I Am Marla

This is Special Agent Regal, Special Agent Bradley Hall. In 2018, the FBI took down a ring of spies working for China's Ministry of State Security, one of the most mysterious intelligence agencies in the world. The Sixth Bureau podcast is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets. Listen to The Sixth Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to Star Trek Khan. Episode 7. I am Marla. Your tea, Dr. Lear. Thank you. I'm sorry about earlier, Ensign Tuvok. I was spying on you. Your anger was not misplaced. When Delmanda brought the MacGyver's logs to you, did he tell you how he acquired them? He said that they were found in an unmarked vessel that was retrieved for salvage. I see. But why bring them to you? My senior thesis was an examination of the current Federation ban on genetic engineering. The exceptions, the lines we assure ourselves are clearly defined, but when it comes to augmentation, let's just say that God is in the gray areas. And why were you drawn to that area of research? It's a sexy topic, academically speaking. Hundreds of people have found themselves discriminated against for even a small percentage of augmented DNA. Interestingly, many of them are Starfleet officers. Starfleet officers would be less predisposed to judge such individuals by an inheritance they could not control. You'd be surprised. At any rate, ever since I first heard Lieutenant Marla MacGyver's logs, I have been haunted by the sound of her voice. Did you ever hear from Delmanda again? No. Fascinating. Tuvok? If you will excuse me, I must prepare my report for the captain. What do you intend to tell him? That while some of the details you have related to me are clearly true, the vast majority of this story is very likely a lie. What? Vulcans find it incredibly difficult to lie. Many are actually incapable of it. Why this renders us especially sensitive to the lies of others, I am not aware. Perhaps another sexy academic topic to one day explore. Tuvok, I... Do not be surprised if your anti-tampering alerts continue to go off over the next few days. I will begin a complete review of all the recently discovered logs. The next time we speak, you and I will be operating from more similar knowledge bases. Perhaps then, you will reconsider telling me the truth. No, no, no, no. Stop it. Control yourself. Better. I used to actually enjoy watching the sunrise over the inland sea. I was dependable. Constant. Only now? It isn't anymore. I guess it never was. I like to think that Ivan was once the man Khan still believes him to be, or perhaps needs desperately for him to be. But that need cannot blind him to the man Ivan has become. Our survival now rests on the edge of this knife. Please, my love, please. Open your eyes. I want Ivan's weapons removed from his room, as well as any unnecessary personal effects. At once, my lord. You will remain here under guard until we decide how to resolve this matter. My people will remain as well. You don't trust me to secure my own prisoner? This is not an auspicious beginning for our new alliance. I am asking to share this burden, so in the event of another incident, we may also share the responsibility. Very well. But your people are to remain outside the walls of our camp at all times. Your terms are acceptable. In order to continue our preparation for construction, we must be able to move freely along the perimeter and at the mesa. Is that acceptable? I will advise my people to expect your presence and to avoid confrontation. Thank you. You may release him now from your telepathic control. Come back here, you little minx. Ivan, wake up You came for me You freed me Those monsters, they... You found a lone Elborian You killed him Da Alone They are weak They have no magic Your actions have put me in a terrible position No, you sent me to gather intelligence and I did so They are at our mercy We can pick them off One by one in small groups. Hunt them into extinction. This world can be ours again. This world is dying, Ivan. The Elborians are building a ship from the remains of their vessel. This ship will save us all. Without their help, we will die here. More lies. I have seen it with my own eyes. Now, this is our world. Their place is to submit or die. Ever since we came here, you are different. You permit dissent. You embrace human weakness. You have forgotten that we are superior. I have tried to mitigate the damage, but each day you are less and less the man I swore to follow to hell and back. You would have allowed Hugo to sow seeds of discontent daily for the sake of another strong back. Ivan, what did you do? What you could not. You will remain here under guard. Do not attempt to escape. Everything I have done, I did for you. For our people. And now, you turn your back on me. You are the only thing standing between my people and Salvation. I don't know what price our new allies will demand for this transgression, but it will be paid. You didn't return last night. Have you slept at all? Do you know where we are standing? From this spot, we took our first steps as man and wife. Man, wife, and child. She was already with us. Little Penelope. I know her name. Let this much be settled when there are so many other difficult choices before us. It's a beautiful name, my love. But don't you think it's a lot of pressure to put on a child? I believe there are still some on Earth who worship that name. As well they should. She is the goddess of time, death, love, violence, and absolute empowerment. I didn't think you believed in superstitions. Belief is beside the point. All that matters is what is. Humans give gods names and faces as a means to grapple with the simple truth. All that is, is eternal. every grain of dust, every sunrise and sunset. All things alive and not are forms eternity takes as it continues to evolve, always striving to become the purest expression of itself. I'm not giving this name to our daughter as a burden to carry. I'm simply acknowledging what She already is. This child growing inside of you already marks our days, has created us anew and destroyed what we were before she existed, and she isn't even born yet. But when I imagine her little face, for the first time in my life, I glimpse the outlines of eternity. She is Kali. She is Kali. I saw the guards around Ivan's quarters. I must decide his fate He chose his fate Your task is to dispense justice To show the Elborians that they are as much your people as we are But they are not They are now. They have to be. Because we cannot escape this planet without their help. They want this alliance to work. They will do whatever is necessary to save us all. You said you felt it too, once, when Delmanda showed you Xanadu. We're not calling it that. Why do you hate Coleridge? Why do you love him? What about Wordsworth? Oh, so much pining. Keats, then. Beauty is truth. Truth is beauty. Not my experience. And stop trying to change the subject. Whatever it takes, you and Almanda must lead us forward together. You do not understand what you were asking of me. I do. And I expect you to do it anyway. Why should I? Because I want Kali to see the stars someday. Apollo, where'd you get Ivan's music box? Hassan was emptying Ivan's quarters, Joachim. Why would he do that? I don't know, Erica, but in a few hours, we're all marching back to the caves with the first of what will be hundreds of loads required to move this camp underground. But right now, it's my time. And I plan to spend it staring up the sky, because in a few months, it won't be there anymore. Early morning dance party on the mesa. I'm in. That's what I'm talking about. Wait, why did you... Hey! I like that song! Quiet, both of you. Get down. What? Shh! Look. What are they doing up there? Are those Alborians? I don't think they saw us. They had to have hurt us. Let's just go back. No. Paulo, they can kill you with their minds. Hey, where are you going? I want to meet the aliens, okay? Hey, you there. What are you doing? I'm Paulo. Who are you and why are you on our mesa? And is that a telescope? I am Camora. This is Oretta. We use it to monitor celestial movement. Whoa. You just shoved all those words right into my head. That's wild. Did not wish to intrude. We mean you no harm. We will depart peacefully. Please do not hurt us. Wait, you don't have to go. You can hear them too? We can all hear them, Paolo. Exclusion would be rude. We're not going to hurt you. I used to come up here all the time to look at the stars. Of course, they're harder to see now. We chart the movement of the debris. I've been tracking the largest pieces of SETI Alpha 6 that are headed our way. Our calculations are meant to determine potential launch vectors. But your ship was destroyed. We do this for your ship, not ours. We don't have a ship. Soon, you will. Wait, what? May we hear it again? The pleasing sounds that come from that black box? Wait, uh, the music? Voice and instrument together. Unusual and beautiful. Don't you sing where you come from? They're telepaths. They probably don't have vocal cords, Erica. You like music. We have never heard these sounds. I'll make you a deal. You tell me everything about this ship, and you can have all the music you want. Oh, we'll brew it all inside. Madot, are you ready to try and eat something? Just some fish broth? No. It's the only way to get your strength back. Ursula, why won't you look at me? You blame me for losing our son. Madot, the wall collapsed. Because I hit it with a sledgehammer. We should never have been down there. Khan should never have trusted that these aliens were trying to help us. Khan did not make SETI Alpha 6 explode. No, but he's the reason we're here at all. He didn't have to try to take the Enterprise. It was a reflex. He's led us into hell, and we keep acting like this time it'll be different. I don't blame you, but I'm pretty sure I blame him. Stop this! We remain Khan's loyal servants or we die. I think we remain Khan's loyal servants and we die. die. Are you certain you're up to this? My job's easy. I lead the way to the caverns and everyone else carries the loads and unpacks when we get there. I should be the one to go. No, you should stay and settle the Ivan issue with Delmonda. And once it's done, we can really start to move forward together. Over 400 pairs of hands make light work, especially when most of them don't even have to use their hands. I will see you when you return. Be safe. You and Carly. Oof. I swear she kicks every time you say her name. So she takes after her mother? Don't wait up for me tonight. Why not? I'm dying to try that hot spring. But you can't swim. I'll hold on to the side and float. Have someone stand watch outside. If it will set your mind at ease. He knows everything about space travel. Did you know that the engine that powers their ship actually bends space? Can you imagine such a thing? In fact, I can, but there's no way I can let you... Khan. You may stay just this once. Thank you, Lord Khan. Thank you. Look at him. He just had his first conversation with an alien and he can't wait for more. No fear. No suspicion. That's the way it's supposed to work. That's our future, Khan. and it's filled with hope. Hurry back to me, my love. I will. Come on, everybody. We're burning daylight. Grab that light. Doctor, no one is allowed to see the prisoner. It's all right. Khan asked me to check on him. Is it true? Hassan said you killed one of the elves. So this is your plan? There's not enough vodka on this planet to keep you sedated for the rest of your life. Sit, sit. Drink. Na zdrovia. What the hell? Better? What are you going to do? Khan has to offer Delmondo some kind of restitution. He might have to kill you. Well, you worry too much. Do you remember this? The Barola wine? That was Kashmir. That warlord we had to pry out of his hole. Khan told me to keep the last bottle for the moment. Our victory was complete. The victory has been postponed. Until now. What does victory look like? Khan will return to hand down my sentence. I will apologize. I will swear to never again think, let alone act, without asking permission from my lord and master, or whatever elb he's groveling before now. We will celebrate our newfound peace with his donkey piss spiked with cyanide, And when he is dead, I will assume my right for place as absolute ruler of our people. Kill every Elborian who is expendable and force the rest to serve us. Paradise, no? Ivan. You and I have been of the same mind since the moment the Elbs arrived. You know, as well as I do, that there will be no empire. There will be no future generations of augments. We are now a dying breed, and the only question left is whether or not we will go quietly. I don't know if I hope you succeed or fail, but I will leave you with one thought. If you strike at a king, you'd best not miss. I never miss. Welcome. Please sit. Thank you Khan I understand some of our young ones met unexpectedly I imagine that by now all of my people know of your proposal to build a ship and save us all Is that a bad thing I underestimated you, didn't I? You intentionally made sure my people learned of your grand plans, of your amazing ship to force my hand, to ensure our alliance, whether I would or no. How can I possibly tell them now that we'll spend the rest of our lives slowly starving beneath the surface of a dying world? Always you assume the worst. I do not believe that our goals, our hopes and dreams for our respective people are different. Our methods may be, but there is always room for compromise. I cannot share power with you. Are you so certain that together we cannot reach terms for our coexistence? My people have surveyed the caves. The sunless sea is barren. The water is essential, but there is no sea life to sustain us. I am aware. The Pandem has already begun harvesting and preserving all that we can, and we have developed hydroponic gardening techniques. So you can feed us all? No. I can feed half of my people, as well as yours, for the time it will take to construct the ship and a few months beyond. And what of the other half? There is another set of caves a thousand kilometers to the south of your camp. Half of my people will make the journey and hopefully survive there until all can be rescued. Even I would never send an army out under those conditions. It is necessary for the good of all. Enough have volunteered, and the Pandem will honor their courageous choice. And this ship, where will it be built? The only space large enough to safely accommodate construction is the cavern, which contains what you call the Sunless Sea. Initially, the shoreline will suffice, but eventually, as the water levels naturally diminish, the dried-out seabed will serve as the ship's launch site. How do you launch a spacecraft from within a cavern? The sea itself has already carved a cavern wide enough to allow the ship's egress. The far end, roughly 40 kilometers from the current shoreline, will be cleared by explosives prior to launch. I assure you, my engineers are confident of success. And how many will the ship hold? Given how little of our vessel we have been able to salvage and the size of the necessary power systems, the ship we are building will carry only four souls. Just four? Their mission must be to find other spacefaring people and return with help to rescue those that remain behind And while we are building this ship? We will supervise construction You and your people must be trained in every aspect of its structure and operation We will gladly teach you all that we know so that those we send are well prepared for their mission And we will live separately? We will work together side by side We will become accustomed to one another we will learn to tolerate our differences and celebrate that which we share in common. Once our people begin to mingle, it will be pointless to try and keep them apart. Disputes will naturally arise. Disagreements. Whatever system of laws we propose must apply equally to all. And which of us will enforce those laws? You and I would have to reach consensus. You actually believe that's possible? Let us find out. What would you do with Ivan? The oldest of our laws demands blood for blood. A life for a life. Whereas our laws recognize that when one has separated himself from the community by violent actions, the support of the community is necessary for reintegration. Given time and the work of our healers, Ivan could be taught to process the pain of his past, To separate his identity as an individual from the identity you imposed upon him when you ordered him to slaughter thousands during your wars. We were bred to fight those wars. And that was the true moral injury. But as I said, in time, rehabilitation is possible. To discipline is to teach, not to punish. Do you find these terms acceptable? They are far more generous than any I would have offered. Then we have reached consensus. I believe we have. You see, that wasn't so difficult, was it? What do you think, Joachim? Have you ever seen a hot spring before? Why does it smell like that? Sulfur. It's alright. It feels better than it smells. I'll just be outside, my lady. If you require anything. I won't. But thank you, Joachim. Thank you. Oh. Heaven. Now this is living. Joachim, would you do me a favor and tell Khan that I live here now? I am never leaving this place. But my lady... I'm kidding. Oh. What do you think, Polly? I think you're going to love it here. Did something bite me? Get off! Dalaakim! There are eels down there! Get them off! No, no, no, no, no! Get it off me! Okay? Let me help you! I'm not gonna get help! Get off! Get it off! The End I don't know what got into me. Several bottles of your homemade vodka, by the looks of it. Tell me. Tell me how I may once again earn your trust, I beg you. Drink with me, old friend. Is that the Barolo? I've saved it for over 200 years. The memories this brings back. They weren't all bad, were they? Do you have a corkscrew? Ah, the geese have spots. To remembering who we once were and will be again. Delmonda and I have formed an alliance. We are going to work together as our people to build a ship that will save us from this dying world. And all that is required of me is that I share authority over all of us with Delmonder. You had me there for a moment. I would do this. You would never agree. I would have liked to have seen his ugly face when you told him to go to hell. But I didn't. I am learning the art of compromise, you see. You haven't come to kill me, then? No. He and I agreed that a discipline is to teach, not to punish. Aren't you still thirsty, Ivan? How does the Barolo taste after all these years? Why don't you tell me? My old friend, do you think I don't know a poison cup when it's handed to me? Stay down, Ivan. And hear me. I owed you my life many times over. Baghdad, the Rin Desert, the jungle of Seti Alpha 5. This is a debt I owe that must be paid. Do not show mercy to me. Give me the respect I am doing. What do I owe a traitor? What do I owe the man I once called brother? The man I have carried through countless battles who has repaid my devotion with lies and treachery. You abandoned me! No, my friend. I trusted you far too long. I even tolerated your disrespect for my wife. She changed you. And now these filthy aliens are clouding your mind, filling it with lies. This alliance is our only hope for survival. There are no alternatives. But I will not abandon myself in the process. This compromise is nothing but a cloak, and I will wear it proudly until the moment it no longer serves my purpose. I will tell Delmonda that you tried to kill me tonight but that I looked into my heart and found forgiveness This he will see is personal growth I forgive you, Ivan. I forgive you mercilessly. Stay down! Tomorrow morning, ten of my strongest will escort you from this camp. You will not be allowed to enter the sanctuary we are building below ground. Should you try, you will be killed on sight. You will go and eventually you will die. Alone on a dying world. Goodbye, my brother. Khan! Khan! Khan! Khan! Khan! Khan! Please, Khan, come quickly! Kahn, it's Marla! What? Joachim is beside himself. He thinks this is all his fault. I told him none of us could have known that there were ills down there. Madot, are we sure this Tamaris is a doctor? I can't believe Kahn is allowing Elborian to examine his wife. Why not? We're allies now, aren't we? You said yourself you could do nothing. That the lava is already wrapped around her cerebral cortex. Lord Khan, Tamaris has completed her examination. You will save her. The parasite has compromised critical cerebral pathways. It cannot be removed. Then kill it. Kill it with your mind. Break it as you did our weapons. It is not possible. You save her or I will kill you both with my bare hands. We can sustain the child until she is ready to be born. She will survive. That is unacceptable. We can limit the parasite's growth by reducing your wife's brain activity. No, no, no, no. There must be another way. I refuse to believe that you are powerless. You're withholding your gifts intentionally, but why? Why? To wound me? To put me in my proper place? This is not about you. You, this is how we best serve the Lady Marla. God... Tell him. Make him understand. Severing the necessary pathways to isolate the parasite would eliminate her body's ability to continue to gestate your child. I will not trade your life for hers. There can be other children, my love. No, no, my love. Please, no. Save our little Kali. You cannot ask this of me. You cannot expect me to do this alone. I forbid you to leave me. I will always be with you, with both of you. I will be with you the first time you hold her in your arms. When she takes her first steps. When you tell her our stories. I will be with you the first time she sees the stars up close. This is my choice. I am Marla. I have spoken. No. My beloved, please, no. Carl, if this is the only way, we need to act now. I can't. You can. You must. I'm going to give her an injection. it will reduce her brain activity. She'll drift away peacefully, just like falling asleep. But will she ever... Wake? No. But life support will remain active until the baby can be delivered. Take her hand. Talk to her. Don't make her do this alone. Father, my love, there is nothing to fear. I am here. I did what you asked. Our alliance is secure. We will build a ship and escape this world. And I promise, out there among the stars, I will find a paradise where our Kali will live and love and thrive. in peace. I swear to you, this will be done. Are you ready? Yes. A damsel with a dulcimer. In a vision I once saw. It was an Abyssinian maid and on her dulcimer she played. singing of Mount Abora. Could I revive within me her symphony and song to such deep delight would win me that with music loud and long I would build that dome in her. Oof. This is Special Agent Regal, Special Agent Bradley Hall. In 2018, the FBI took down a ring of spies working for China's Ministry of State Security, one of the most mysterious intelligence agencies in the world. The Sixth Bureau podcast is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets. Listen to The Sixth Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Migliore and Fred Greenhalgh. Co-executive producer, Robin Johnson. Co-producer, Greer Mathiat. This podcast is based upon Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry. Starring Novin 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 Fajr Alcasi, Hayden Bishop, Paul Castro Jr., Chad Chennai, Ethan Dubin, Aaron Fors, Juan Francisco Villa, Juliet Golia, Aaron Hendry, Cynthia Hood, Tina Ivlev, Adriel Jovianarez-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 Shunai 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 CityVox, New York. This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFR 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.