There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Surdaster Station Foxtrot
The Ludgonian Industrial Union's galaxy contains billions of stars and billions of planets. Unfortunately, most residents of the LIU could only name a handful of these worlds. In order to improve astronomy grades across the LIU Galaxy, TV2 has started a new program called LIU Atlas. Follow our host, Terrance McDoogal, as he takes you on a tour across the LIU and some of its more obscure worlds.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Doog: “Welcome to another episode of LIU Atlas. I’m your host, Terrance “Doog” McDoogal. Today, we’re visiting a subspace listening post called Surdaster Station Foxtrot. It is one of dozens of similar stations spread across the LIU Galaxy. These listening posts monitor subspace for any pirate signals or illegal communication. If you remember back to Season 4, it is illegal to bypass the Nuntius Stations when sending subspace communications.”
Doog: “The Surdaster Station has a large Subspace Array that can detect a variety of signals. Anything being transmitted in this portion of the galaxy will be intercepted.”
Doog: “The array is almost as big as the rest of the station. From what I’m told, this lower portion of the station is manned. It’s probably going to be a little cramped in there.”
Doog: “Alright folks, I’ve entered Surdaster Station Foxtrot’s airlock, and this is pure genius. To save space, it looks like the bathroom has been moved into the airlock. Think of how awesome that is. If you stink the bathroom up, you just jettison the fumes out the airlock. Need to clean the bathroom, just open out the airlock and kill all the germs. Problem solved. I need to implement this into the Magellan.”
Doog: “Someone needs to open the airlock into this room too. It’s a pigsty in here! Uh, hello there. I’m here.”
SAM: “One moment visitor. I’m translating Kemb to Basic. Kemb is an artificially constructed language used by smugglers to hide their communications. They are not aware that I can translate their new language. I’ll be done shortly.”
SAM: “One moment visitor. I’m translating Kemb to Basic. Kemb is an artificially constructed language used by smugglers to hide their communications. They are not aware that I can translate their new language. I’ll be done shortly.”
SAM: “Thanks you for your patience, Terrance “Doog” McDoogal. Welcome to Surdaster Station Foxtrot. I am the station’s AI, SAM. That stands for Subspace Array Monitor. I serve many functions, including hospitality and companionship. Our operators are alone on the station for several months. I help keep them healthy, rational, and sane.”
Doog: “They need some guys like you on the Fari Stations. Loneliness makes people do weird things.”
SAM: “Thank you for that input. I hope my abilities allow me to meet your needs. Dylan will be with you soon. In the meantime, I offer many entertainment options. Perhaps you would like to play a game?”
Doog: “Uh…sure.”
Doog: “They need some guys like you on the Fari Stations. Loneliness makes people do weird things.”
SAM: “Thank you for that input. I hope my abilities allow me to meet your needs. Dylan will be with you soon. In the meantime, I offer many entertainment options. Perhaps you would like to play a game?”
Doog: “Uh…sure.”
Dylan: “No one wants to play games with you, Sam. He was just being nice. Sorry about that. Duty called. Frickin smugglers and their language constructs.”
SAM: “Terrance “Doog” McDoogal, this is…”
Dylan: “I’m Dylan. I’ve got this from here, Sam. Go back to analyzing signals. If you have a mute mode, engage that or something.”
SAM: “Very well.”
Dylan: “I said shut it, Sam! Geez, this freaking robot drives me crazy sometimes.”
Doog: “You’re kind of harsh on your friend.”
Dylan: “Sam is not as great as he seems, and he’s not my friend. You should try sitting in a box with this guy for six months. Let’s play a game, Dylan. We should clean the station, Dylan. How about some exercise, Dylan? Sam is like a nagging wife that never stops jabbering. I swear he stares at me even when I sleep.”
Doog: “I guess that could get annoying, but it’s better than being alone.”
SAM: “Terrance “Doog” McDoogal, this is…”
Dylan: “I’m Dylan. I’ve got this from here, Sam. Go back to analyzing signals. If you have a mute mode, engage that or something.”
SAM: “Very well.”
Dylan: “I said shut it, Sam! Geez, this freaking robot drives me crazy sometimes.”
Doog: “You’re kind of harsh on your friend.”
Dylan: “Sam is not as great as he seems, and he’s not my friend. You should try sitting in a box with this guy for six months. Let’s play a game, Dylan. We should clean the station, Dylan. How about some exercise, Dylan? Sam is like a nagging wife that never stops jabbering. I swear he stares at me even when I sleep.”
Doog: “I guess that could get annoying, but it’s better than being alone.”
Dylan: “Pssht, these Surdaster tours are only a year. I could make it a year by myself.”
SAM: “Multiple studies suggest otherwise.”
Dylan: “Are you still talking? I thought I told you to butt out.”
SAM: “My programming does not allow me to ignore your issues, Dylan.”
Dylan: “You’re my issue, Sam. Make yourself useful and clean this place up while the humans talk.”
SAM: “My power umbilical prevents me from accessing the dirty parts of the station. We are a team. We both need to participate to keep the listening post tidy.”
Doog: “Speaking of dirty, how awesome is that airlock bathroom!?”
Dylan: “Yeah, REAL awesome. I panic every time I sit on the john. Will someone come barging in? Will the door open and suck me out into space? I don’t want to be found dead, floating in space with my pants around my ankles and a wad of toilet paper in my hand.”
Doog: “I didn’t think about that.”
SAM: “Multiple studies suggest otherwise.”
Dylan: “Are you still talking? I thought I told you to butt out.”
SAM: “My programming does not allow me to ignore your issues, Dylan.”
Dylan: “You’re my issue, Sam. Make yourself useful and clean this place up while the humans talk.”
SAM: “My power umbilical prevents me from accessing the dirty parts of the station. We are a team. We both need to participate to keep the listening post tidy.”
Doog: “Speaking of dirty, how awesome is that airlock bathroom!?”
Dylan: “Yeah, REAL awesome. I panic every time I sit on the john. Will someone come barging in? Will the door open and suck me out into space? I don’t want to be found dead, floating in space with my pants around my ankles and a wad of toilet paper in my hand.”
Doog: “I didn’t think about that.”
Doog: “We’re getting way off topic. Tell me more about this station.”
Dylan: “It’s not too complicated. Sam filters through thousands of signals intercepted by the station. Most of it is harmless, like ship to ship messaging and fractal signal scatterings. When Sam finds an illegitimate or unlawful message, he sends it to my workstation. I analyze it from there. Where did it originate? Who sent it? Where is it going? Does the message contain any rebellious or illicit content? If I find something, I pass it on to the military.”
Doog: “Seems somewhat interesting. Ever intercept anything significant?”
Dylan: “Oh, let’s see…”
SAM: “Remember, much of what we uncover is classified, Dylan.”
Dylan: “Yeah, I know. Thank you, mom.”
Dylan: “It’s not too complicated. Sam filters through thousands of signals intercepted by the station. Most of it is harmless, like ship to ship messaging and fractal signal scatterings. When Sam finds an illegitimate or unlawful message, he sends it to my workstation. I analyze it from there. Where did it originate? Who sent it? Where is it going? Does the message contain any rebellious or illicit content? If I find something, I pass it on to the military.”
Doog: “Seems somewhat interesting. Ever intercept anything significant?”
Dylan: “Oh, let’s see…”
SAM: “Remember, much of what we uncover is classified, Dylan.”
Dylan: “Yeah, I know. Thank you, mom.”
Dylan: “I can’t really get into detail, but most of the stuff I intercept is from local smugglers. I have picked off a few extragalactic signals that were interesting, mostly anti-LIU propaganda.”
Doog: “Foreign influences? From who?”
SAM: “Look at the time! Let’s do some light cardio! One and two and three…”
Dylan: “Looks like I said too much. Sam’s panicking.”
SAM: “I was merely changing the subject. Cardio isn’t a bad idea, though. You’ve been sitting for six months with minimal exercise.”
Dylan: “I get my cardio in every time I use the bathroom. I can’t take a deuce without having an anxiety attack.”
SAM: “That does not qualify. Perhaps we can play a game of catch when Doog leaves.”
Dylan: “You’re crazy, Sam. I’m not playing catch with you.”
SAM: “Oh, I know. Let’s do some jazzercise. I have access to over seven million music tracks. There should be something you like.”
Dylan: “You see what I have to deal with. That’s the hardest part of this job.”
SAM: “Please play something with me, Dylan.”
Doog: “Things are getting weird. I think I get the gist of station. I’m going to head out.”
Doog: “Foreign influences? From who?”
SAM: “Look at the time! Let’s do some light cardio! One and two and three…”
Dylan: “Looks like I said too much. Sam’s panicking.”
SAM: “I was merely changing the subject. Cardio isn’t a bad idea, though. You’ve been sitting for six months with minimal exercise.”
Dylan: “I get my cardio in every time I use the bathroom. I can’t take a deuce without having an anxiety attack.”
SAM: “That does not qualify. Perhaps we can play a game of catch when Doog leaves.”
Dylan: “You’re crazy, Sam. I’m not playing catch with you.”
SAM: “Oh, I know. Let’s do some jazzercise. I have access to over seven million music tracks. There should be something you like.”
Dylan: “You see what I have to deal with. That’s the hardest part of this job.”
SAM: “Please play something with me, Dylan.”
Doog: “Things are getting weird. I think I get the gist of station. I’m going to head out.”
Doog: “Well folks, that’s what a Surdaster Station is like. Little listening posts, like this, search for illegal communications within the LIU Galaxy. Apparently, some of these illegal communications come from outside the galaxy. Each Surdaster Station is manned with one worker, that completes a yearlong tour. Each worker has been given an AI companion to help with signal analysis. These AI guys also help in other areas, like companionship and entertainment. However, on this station, it looks like the AI is the one that needs a friend. Oh well, see ya!”
Note:
Note:
SAM: “A game of dominos would be fun!”
Dylan: “I’m not listening to you, Sam. I’m trying to work.”
SAM: “There are not any signals to analyze at the moment. Your free to do as you choose. Ooh, I have an idea. Let’s make a domino line. We can make it massive and weave it all through the station.”
Dylan: “Nope. Not happening.”
SAM: “Terrance “Doog” McDoogal, how about you? Dominos?”
Doog: “I…uh…have to go to the doctor for…uh…this rash. Yeah, rash. The rash part is actually true. I mean…uh…the whole thing is true, but especially the rash part. I have to go. Sorry!”
Dylan: “I’m not listening to you, Sam. I’m trying to work.”
SAM: “There are not any signals to analyze at the moment. Your free to do as you choose. Ooh, I have an idea. Let’s make a domino line. We can make it massive and weave it all through the station.”
Dylan: “Nope. Not happening.”
SAM: “Terrance “Doog” McDoogal, how about you? Dominos?”
Doog: “I…uh…have to go to the doctor for…uh…this rash. Yeah, rash. The rash part is actually true. I mean…uh…the whole thing is true, but especially the rash part. I have to go. Sorry!”
