NPCs · first: SO E2
Princeps Zortch
In the second episode Princeps Zortch is only a name. Brennan says Margaret's Investigation turns up intel that a member of the royal house of Rubian V recently went missing from moonside, one of the children of the current monarch, the Princeps Zortch SOE2·01:48:57. Brennan says the only trace is a docking signature at a rec station for a Rubian V craft in the right time frame SOE2·01:48:57.
In the third episode Brennan's recap calls the Princeps the eldest child of Rubian V, who had absconded SOE3·00:02:51. In the fourth episode the crew finds a floating Princeps in Madeline Maud's room who cries "It's not what you think!" SOE4·00:51:46. Later Gunnie brings Zortch round with a defibrillator SOE4·01:56:56 SOE4·01:57:01. Zortch asks "Am I being kidnapped?" SOE4·01:58:51. Zortch says "I am a member of the royal family of Rubian V" SOE4·02:00:15. Zortch says Rubian V has become sentient, a super-intelligence called Gnosis, and "I had to get it off my home world"; Lucienne told them to come to Rec 97 and bring the holofract SOE4·02:08:05 SOE4·02:09:34. Zortch also says Lucienne told them she organized a safe passage away from the rebellion SOE4·02:03:32.
In the fifth episode Zortch touches foreheads with Skip, says "We are one", and gives him a half second of precognition SOE5·00:35:35 SOE5·00:35:45. After being dropped, Zortch says "I'll always remember you" SOE5·02:01:34. In the sixth episode Zortch cooks eggs at the egg bar SOE6·00:35:44. Zortch says Lucienne had a plan she did not want to share over intergalactic communication SOE6·00:36:13. Zortch says "My parent wants to use it to conquer the galaxy" SOE6·01:58:04. Zortch adds that the Griivarr envoys kept tabs on them because they offered grant money SOE6·01:58:31. In the seventh episode Zortch is hired as chef with a 2,000-credit bonus SOE7·00:17:15. Zortch says "I've never had a job before" SOE7·00:17:21.
In the tenth episode Zortch touches foreheads with Dr. Edwina Castor and says awaken SOE10·01:38:15. In the eleventh episode Zortch is unconscious but speaks psychically SOE11·01:37:51. Zortch says "Barry knocked me out. He was wearing gold plated armor", and "I jumped in front of Barry to stop him from getting Gnosis" SOE11·01:37:55 SOE11·01:38:14. In the twelfth episode Zortch says "I wanted to save Gnosis, but I don't know" SOE12·01:03:11. Zortch also says "I have a home world that's getting hollowed out by United Free Trade Planets" SOE12·01:10:22. In the fourteenth episode the crew questions Zortch, and Brennan says Zortch has an unusual deep connection to their home world, which they psychically connected to a computer SOE14·01:48:54 SOE14·01:49:13.
In the fifteenth episode Barry Nyne, speaking for King Prilbus, says "I'm gonna find Zortch" SOE15·00:51:58. The crew is surprised, since they thought UFTP had Zortch SOE15·00:52:38. Riva's link finds Zortch somewhere in the station, saying "I can hear" SOE15·00:56:25. In the sixteenth episode Zortch says "Hey, we're at a betting station" SOE16·01:55:57. Zortch had been making french toast for the Galactic Girl Guides, who mentioned a horse that was a sure thing SOE16·01:56:10. Zortch later apologizes: "I'm sorry I let the girl guides gamble with the holo-fract" SOE16·02:32:55.
In the seventeenth episode Zortch panics at the Fang with "This is the bad place!" SOE17·00:07:11. Sidney answers "Keep making eggs" SOE17·00:07:28. Later Brennan says Zortch stabs Skip with a crystal dagger and whispers "Time to come home, my son" SOE17·01:21:26 SOE17·01:21:39. Brennan says of course we know this is not Zortch, and Skip cries "Father!" SOE17·01:21:47 SOE17·01:21:55.
In the last episode Brennan says Prilbus looks at Skip through Zortch's eyes SOE18·00:41:23. After a slug rockets out of Zortch's head, Zortch says "Oh, I don't feel good", with a welt where Barry Nyne knocked them unconscious SOE18·00:51:51. Brennan says Zortch breathes in and puts their hands out as Gnosis's android body begins to fade into existence above the Holofract SOE18·01:52:04. At the end Zortch, in full chef's whites, says "I think I'm just a chef now" SOE18·03:02:41. Zortch asks Riva for a reference for their old job after Skip offers the communications officer post SOE18·03:02:47 SOE18·03:02:55.
By episode
SO E2: Rolling Up The Hill
- Princeps Zortch — first said here: "the Princeps Zortch" — 01:48:57
SO E3: Wrecked on Rec 97
SO E4: Every Day is Our Wurst Day
- Princeps Zortch (they/them, Royal Rubian) — metallic teal-skinned alien, blue silky outfit, baseball cap, jangly jewelry; "It's not what you think!" — 00:51:46; "It's not what it looks like." — 01:57:01; first card read in frames at 01:11:18
- Zortch's lines — "Is Lucienne coming, or no?" — 01:58:07; "Am I being kidnapped?" — 01:58:51; "What's a dog?" — 02:16:35; "They always said life outside the palace would be nuts. This is fun." — 02:16:45
SO E5: All In the Hot Exit
SO E6: On the Run In the Martini Nebula
- Princeps Zortch — cooks the egg bar's eggs with butter, cream and cheese, adds strawberries and OJ, uses psychic powers to move peppers — 00:35:21, 00:35:44, 00:55:35; tells the history of the Griivarr envoys and the Gnosis Project — 00:54:38, 01:58:31; "My parent wants to use it to conquer the galaxy." — 01:58:04; "I don't wanna try to control it. It's so much vaster than me" — 02:01:02
SO E7: Dying Tomorrow, It's a Pleasure
SO E9: Baustin Skiffy Limits
- Princeps Zortch and Aurora Nebbins — aboard the ship, hunting Bighorn tortoises — 00:02:16
SO E10: It's a Griivarr World After All
- Princeps Zortch (transcript: "Zorch") — stays on the ship; touches foreheads with Edwina and says "awaken" — 01:38:15
SO E11: Flee From Fantanimalland
SO E12: Go Big or Go Home
- Princeps Zortch (they/them) — "Sid, do you want to do it?" — 00:41:38; "I wanted to save Gnosis, but I don't know" — 01:03:11; "I have a home world that's getting hollowed out by United Free Trade Planets" — 01:10:22; "boy, I'm so lucky that you have a weird thing with that Lucienne Rex person" — 01:18:28
SO E13: Battle of the Brands
- Princeps Zortch — "I'm gonna park it on the bridge with a gun in case anyone shows up" — 00:11:19
SO E14: The House Always Wins
- Princeps Zortch — has breakfast ready and answers questions — 01:52:33; see World lore
SO E15: Face to Face
- Princeps Zortch — UFTP does not hold him, news to the party ("Wait, they don't have Zortch?" — 00:52:38); the recording says he alone faces "permanent detention" — 00:37:25. Somewhere in Myrmidon Station, found by Riva's link: "I can hear." — 00:56:25. Fears: "oh my God, this is why I'm wanted." (DM description) — 00:56:52
SO E16: Jailbreak!
- Princeps Zortch — escaped the arrest, with the Girl Guides at a betting station: "Hey, we're at a betting station." — 01:55:57; rides Aurora Nebbins carrying the holofract — 02:20:28; "I'm sorry I let the girl guides gamble with the holo-fract. They just seemed really sure." — 02:32:55; "I wasn't hiding. We just went to the betting track." — 02:33:25
SO E17: The Luckless, the Abandoned, and the Forsaked (Part 1)
- Princeps Zortch — chef of the ship; "This is the bad place!"; told "Keep making eggs"; gives Skip the direct action: "I gotcha." — 00:07:11, 00:07:28, 01:07:19
- "Zortch" (the false one) — whispers "Time to come home, my son." and says to UFTP "I'm about to bring the Wurst aboard the command ship"; Brennan: "of course we know this is not Zortch" — 01:21:39, 01:21:55
SO E18: The Luckless, the Abandoned, and the Forsaked (Part 2)
- Princeps Zortch — host of Prilbus, who stabs Skip through Zortch; Sidney's grenades make the slug leave, revealing a welt where Barry Nyne had knocked Zortch unconscious; later puts Gnosis in the centre of the Fang's chamber and links minds with Sidney; at the end in chef's whites: "I think I'm just a chef now."; Skip/Norman offers the communications-officer post and Zortch asks Riva for a reference for "your old job" (Riva was the Wurst's comms officer) — Riva: "I think you will do a fantastic job" — 00:51:51, 02:13:44, 03:02:41, 03:02:47, 03:02:55, 03:02:59