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Some Other Scotland by Mick Bordet
Alternative History
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Gravestones across Scotland are being defaced. An ancient advanced civilisation is discovered under the remains of Skara Brae. Bonnie Prince Charlie returns to Scotland, two hundred years after his death. Edinburgh police unearth a mysterious surveillance operation on the Queen's residence and the Scottish Parliament. All these events take place in a Scotland which is both familiar and yet slightly twisted.
Detective Jim Sykes' investigation into hidden cameras and a long-dead pretender to the throne uncovers a sinister plot that dates back centuries before the term 'terrorism' was coined. Archaeologist Erica Wallis digs up more than she bargained for when she encounters an underground civilisation that has existed since before the pyramids of Egypt were built. When one of their misplaced, but deadly artifacts falls into the hands of young street-poet 'Razer', he is launched into the middle of a clan war that has been waged across the World for millenia.
Events triggered thousands of years ago are about to reach a climax that not only threatens Scotland, but could finally hand the modern World the tools of its own destruction.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives 3.0 United States License.
Audio Quality: 
Out of 8 ratings
Narration Quality:
Out of 8 ratings
Writing Quality: 
Out of 8 ratings
Overall Rating:
Out of 8 ratings
By: Mick Bordet
Thank you all for the feedback on SOS. After an unintended hiatus, I am pleased to say that the podcast has returned with a regular schedule. I have also re-recorded episode 5, so the narration is all mine across all episodes now. Finally, to update the link that Arlene provides, the website (and wiki with lots of background information) is available at http://someotherscotland.com I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!By: Phil
It's been nearly six months since the last episode was released. Are we ever going to see another?By: Lauren
Wonderful book, interesting story, very well read. I am desperately waiting for the next episode.
Chapters
| Title | Description | Date Created |
| Episode 01 - The Palace (14.53 MB) | This week: Edinburgh cop Jim Sykes is called into a puzzling case. This week’s news story was "Palace extension plans found in park", which has changed to the alternative "Palace plans found in park": A set of architectural drawings of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland, have been found on a footpath in the Roseburn area of Edinburgh. Security around the Palace has been increased and a full investigation has been launched into the source of the document. The plans were found by a journalist who was walking her dog along the path leading to the Water of Leith. The plans appear to show the whole of the Palace, including the private quarters of the Royal family, and have now been returned to security staff. A spokesperson said “We acknowledge this has been a security breach which we are taking very seriously and are currently investigating.” | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 02 - Wreaths (12.15 MB) | This week: Craig Fullarton's trip to his mother's grave takes an unsettling turn. This week’s news story was "Graveyard ghouls stealing wreaths", which changed to the alternative "Graveyard ghouls stealing wreaths and defacing graves": Grampian police have appealed for information about a series of thefts from graveyards in the Moray area over the course of the week. A number of people have reported stolen wreaths as well as damage to headstones. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 03 - Awakening (15.46 MB) | This week: A dusty figure wakes in a sealed room after years of sleep and Jim Sykes gets a disturbing update about the cameras found at the Palace. This week’s news story was "Community hit as island mansion burns", which changed to the alternative "Island mansion avoids mystery blaze": Raasay House, near the isle of Skye, was apparently subject to a fire which mysteriously disappeared. The fire broke out some time during the night, with workmen who are currently renovating the building discovering the lower floor full of smoke. They raised the alarm, but a thorough search of the building revealed no source of the smoke and no fire damage. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 04 - The Sea Wall (16.42 MB) | This week: Archaeologist Erica Willis returns to Skara Brae, where new buildings have been uncovered, the Sleeper makes a bid for freedom and Craig stumbles across something unusual. This week’s news story was "Sea threat to Neolithic village", which has changed to the alternative "New find at Neolithic Village": Work due to start to improve protective sea walls near the neolithic village of Skara Brae has been put on hold due to previously unidentified signs of human settlement being found at the site. Experts have been called into the monument site in Orkney to examine the find and alternative plans are now being drawn up to protect the village. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 05 - Parasite (10.72 MB) | This week: Sykes learns that deaths at the Scottish Parliament may be linked to the Palace mystery, Erica’s team discover some unexpected features of the buried wall and the Sleeper finally escapes and his identity becomes clear. This week’s news story was "Parliamentary disease cover-up", which changed to the alternative "Parliamentary disease deaths cover-up": It has come to light that two members of staff at the Scottish Parliament building died seven months ago during an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease. The site has been decontaminated and a spokesperson confirmed that the building is now safe and that the legionella bacterium was found only in two seldom used water outlets, but nowhere else in the complex. MSPs have claimed that they felt no need to raise the issue publicly as it had been dealt with quickly and appropriately at the time, taking into account the feelings of the families of the administrative staff members who died. It is not clear why the incident has now been made public. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 06 - Beatles (16.14 MB) | This week: The Sleeper, Charles, flees the scene, Sykes learns more about the hidden cameras and something unexpected happens at Skara Brae. This week’s news story was "No takers for silent Beatles film", which was changed to the alternative "Money CAN buy silent Beatles film": An auction of 8mm footage showing the Beatles on their visit to Loch Earn in 1964, resulted in a bidding war raising over five million pounds. It was expected to fetch around twelve thousand pounds, so the final sum raised was a surprise to all involved. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 07 - The Lamb (12.58 MB) | This week: Harald Grant buys an island, familiar symbols turn up in a peculiar place, Erica confronts the intruder and we discover who is using the hidden cameras. This week’s news story was "What is Uri planning for Forth Isle" and has been changed to the alternative "Geller Outbid for Forth Isle": Uri Geller's bid to purchase a small island of the coast of North Berwick, known as the Lamb, failed this week as a last-minute buyer stepped in to the negotiations with a higher offer. The island, home to a number of rare birds, is too small to build on, but Geller claimed he was interested in the layout of the islands which mirrors that of the great pyramids of Egypt. The identity of the buyer was not made public. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 08 - Polar Clone (12.92 MB) | This week: Sykes questions Charles, the secret beneath Skara Brae is revealed and Charles is abducted. This week’s news story was "No to cloned Scottish polar bears", which changed to the alternative "Cloning returns polar bears to Scotland": Researchers in Edinburgh have successfully cloned a pair of polar bears using DNA extracted from a skull found in a cave in Sutherland in the 1920's. The skull belonged to a bear believed to have lived over 4,000 years ago, left in Scotland following the last ice age. Using the same processes used to clone Dolly the sheep, the DNA was combined with the egg of a female bear and grown to cubs. The two cubs were shown off for the first time today, now aged 6 months, and reported to be healthy. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 09 - Black Box (11.44 MB) | This week: Harald has a mid-air collision and the hunt for Charles begins. This week’s news story was "North Sea black box found" which has changed to the alternative "Helicopter black box destroyed": Investigators who retrieved the tail section and black box flight recorder from the Super Puma helicopter which crashed in the North Sea last week, have been disappointed to find the recorder damaged beyond repair. Passengers in the aircraft reported feeling an impact shortly before it hit the surface of the water and it had been hoped that the black box would have helped to explain the cause of this. All 18 people on board survived the crash. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 10 - Underground (14.76 MB) | This week: Tania lets Erica in on some ancient secrets, Malcolm has to clear the tracks for his train and Razer comes across an unusual item in the tunnel. This week’s news story was "Cracks in the underground" which has changed to the alternative "Disrupted subway service resumes after body found": Normal service has been resumed on the Glasgow subway system following the discovery of a body in the tunnel between the West Street and Bridge Street stations. Damage to the tunnel wall has now been repaired and clearance of rubble from the tracks completed. Police have not yet identified the dead man. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 11 - Safe Conduct (13.88 MB) | This week: Tania and Erica work on a plan, Sykes and Hayston visit Charles and make another link and Razer causes a little more than a shaving cut. This week’s news story was "Demands for return of letter to Wallace", and changes to the alternative "Wallace letter taken": The letter of Safe Conduct, sent to William Wallace by the King of France, has been stolen from the National Archives in London. Scottish MPs had recently been calling for the return of the letter to Scotland, as one of the few remaining possessions of Wallace in existence. The letter was found on him when he was captured at Robroyston and taken to London. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 12 - UFO (13.11 MB) | This week: Erica keeps attention away from the village, Razer comes to a decision about his future and Tania takes Erica on an unusual trip. This week’s news story was "Pitlochry's UFO taken seriously by MOD", now changed to the alternative "Harrier pilots didn't see UFO": Documents about UFO sightings, recently released by the Ministry of Defence, include details of photographs showing a large diamond-shaped UFO hovering above a harrier jet. Commenting on the released information, the MOD clarified their earlier statement by saying that although jets were operating in the area, the pilots saw nothing and flight records showed no unusual activity was encountered. | Jul 17, 2009 |
| Episode 13 - Ghost (12.76 MB) | This Week: Sykes receives information about Charles' attempted abduction and Harald realises he has missed something for the past 90 years. This week’s news story was "Prize-winning ghost of Tantallon Castle", which changed to the alternative "Tantallon ghost opens floodgates": A picture taken of a ghostly image in Tantallon Castle, located on the North Berwick coast, has won a competition for the most convincing supernatural picture, inspiring a number of people to come forward with other photographs taken in the same place over the last fifty years. | Jul 29, 2009 |
| Episode 14 - Tartan Week (18.41 MB) | This Week: Razer chooses his hideaway, Malcolm receives an unwanted visitor, Razer settles in the USA and the destructive force of the 'torch' is demonstrated fully. This week’s news story was "New York parade sets Scotland Week in motion", which changed to the alternative "Tartan Week parade ends in disaster": On a day when New York should have been celebrating its ties with Scotland as part of the traditional parade along 6th Avenue, it has instead been reeling from the attack on the famous Empire State Building. The top five floors of the building were demolished in what is believed to be a terrorist attack, though no evidence of an explosion has yet been found. The estimated death toll currently stands at over two hundred people, including several killed by falling debris. The building, opened in 1931, was for many years the world's tallest skyscraper. It became New York's tallest building once again following the destruction of the World Trade Centre in 2001. With special guest, Philip 'NorvalJoe' Carroll as Kyle. | Jul 29, 2009 |
| Episode 15 - Acid (15.62 MB) | This week: Razer reacts to the damage he has done, Erica reaches the Traigh, Malcolm recognises unwelcome faces,Harald searches for Charles and we see inside the Traigh. This week’s news story was "Acid left in Glasgow street" which changed to the alternative "Acid corrodes through Glasgow street": The Fire Brigade were called in to deal with a chemical spillage at Hayburn Street in Partick that has left a hole in the residential area estimated to be over fourty metres deep. A local residents has reported seeing several large canisters being left at the site in the early morning, but by noon the liquid inside, believed to be a highly concentrated acid, had corroded through the containers and into the ground below. The close proximity of the incident to the Glasgow Subway system meant that services on the line were cancelled for most of the day until safety checks could be completed. Police are investigating the incident and are currently gathering footage from CCTV cameras in the area to identify the truck that left the containers. Firefighters are still clearing the area, removing contaminated soil and corroded rocks from the scene for further analysis. | Aug 13, 2009 |
| Episode 16 - Cancer (16.48 MB) | This Week: Erica works on changing the tunnel, Razer seeks a way out of New York and disturbing news rocks the Traigh. This week’s news story was "Putting the brakes on cancer" which changed to the alternative "Evidence found of cancer brakes": Scientists from the University of Edinburgh believe that a body donated for medical science may hold the key to a cure for cancer. They say that a range of genetic differences in the body may effectively slow the effects of the disease if replicated. The circumstances of the death and identity of the body are kept strictly secret. | Aug 20, 2009 |
| Episode 17 - Lunacy Graves (14.6 MB) | This Week: Tania and Erica visit the Merk, Calum notices a disturbing pattern, Sykes is alerted to more symbols, Harald finds what he's searching for and a haggis supper leads to trouble. This week’s news story is "Thousands named in Lunacy Board Service" : A memorial service has been held for people buried in unmarked "pauper's graves" in Churches around West Lothian. The graves belong to patients of Bangour Village hospital and are located in numerous sites in the local area. The Lunacy Board, who until recently were responsible for all psychiatric hospitals in Scotland, had a similar policy across the country and it is anticpated that many more unmarked graves such as these will come to light in the future. | Nov 24, 2009 |
| Episode 18 - Submarine (14.44 MB) | This Week: Razer meets his kidnappers and a bid for freedom ends in disaster. This week’s news story was "Radioactive leaks from submarines", which changed to the alternative "Leaking submarine disappears": Following the release of a report on safety issues at the Faslane base, it has emerged that a submarine identified as having leaked radioactive material on three previous occasions, has disappeared. The last known contact with the vessel was as it left the East Coast of the USA on a return trip to Scotland. MPs have called for a full investigation into why a ship with a poor safety record was released for travel in international waters. | Nov 24, 2009 |
| Episode 19 - Great Scot (14.22 MB) | This Week: Harald moves in closer to Charles, Razer deals with a sinking feeling, Charles starts to hatch a plan, Erica and Tania assess the Merk damage and Sykes' suspicions are confirmed. This week’s news story was "Peter the Great's right-hand Scot", changed to the alternative "Pages missing from diary of Peter the Great's Scottish General": Scholars have announced that they believe several pages have been removed from the diary of Patrick Gordon, a Scot who held a senior rank in Peter The Great's army. They claim inconsistencies in the text suggest that up to a month's information may have been replaced by a series of paragraphs indicating the soldier was offered work in Vienna, only to be told shortly afterwards he was no longer required. The diary was published in full for the first time in the UK this year. | Jan 28, 2010 |
| Episode 20 - Baby Records (12.79 MB) | This Week: Calum researches the list of unmarked graves, Sykes follows the new lead, Calum discovers unexpected links in his list. This week's news story was "Investigation into stolen baby records", changed to the alternative "Decades of baby records stolen" : A hospital in Aberdeenshire has confirmed that birth records dating back over twenty years have been stolen. The files contained details of parents’ home addresses as well as details about each birth, blood types and dates of admission. NHS Grampian have instigated a full investigation of how the records were taken and have issued a statement of apology to all affected patients. | Aug 2, 2010 |