me to go looking for your stash?
GAMMON
Because I like you, Alestes. I always did. It’s a shame we couldn’t be friends, but… we don’t have to be enemies.
My little birdies tell me you’re trying to get into the merchant business. Pottery and the like? A clean break from all this nasty piracy. The treasure I’ve buried, it’s more than enough for you to afford what only money can buy: a quiet life. No more sailing, no more violence.
ALESTES
As if I need handouts from the likes of you.
GAMMON
Trade must be… very good around these parts.
ALESTES
Booming.
[A SILENCE]
Right. Well. Information received. You can go now.
GAMMON
One last thing.
ALESTES
Isn’t there always?
GAMMON
My treasure. There’s no map. No notches on trees. No words whispered in a mermaid’s ear.
ALESTES
Don’t tell me…
[RUMMAGING NOISES]
GAMMON
You’ll need these.
ALESTES
Bloody sea turtles. Give them, then.
GAMMON
Ah ah ah – not so fast. You know me, Alestes, I love a deal.
ALESTES
Yeah, yeah, the “favour” you had Anh extort from me by kidnapping my crewmate. I’ve already said yes.
GAMMON
Exactly! You’ve already said yes. You’ve got to sweeten the pot a little more than that, my dear! Give me something new, something… original.
ALESTES
What… would you want for the turtles?
GAMMON
That’s not the question, is it? The question is: what are you prepared to give?
[SHOW THEME – OUTRO]
SIVA
Trice Forgotten is a podcast distributed by Rusty Quill and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Sharealike 4.0 International License. The series is created by Nemo Martin and directed by Rafaella Marcus. Today’s episode was written by Rafaella Marcus and Nemo Martin and edited by Nico Vettese, Maddy Searle, Tessa Vroom, Katharine Seaton and Catherine Rinella.
Trice Forgotten features: Rebecca Brough, Vic Zander, Shahan Hamza, Gigi Zahir, Ashley Goh, Tim Meredith, Naomi Bartoo. Trice Forgotten is produced by Lowri Ann Davies, Ian Geers and production manager Natasha Johnston, with executive producers Alexander J Newall and April Sumner.
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