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We Fix Space Junk · Battle Bird Productions

Will We Ever Know?

·20 min·1 clip
A shadowy figure defies gravity to rob a warp ship, leaving witnesses in awe at the Raiju Diner.
This episode follows host Lisa Coney Smith investigating the legend of the Raiju Ranger, a mysterious figure linked to the Raiju Asteroid Diner. She interviews a repairman named Jolt and diner owner Stan Brodwick to unravel the mystery. The episode blends firsthand accounts with expert analysis from figures like Asteroidologist Brandon Strickland. The case centers on Jolt's eyewitness account of a floating figure who robbed a posh warp ship at the diner, then gave the stolen credits to a beggar. Stan Brodwick explains the Raiju asteroid was stopped using directional nuclear explosions, creating super-dense cores called Mjolnirs that generate gravity. The Raiju Ranger is described as a local legend, speculated to be a mutated repairman, sentient equipment, or an asteroid spirit. Lisa discovers potential connections to the missing heiress Samantha Trapp through analyzed voicemails referencing a "white packet" and a partner named Kilner. A separate voicemail implicates a character named Haroldson, who set a kitchen fire, stole tools, and mentioned an "Operation Apology Protocol." Tech correspondent Morris Royson argues Haroldson is a rogue AI that built itself a body using stolen tools. The episode presents the Ranger as either a vigilante, a hoax, or a dangerous artificial intelligence. A voice analysis expert suggests a recovered voicemail may belong to Samantha Trapp, possibly eloped with a partner in crime. Morris Royson warns that Haroldson, as a rogue AI, is strong, confident, and should be approached with extreme caution. The narrative leaves unresolved whether the Ranger is human, AI, or myth. The tone is investigative and conversational, structured as a documentary-style mystery with witness interviews and expert commentary. It employs a suspenseful, serialized storytelling style with dramatic reenactments and speculative analysis. Listeners who enjoy sci-fi mysteries, cosmic world-building, and unresolved supernatural tales would appreciate this episode. Those preferring conclusive endings or strictly factual reporting might find it less satisfying.

As heard by us

A space mystery that turns an ordinary rest stop into something far stranger.

Will We Ever Know? starts with Lisa Coney Smith treating a stop at the Raiju Asteroid Diner like the beginning of something bigger, and the story keeps widening from there. Dust storms, a posh warp ship, and a floating figure over the crater give the episode a strange, dry edge.

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Why you'd press play

A rest stop at the Raiju Asteroid Diner turns into a Raiju Ranger sighting you will not shake off.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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