ONN ENTERTAINMENT: The Wastelander™ - Episode 7: Duty

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First Broadcast on September 1st, 2493
ONN Entertainment/The Wastelander™ is a Production of Orbital Content Programming and House Storm.

[The credits start after a short recap of the previous episode, once the recap ends, the theme song kicks in.]

The storm had lasted longer than anticipated, as night fell on the Angel Settlement, the pilot knew it would be too risky to leave for the refueling base. Nalta had been great even inebriated, and they had gained a guide, although not exactly willingly. Anima Nera, he found, was not only intimidating and threatening, but also intelligent and she knew the area. He couldn't help but think there was more to her. Nalta was a mix of ferocity and innocence, she'll approach everything with a genuine air of curiosity about her, which will not always be a positive.

The flickering lights in the settlement reminded him of fireflies, looking up from where he was sitting, he saw the towers Nalta had mentioned, the ones with power and wealth, he tried to imagine what kind of people would live like that.]

"Hey"

[The pilot looked over his head, the statuesque Anima Nera sat beside him and offered him a mug.]

"Locals call it caf, I'm guessing it's supposed to be coffee. Tastes like shit, and the aftertaste is an acquired taste, but it'll keep you aware"

[The pilot took the cup, nodding in appreciation.]

"Where's the little hellion?"

"She's out cold, she had a hell of a day"

"I'd say, little bitch clawed, bit, and brought me down"

"You had it coming"

[Anima Nera smirks, taking a sip from her mug.]

"Yeah I did, she's spirited too, unpredictable too"

[They both fall silent, the pilot kept looking at the flickering lights, the muffled sounds of people still outside, and the buzzing of the many generators throughout. He seemed like he tried to guess what was beyond the light.]

"So, what's your story?"

"Huh?"

"We get a lot of people coming here, some stay, some resupply and move on. No one gives half a shit as to what's the story with this place, but you and the kid come along, looking for answers... Why?"

[The pilot holds the mug between his hands, looking at it.]

"Does it even matter?"

"Listen, friend, we're going to an Armitech fueling base tomorrow, there are raiders all over the place, not to mention chimera, chances are, we'll have to fight. And I rather get to know the people who have my back, so I can have theirs"

"Alright, you first"

[This time it was Anima Nera who fell silent for a moment. And after a long sip from her mug, she finally nods.]

"I'm not around from around here, just one of the many gutterpunks from Mega La. Made a mistake once, as in really fucked it up, they were gonna put me away for a long time, until one man took me in. Worked a deal with the corpos, and put me to work. He trained me, turned me into his bodyguard, then a soldier. Started makin' a lot of money, see? Traveled the system with him. Even came back to Mega LA once, and no one recognized me, which suited me just fine because I didn't recognize anyone either. My old hunting grounds were not the same, and none from my old crew were around anymore"

[They both took another sip from their mugs before she continued.]

"One day, he brings me in to join in this army. People like me, taken from the streets, offered a better shot at life, and here I am"

"I'm guessing that army was this... Armitech. This is why you know where the refueling base is?"

"That's correct"

"But you're not a soldier anymore, you turned raider"

"Also correct"

"So... You're hiding here?"

[The woman looked at the pilot, finishing her drink]

"Maybe I'll tell you the rest one day... So, your turn, spill"

[The pilot sighed, where to begin? How to begin?]

"My name's John... Nalta calls me Ion... I'm not sure how to explain the rest but... Much like you, I was from around here, but I don't recognize this place anymore... I know its original name, and I know the original name of the Nice Marsh settlement. I don't recognize it anymore, and I don't know the people living here now, I know I stick out" [Anima Nera was sufficiently curious to let the man continue.]

"I was a pilot, a very long time ago... Centuries, I'm told. I still don't believe it, but I know it to be true. The Transcendence War, my squad and I were assigned to keep the AI's at bay while a skycity codenamed the Haven was taking off. My fighter took a hit, crashed hard and... I woke up, centuries later, in a world I don't recognize, with monsters, and people that somehow survive radiation and make it part of their identity"

[The woman didn't know how to react to what she heard, was he bullshitting her? That was her first guess, but the man looked genuine.]

"Holy shit... You're serious"

"I got no reason to lie"

"Wait, hold on... If this is true, and Haven took off during the war, that was nearly three hundred years, why are you even looking for a skycity that may not even exist anymore?"

[The man finished the drink, and at the same time, stood up, looking at Anima Nera.]

"We had our orders, and we had a rendezvous point too, we were supposed to check in to ensure everyone had made it out alright, those were my last orders, after that, I was going to be free, start over elsewhere, away from Earth"

"But you're free now"

"It's not the same"

"Why not?"

"Duty"

"What?"

[The pilot shakes his head, still looking at her.]

"Back then, us soldiers, true soldiers, had a code that ruled our lives. You see the job through. I don't expect a mercenary turned raider to understand, but I do expect you to be up and ready at sunrise, unlike you, I'll see my duty through"

[Now it was the woman who stood up and faced off against the pilot. Even though he was tall, she was significantly taller.]

"You think you got me all figured out, huh?"

"You want to prove me wrong? Be ready at sunrise, and help me see this through"