Last Rocket

7:24 Minutes
This poem is about fear of abandonment.

Male – he is a water driller (cowboy-type, reluctant hero). Feels slight insecure about his masculinity. Female – she is a confident trained military soldier. He is attracted to her. She feigns no attraction to him. Contempt. They are being evacuated from a cooked planet. It’s dying as it’s sucked into the closest star. The sabotaged last rocket explodes and crashes to the planet surface in a barren zone. The air is too hot and poisonous to breathe. They’re in spacesuits and communicate via radio.

Thought I’d share this conversation with Ed Jenkins who did the male voiceover for “Longday”:

Ed Jenkins
Mar 19, 6:15 AM

Oh wow, that sounds amazing! Whoever you got to voice Kahira really puts me to shame.

Steve’s reply:

Female voiceover is Chloe Wigmore: Fiver talent because of Covid. I’ll be improving the visuals and some sound effects. So it will go through another iteration. And your voice is perfect for what we’re doing. Don’t compare. It will only bring you unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Of course, anxiety can be a great motivator.

Never use Chloe as your benchmark. Just look and see if you improved your own journey. When you see someone at the top of the ladder, you know they didn’t fall there.

The original 2017 short story “Last Planet from Planet Longday” is a 45-minute read. I took one scene as an excerpt – the one you just made. It was the scene with the most interesting dialog. It’s about 4 minutes. Visually boring.

But the script was lost. I had a transcript made. That took one day with Fiver talent in India. I built an MP3 as reference for pronunciation of fabricated names and places. The synthetic voices are Amazon Polly. That probably cost 15 cents.

“Last Rocket from Planet Longday” is a sci-fi conversation between a marooned man and woman. In reality, I think they’re two of my internal voices. Self-talk.

Longday was my first video attempt and so dismal my son Levi and brother Brad (both creatives) gave it a thumbs down. I didn’t do another video for an entire year. It was long and I used male and female synthetic voice for the voice track. I had no money for voice talent at the time.

I decided I’d adopt the mantra “Embrace Mediocrity.” And I started producing one “mediocre” video per week. This version of “Longday” is my 129th video.

Jade the poetess said: “I love the rocket video. The voiceovers are amazing.”

STORY

Male Speaker: Hi, Thomas wake up. Can you hear me?

Female Speaker: Oh, hey. What’s happening?

Male Speaker: We’ve crashed. Everyone’s dead. But you and I and two unlucky cargo robots. We survived. You hearing me?

Female Speaker: My communication’s fine. Where are we?

Male Speaker: No clue. Surface of Longday – but I couldn’t tell you where. What’s up with the red flashing light on your suit?

Female Speaker: I must have sat closest to the explosive.

Male Speaker: Radiation?

Female Speaker: Seems like it. We weren’t leaving this floating rock — not alive anyway. Sabotage.

Male Speaker: Four of my friends are dead. You and I may not make it. Who’d do something so – sinister – and why?

Female Speaker: No time to explain. They’re looking for wreckage – and any survivors.

Male Speaker: You mean whoever they are, will hunt us and kill us. Because there’s something we’re not supposed to know?

Female Speaker: You’re smarter than you look. I don’t know everything – yet. But anyone who knows the truth about this is gone.

Male Speaker: You mean gone –- as in – dead?

Female Speaker: I think so.

Male Speaker: What’s your role in this conspiracy?

Female Speaker: Remember that hole in my suit, no accident. I found out too much. As for your friends, I’m sorry.

Male Speaker: Sorry? You might have warned us. You suspected danger.

Female Speaker: I didn’t know they’d crash the rocket, but it makes sense now.

Male Speaker: Sister, I’m a low-class water driller, I’m no warrior.

Female Speaker: The only way getting off this planet is fight or die.

Male Speaker: Okay, I’ll think about it. But listen, you’re the first woman friend I’ve had for over three years. Can you at least tell me your first name so I don’t have to call you Thomas?

Female Speaker: Thomas bothers you?

Male Speaker: Well, sort of. Not a man’s name.

Female Speaker: Not a man’s name?

Male Speaker: I’d rather not think of you as male.

Female Speaker: Male, very well. My name’s Kahira – an Irish warrior name for strong women –- but not women friends. Get it? That’s why they call me Thomas.

Male Speaker: Kahira? Nice name. It’s unique.

Female Speaker: Fine. But knowing my name doesn’t make me your woman friend. I don’t care if it’s five years.

Male Speaker: Right, been three years. So what do you propose?

Female Speaker: There’s an entrance, we’ve got to get there. It will take us below the surface.

Male Speaker: Is it occupied?

Female Speaker: We’ll find out.

Male Speaker: Kahira?

Female Speaker: What?

Male Speaker: Practicing your name.

Female Speaker: You’re a desperate idiot.

Male Speaker: My bad. We can travel inside the robots while we sleep — but they’ll need planetary coordinates. You got anything? Here’s how you get inside these robots.

Female Speaker: I know that. I’ve had survival training.

Male Speaker: Okay. Once inside, recharge your suit through this cable.

Female Speaker: Right.

Male Speaker: Oh. You know that also. Do you know how to load the planetary coordinates to get us to this entrance?

Female Speaker: I’m no fool.

Male Speaker: Okay, fine. Show me you know this stuff by doing it right now — please. One last thing, here’s a flare gun. If we get separated, use it to identify your location. Sorry, doubting your abilities.

Female Speaker: You’re forgiven. We better get moving.

Male Speaker: How long do you estimate it’ll take?

Female Speaker: Hours most likely. I recommend getting some sleep.

Male Speaker: Can we talk?

Female Speaker: No, sleep.

Male Speaker: Kahira, your communication on? Kahira are you there? Hello, hello?

Hello?

 

609 words

PSYCHOLOGICAL DREAM INTERPRETATION OF SYMBOLS

Male Speaker: Hi, Thomas wake up. Can you hear me?

The subconscious mind: sleeping. It is telling me that I may not be alert or informed about a particular situation.

Female Speaker: Oh, hey. What’s happening?

To dream that you are waking up in your dream indicates that something is missing or lacking in your life.

Male Speaker: We’ve crashed. Everyone’s dead. But you and I and two unlucky cargo robots. We survived. You hearing me?

To dream that you are in an accident signifies pent-up guilt in which you are subconsciously punishing yourself over. deep anxieties and fears.

To dream that a loved one dies in an accident indicates that something within your own Self is no longer functional and is “dead”.

To see a robot in your dream indicates that you are going about life in a mechanical, methodical and rigid way. You have lost the ability to express your feelings.

To dream of surviving represents feelings about needing to endure a problem situation.

Female Speaker: My communication’s fine. Where are we?

To dream that you have difficulties communicating represents low self esteem and feelings of inadequacy.

To dream that someone else is lost represents some unresolved issues or feelings pertaining to the person that is lost.

Male Speaker: No clue. Surface of Longday – but I couldn’t tell you where. What’s up with the red flashing light on your suit?

some hidden aspect of yourself is coming to the surface.

To receive a warning in your dream indicates that something in your waking life is in need of your attention.

Female Speaker: I must have sat closest to the explosive.

To see explosions in your dream symbolize your repressed anger. The rage that you have been holding in has come to the surface in a forceful and violent manner. Your subconscious is trying to get your attention.

The bomb could represent repressed desires and unexpressed emotions that are on the verge of exploding or bursting if not dealt with soon.

Male Speaker: Radiation?

To dream that you are exposed to radiation indicates that you are surrounded by a lot of negativity in your waking life. You are feeling overwhelmed.

Female Speaker: Seems like it. We weren’t leaving this floating rock — not alive anyway. Sabotage.

To see a planet in your dream signifies creativity, exploration, and new adventures. You are trying to align yourself with untapped energies that you never knew you had. Alternatively, to dream of planets, suggests that you are trying to escape from your own waking reality.

To dream that you discover life on a new planet refers to your desire to escape from a current situation. Alternatively, the dream represents your own self-discovery. You have uncovered a part of yourself that you did not realize existed within yourself.

Male Speaker: Four of my friends are dead. You and I may not make it. Who’d do something so – sinister – and why?

To dream that someone or something is evil denotes a repressed and/or forbidden aspect of yourself.

Dreaming of your own death symbolizes inner changes, transformation, self-discovery and positive development that is happening within you or your life.

Female Speaker: No time to explain. They’re looking for wreckage – and any survivors.

To dream about time indicates your fears of not being able to cope with the pressures and stresses of everyday life. If time is flying or moving slowly, then it is analogous to aging and growing old.

To dream that you do not have enough time signifies stress, anxiety and fear. You may feel that time is running out in a business or personal matter.

Wreckage: the remains of something that has been badly damaged or destroyed.

To dream that you are a survivor of some disaster or accident means that you will prevail over your current problems.

Male Speaker: You mean whoever they are, will hunt us and kill us. Because there’s something we’re not supposed to know?

A more direct analysis of chase dreams is the fear of being attacked. fears of violence and sexual assault.

Chase dreams are one of several common dream themes, stemming from feelings of anxiety in your waking life. Flee and flight is an instinctive response to a physical threat in the environment. In such dreams, the scenario often features you being pursued by an attacker, an animal, a monster or an unknown figure, who wants to hurt or possibly kill you. Consequently, you run, you hide or you try to outwit your pursuer. Your actions in the dream parallel how you would respond to pressure and cope with fears, stress or various situations in your waking life. Instead of confronting the situation, your dream indicates that you have a tendency to run away and avoid the issue. Ask yourself who is chasing you, so that you can gain a better understanding and insight on the source of your fears and anxieties.

The pursuer or attacker who is chasing you in your dream may also represent an aspect of yourself. Your own feelings of anger, jealousy, fear, and possibly love, can manifest itself as the threatening figure. Or the shadowy figure can symbolize the rejected characteristics of your Self. You may be projecting these feelings onto the unknown chaser. Next time you have a dream of being chased, turn around and confront your pursuer. Ask them why they are chasing you. What are you trying to run from?

Female Speaker: You’re smarter than you look. I don’t know everything – yet. But anyone who knows the truth about this is gone.

Dreaming that someone is missing represents some unresolved issues or feelings pertaining to the missing person.

Male Speaker: You mean gone –- as in – dead?

Death as symbolic of something in your waking life that is changing or ending.

Female Speaker: I think so.

Male Speaker: What’s your role in this conspiracy?

To dream of a conspiracy suggests that you are deceiving others or being deceived by someone. Consider the people who are involved. These people may represent aspects of yourself and thus imply that you are lying to yourself.

Female Speaker: Remember that hole in my suit, no accident. I found out too much. As for your friends, I’m sorry.

To dream that there is a hole in your clothing indicates that there are some flaws in your thinking or thought process.

To dream that you are apologizing to someone refers to your desire for harmony and truth in your waking life.

Male Speaker: Sorry? You might have warned us. You suspected danger.

To dream that you are in danger suggests that you need to be more cautious in some aspect of your life. Alternatively, your negativity and pessimistic attitude is causing you to be depressed about the future.

Female Speaker: I didn’t know they’d crash the rocket, but it makes sense now.

Male Speaker: Sister, I’m a low-class water driller, I’m no warrior.

To see a drill in your dream indicates that you are headed toward a new direction in life. You are opening yourself up to new experiences and insights.

To see water in your dream symbolizes your subconscious and your emotional state of mind.

Female Speaker: The only way getting off this planet is fight or die.

Dreaming that you are unable to make an escape represents a feeling of helplessness or not being able to escape from life’s problems and stresses. Consider the significance and symbolism of where or what you are trying to escape from. The dream may also point to a lack of direction or confidence.

Male Speaker: Okay, I’ll think about it. But listen, you’re the first woman friend I’ve had for over three years. Can you at least tell me your first name so I don’t have to call you Thomas?

To see a woman in your dream represents nurturance, passivity, caring nature, and love. It refers to your own female aspects or your mother.

Female Speaker: Thomas bothers you?

worry, disturb, or upset

Male Speaker: Well, sort of. Not a man’s name.

A name is a term used for identification by an external observer.

To see a man in your dream denotes the aspect of yourself that is assertive, rational, aggressive, and/or competitive.

Female Speaker: Not a man’s name?

Male Speaker: I’d rather not think of you as male.

Fear and anxiety are the most commonly expressed emotions in dreams

Female Speaker: Male, very well. My name’s Kahira – an Irish warrior name for strong women –- but not women friends. Get it? That’s why they call me Thomas.

Male Speaker: Kahira? Nice name. It’s unique.

Kahira is of Arabic origin and means “Warrior.”

Meaning of Kahira. Goddess of Protection.

Meaning: Overpowering, victorious

Female Speaker: Fine. But knowing my name doesn’t make me your woman friend. I don’t care if it’s five years.

Male Speaker: Right, been three years. So what do you propose?

Female Speaker: There’s an entrance, we’ve got to get there. It will take us below the surface.

To dream of a gate represents a threshold in your life. The entry point of a new phase in your life.

Into the subconscious. Below the surface.

Male Speaker: Is it occupied?

Female Speaker: We’ll find out.

Male Speaker: Kahira?

Female Speaker: What?

Male Speaker: Practicing your name.

Female Speaker: You’re a desperate idiot.

Male Speaker: My bad. We can travel inside the robots while we sleep — but they’ll need planetary coordinates. You got anything? Here’s how you get inside these robots.

To see or study a map in your dream suggests that your current life path will lead to fulfillment of your needs and realization of your goals.

Female Speaker: I know that. I’ve had survival training.

Male Speaker: Okay. Once inside, recharge your suit through this cable.

To see an umbilical cord in your dream represents your lack of individuality. You may be expressing some anxiety about being on your own and supporting yourself. Alternatively, an umbilical cord symbolizes your maternal ties. Perhaps you are too emotionally bonded to your mother.

Female Speaker: Right.

Male Speaker: Oh. You know that also. Do you know how to load the planetary coordinates to get us to this entrance?

Female Speaker: I’m no fool.

Male Speaker: Okay, fine. Show me you know this stuff by doing it right now — please. One last thing, here’s a flare gun. If we get separated, use it to identify your location. Sorry, doubting your abilities.

You are being kept in the dark about some problem or issue. You are holding back your emotions.

Female Speaker: You’re forgiven. We better get moving.

To dream that you forgive someone means that it is time to let go of some past grudge, guilt, or resentment so that you can move ahead with your life. … Such dreams are often a waking reflection of your need to forgive. To dream that you are being forgiven indicates that you have accepted some aspect of yourself.

Male Speaker: How long do you estimate it’ll take?

Female Speaker: Hours most likely. I recommend getting some sleep.

Male Speaker: Can we talk?

Female Speaker: No, sleep.

Male Speaker: Kahira, your communication on? Kahira are you there? Hello, hello?

Hello?