Chain Of Command by X Minus One

Relic Radio Sci-Fi (old time radio)

A security guard named Charlie Boyle recounts how a talking mouse named George, living at the Brookside Atomic Laboratory, complains about a trap outside his door. After Charlie brings

Key takeaways

• Charlie Boyle is a night-shift security guard at Brookside Atomic Laboratory who has worked there for 20 years.
• George is a talking mouse whose ancestors were subjected to human brain tissue grafts and gamma radiation experiments.

Main topics

• Cold War paranoia and espionage fears
• Unintended consequences of scientific experimentation

Notable quotes

"It's the perfect fifth column. The ultimate weapon."

Conclusion

The episode uses Cold War anxieties and bureaucratic absurdity to expl

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Relic Radio. Speaker 2 (0:08) Relic Radio Sci-Fi, old time radio, science fiction stories Speaker 2 (0:33) Countdown for blastoff. X minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. X minus one, fire. Speaker 2 (1:08) From the far horizons of the unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future. Adventures in which you'll live in a million could be years on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine, presents X Speaker 5 (1:29) -1. Speaker 2 (1:43) Tonight, Chain of Command by Stephen R. Speaker 7 (1:58) This is about George. He's a friend of mine. Lives right here at the Brookside Atomic Laboratory with his family. My name is Charlie Boyle, by the way. I'm a security guard here at the lab. Been here now for, well, 20 years, I guess. Of course, they don't use the lab anymore. Lots of weeds and things and... Well, I stick around. There isn't really any place to go. Well, I'm getting away from it after all. This is about George. Some of it I knew myself. A lot of it he told me after it was over. It began... Let's see now. It began the morning after George's wife lit into him. Speaker 1 (2:38) I think, George, the least you could do is complain. After all, are you a mouse or a man? Clara, what's the point of Speaker 3 (2:44) complaining? It'll just start trouble. We Speaker 1 (2:47) do live at the laboratory. We have some rights. Speaker 3 (2:50) The best thing we can do is just stay right where we are. But it's dangerous. There's nothing dangerous about it, just so long as we know what we're doing. Speaker 1 (2:58) I'm not thinking about us. I'm thinking about the children. Speaker 3 (3:01) The children know where they mustn't go. Speaker 1 (3:03) George, I will not go on like this without a moment's peace of mind. If you had the slightest concern for my welfare or for the children's, you'd really... All Speaker 3 (3:10) right, all right. I'll go talk to old Charlie, the security guard. Speaker 1 (3:14) Why not talk directly to the superintendent? Speaker 3 (3:16) Because of the complications. Now, I promise you I'll explain the situation to Charlie. He knows me. I've talked to him for over a year now. Speaker 1 (3:25) And he hasn't the slightest influence. Speaker 3 (3:27) I'll impress the seriousness of the situation on him. Speaker 1 (3:30) All right, but do it now. I Speaker 3 (3:31) will. And Speaker 1 (3:32) be firm. Speaker 3 (3:33) I'll be as firm as I can. Speaker 7 (3:41) I was at my desk in the hallway. Place was deserted. I've always worked the night shift, except for my supervisor, Mr. Adams, who was in his office down the hall working late. I remember I was sort of dozing off when I heard George's voice in my ear. Speaker 3 (3:56) Charles? Charlie? Speaker 7 (3:59) Hmm? Speaker 3 (4:01) It's me, George. Oh, yes, yes, George, yeah. How are you? Fine. Can I have a chat with you? Speaker 7 (4:09) Chat away. I got all night. Good. Speaker 3 (4:12) It's about the trap. The trap? The one outside our door. Oh, that trap? Clara, my wife, says it's dangerous. Speaker 7 (4:20) Well, now I... She'd Speaker 3 (4:21) like it removed. Removed? Oh. George, that can't be done. Regulations? Regulations. Suppose you just removed it without telling anybody. Speaker 7 (4:34) Oh, they'd fire me, George. Speaker 3 (4:36) I see. Clara's afraid one of the kids might get hurt. Oh. How about taking it up with the supervisor? Mr. Adams? Why not? Well, it never occurred to me. Why not give it a try? Speaker 7 (4:51) Oh, I don't know. Mr. Adams doesn't even know you exist. Maybe it's time he found out. Hmm, well... Speaker 3 (5:00) Well, it might get a bit sticky. Give it a try. Come on, Charlie. Be a good fellow. Haven't we been Speaker 7 (5:07) buddies for a long time? Oh, we've been buddies, all right, but... when it comes to something like this. Will you Speaker 3 (5:13) try at least? Clara isn't going to let me alone unless something happens. Speaker 7 (5:18) Oh. Speaker 7 (5:20) Okay, George, I'll give it a try. Speaker 3 (5:24) Bye. Speaker 7 (5:30) I straightened my tie and I brushed off my uniform real neat and I went into Mr. Adams' office. I could see the light under his door and hear him on the phone, so I knew he was there. Speaker 7 (5:42) Edgar? Speaker 4 (5:43) Adams up at Brookside Lab. Ah. Our thing's in Washington. No, no, no, none serious. Just want to have a fingerprint check on one of our scientists. Uh Speaker 5 (5:55) -huh. Speaker 4 (5:56) Yeah, number 7X4582. That's right. How's it, missus? Ah, good. Now, excuse me a minute while you have somebody at the door. Come in, come in. Speaker 4 (6:11) Oh, hello, Charlie. Edgar, can I call you back? Speaker 4 (6:16) Yeah, what is it, Charlie? Speaker 7 (6:19) I'd like a Speaker 4 (6:19) word with you, Mr. Adams. Look, Charlie, I'm on the phone of Washington. Is it a security matter? Oh, Speaker 7 (6:24) in Speaker 4 (6:24) a way, Speaker 7 (6:25) Mr. Adams. Speaker 4 (6:26) Well? Speaker 7 (6:29) I don't know how to tell you, really. Just tell me. Well, sir, there's a mouse named George down in room 412 who doesn't want the trap outside his door. Speaker 4 (6:43) Well, that's just too... Speaker 7 (6:45) What? A mouse in room 412. He objects to the trap. Speaker 4 (6:53) Look, Charlie, I'm busy. Is this a joke or something? Well, Speaker 7 (6:56) I guess maybe it is. I mean, I like a good joke Speaker 4 (6:58) as well as the next one, Charlie. But, well, I mean, it's late and I got a lot of work to do. Do you mind? No, Mr. Adams. Yeah, well, that's fine. You just get back to your desk, huh? Speaker 7 (7:08) Okay, Speaker 4 (7:08) Mr. Adams. And Charlie, next Speaker 7 (7:10) time Speaker 4 (7:11) one of the mice complains, tell him to come in here and speak to me himself. Speaker 2 (7:15) Yes, sir. Speaker 2 (7:18) Thanks. Speaker 4 (7:20) Edgar, Edgar Adams here again. I'm sorry, one of the security guards playing a little joke on me. Speaker 5 (7:26) He came in to say Speaker 4 (7:27) one of the mice here at the lab is complaining about the trap outside his door. Speaker 4 (7:33) You got them down in Washington, too, huh? Yeah? What do you do about it? Traps, huh? Speaker 2 (7:39) Yeah. Speaker 4 (7:40) Yeah. It's the only way, I guess. Yeah. Speaker 7 (7:50) Well, I went back to my desk. George was there, waiting. I could tell by his expression that he knew the answer before he even asked me. Speaker 3 (8:00) No soap, huh, Charlie? No soap, George. I guess I'll have to tell Clara. Yeah, I'm sorry, Speaker 7 (8:06) George. Speaker 3 (8:07) What'd he say?