A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript Episode 34: It’s Never the Same Transcript by Cameron Robertson
Note: Zee-o is a synthetic humanoid being and primarily speaks in a robotic, monotone voice.
Intro: [hurdy gurdy music begins]
Nick: Welcome, listeners, to A Knight of Shreds and Patches. An immersive actual play podcast. This episode features the talents of –
Drew: Drew Mierzejewski as Wyatt Fisher.
Aly: Aly Grauer as Zee-o.
Kit: Kit Adames as Birdie Foundling.
Cameron: Cameron Robertson as Emma Blackwood.
Sydney: Sydney Whittington as Cassidy Shard.
Nick: Nick Robertson as GM and Narrator.
Sydney: Hello listeners, this is your editor, Sydney, with today’s messages:
Welcome to the Season 1 Finale! We’ve got a special double-length episode for you today, so enjoy the extra content in what we hope will be a memorable one. We will still be returning in two weeks with Season 2 of your regularly scheduled programming, so worry not about an extra long cliffhanger.
That being said, if you do find yourself in need of additional content in a post-finale fugue, consider supporting our Patreon, where we have bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into episode 34: It’s Never the Same. And so...
Join us, for now our tale to yours attaches To carry hope: a Knight of Shreds and Patches.
[hurdy gurdy music ends]
[electronic beeping] [robotic powerup noise begins] Distorted Robotic Voice: Power restored. Systems online. Reconfiguring audio connection. [robotic powerup noise fades to radio frequency static]
[over radio] Kit (as Birdie): Last time on a Knight of Shreds and Patches, I helped the Patina out with a rescue mission. It was more fun than I thought it would be, explosives were possibly misused, trees were thrown, but that’s all in a days work. We got our promised green stitch, ate some cookies and left for Tree All to hopefully find those two friends of Cassidy and Emma’s. [radio static]
Episode Start:
Nick: We open in a spring clearing of a secluded wood. Standing in the center, we see Wyatt and Zee-o. And around them, we see the bodies of Aranebis priests having been struck down. Emma, Birdie, and Cassidy, you made your way towards the sound of combat, trying to find your friends that you have looked for for so long, and you found them, and they appear to be in the middle of something. Wyatt and Zee-o - it's been about six months since you last saw Cassidy and Emma, what do you all look like now?
Drew: We see Wyatt and Zee-o not back to back but close to each other. We see Wyatt, he is covered in a very long, heavy poncho. The hood is very deep on it, all you can see is that his beard sticks out a little longer out of it. It's much more gray now than it used to be. He's standing in a fighter stance, he has a ginormous zweihänder sword that he has just used to cut somebody in two, so the body is still on the ground steaming. And we can't really see what's going on with Wyatt inside of this hood or even what's underneath this poncho cape that he's wearing. All we see is him standing there, sword out, like he always has been.
Aly: Zee-o is close to where Wyatt is and I think as Wyatt has just finished this move and is holding position, Zee-o reaches across the distance with one hand to touch Wyatt's shoulder and gently squeezes. A gesture that is so mundane and so small and so almost thoughtless, they just reach over, touch the shoulder, squeeze gently and then move on. They move out of range of Wyatt turning in a circle to see all of the bodies. There is one body that is still moving and Zee-o hones in on it immediately, strides over to it and completes the task, so now that there is no movement and no sound.
Zee-o previously was wearing layers and drapings of black and gray and dark green and brown, shrouded things that covered their form and their make. And now Zee-o is wearing much more human shaped clothes. They're not hiding the shape of themselves anymore. They're wearing like pants, and sturdy boots that probably took them through the whole winter and layers of shirts and a long jacket that comes down to just pass their knees that they wear open over these layers. These layers on anybody would look like normal, keeping warm layers into the spring, but the thing is is that Zee-o is not a human being. Zee-o doesn't have skin to keep warm against the winter's cold and the spring's unpredictable rains. Zee-o is not made of skin. So it's odd at first to see the layers and these very lived in, very worn clothes, hugging their form. They're not wearing a hat, but they're still like a hood with a scarf wrapped around the neck. The hood is down, it has come down in combat and they have not put it back up yet. But they just they're dressed more like a person which is striking. And as soon as they've finished dispatching the final enemy, they stand upright and they turn and look through the trees as though they were expecting someone.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): What? What is - what is it?
Drew: And we see Wyatt kind of swing around looking in the opposite direction.
Aly: Zee-o puts a hand out to reassure him. They're out of touching range again, but they put a hand out in a single gesture.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt, they're here.
Drew (as Wyatt): Who? Who's here?
Sydney: Cassidy steps out from behind a tree with her bow in her hand and an arrow knocked but not pulled back looking at the carnage and seeing her friends, her crewmates, alive and in front of her for the first time in six months and just says across the clearing.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hey.
Drew: Do you guys look any different after six months?
Sydney: Cassidy's got new holes in her jacket that have been sewn up. Other than that she's got generally more miles on her but she looks about the same. She's got the very first of the springs flowers woven through her crown braid. It's almost like if it had been, you know, the next day instead of six months later.
Nick: Emma and Birdie as you hear the conversation beginning to start between Cassidy and the people you've been looking for, you two both step out into the clearing as well. What do Wyatt and Zee-o see?
Cameron: Emma, once she hears Cassidy say hey and initiate a conversation, she knows that we're good to come out now, so does a wave of come on to Birdie and slowly walks to the clearing spinning her baseball bat. She also looks about the same. Her hair has grown, but that's pretty much it. It be a tough call to call it a pixie cut at this point, it is approaching shoulder length in the back, but she looks happy. And you can tell that she is holding herself back from rushing Wyatt and Zee-o since there is kind of the bloody carnage on the ground in between us, but she looks very at peace and happy that we have found y'all.
Kit: Birdie upon being gestured at by Emma, she steps forward. She's kind of hiding a bit behind Emma which is very easy because she's rather short compared to Emma. But she pokes her head out to see everything and is rather surprised by what she finds. She is a young woman who has rusty brown colored hair pulled down into two braids, she's got very asymmetrical bangs, and she's wearing sort of a hodgepodge of a lot of different clothes that definitely don't match, but she makes it work somehow. And she has a hockey stick strapped to her back. That is pretty much the same height as her. She does like a very nervous half wave.
Aly: Zee-o takes a step towards them. And then another step. It's a very familiar gesture that Zee-o has never made before. They take a step and then another step, and then they open their arms kind of low, but out in the universal signal for come hug me to Emma and Cassidy.
Cameron: Emma runs and goes and gives them a hug.
Sydney: Cassidy is still in situational awareness mode as she makes sure that there's no one else left. But seeing that nothing is moving she starts making her way towards Zee-o putting her bow back in her harness.
Aly: Zee-o wraps Emma and a big hug and tips their had to watch Cassidy and as Cassidy gets closer, they put their arm out and bring Cassidy in close as well. And it's very gentle and very close. And they say,
Aly (as Zee-o): I knew you would do it. I knew you would come back.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We were hoping you would have taken the train.
Aly (as Zee-o): [slowly] We tried.
Aly: Zee-o pulls back a little bit and looks at both of them. And although their sleek, matte gunmetal chassis is the same, the way their face looks in this light with the micro tilts of the head and the way that their softly glowing eyes turn to look at both of them. There's something more relaxed about them that was not there when y'all were separated. And they hold each of you at the shoulder gently and look at both of you.
Aly (as Zee-o): We're very sorry. We didn't mean to fall behind.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah what - what happened?
Aly (as Zee-o): It is a complicated story. And one we'll tell. But not now.
Drew (as Wyatt): Not here.
Sydney: You got a lot of bodies. [laugh]
Aly (as Zee-o): We do. I apologize for the mess.
Cameron: [laughing] Emma start laughing because one, it's such a funny thing to say because we're standing in a field, but also she's very relieved that the group has been found.
Sydney: Cassidy looks over at Wyatt.
Drew: Wyatt is sitting down. There was a rock or something close by, like a fallen log and we see that he's sitting down. The sword is propped up in such a way it looks like he's holding it and it's stuck into the ground and he is hidden in this deep cloak poncho - can't really see the majority of his body and you can't really even see his eyes inside of it. But he's just sitting there, watching.
Drew (as Wyatt): We should go.
Aly (as Zee-o): Are you ready?
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah, just come over and help me.
Aly: Zee-o releases the girls with a gentle pat to their shoulders and goes over and helps Wyatt stand.
Drew: There's a [hydraulics noise] as he gets up, there's a whirring of gears or something inside of what's going on. And he looks very unstable. It takes him a moment or two the moment he stands up to actually get his footing so it doesn't look like he's gonna fall over because it looks like he's going to topple over for at least a second or two. I think Zee-o puts their hand out and stops Wyatt from falling over.
Cameron (as Emma): Emma hears the mechanical noise and her head tilts.
Sydney: Cassidy looks concerned at the lack of ease of motion.
Aly (as Zee-o): We would like to invite you -
Aly: And then Zee-o sees Birdie for the first time - not for the first time technically, they've seen everything, but they realize that Birdie has gone unacknowledged so far and they stop.
Aly (as Zee-o): Hello.
Kit: Birdie is stepping over all the bodies right now. She got a late start behind everyone. But she quickens her pace and comes up to the rest of the group and she does a much more confident wave and goes
Kit (as Birdie): Hi, I'm Birdie. I'm new.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm.
Cameron (as Emma): Birdie, this is Wyatt and Zee-o.
Aly (as Zee-o): I am Zee-o.
Drew (as Wyatt): I'm Wyatt.
Aly (as Zee-o): [overlapping] This is Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): Thank you.
Sydney: This is the rest of the Patina.
Aly (as Zee-o): I'm glad that you all made it safely. We would like to invite you to come back to our own safe zone.
Drew: Yeah, let's not stay in this kill box. Come on.
Sydney: We've got the rig - should we bring it?
Drew (as Wyatt): Yo-you have the rig?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): Take me to the rig.
Drew: And we see Wyatt, he's uses the giant zweihänder sword, almost like a walking stick. He puts it forward and pulls himself and puts himself forward and pulls himself as he makes his way painstakingly slow across this field.
Aly: Zee-o follows with a gesture to the others to come with. And Zee-o follows at a little bit behind Wyatt in what seems to be a comfortable pattern for them. That Wyatt usually will take the lead in this way and Zee-o will follow.
Aly (as Zee-o): If we get to the rig. I can direct us from there.
Drew (as Wyatt): Sounds good to me.
Nick: And we see the Patina, old and new, walking back following the muddy tracks over scraps of snow to where the rig was left. And there's an awkward moment as the five of you stand around the rig, wondering who's gonna sit where.
Drew: Wyatt goes
Drew (as Wyatt): I'm going to sit in the back.
Drew: And he goes all the way to the back of the truck and you hear the clang as he throws the sword into the bed of the truck. And you can hear him exert himself to sit on the back.
Cameron (as Emma): Emma hears the clang and winces slightly.
Aly: Zee-o stands near the front of the cab of the rig and says,
Aly (as Zee-o): I can direct us. Who is driving?
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'll drive.
Aly: So Zee-o climbs into the passenger seat.
Nick: So Zee-o climbs into the passenger seat, Cassidy jumps in to drive.
Cameron: Emma goes to sit with Wyatt, and hops up into the back of the truck much more quietly.
Kit: Birdie just takes the backseat.
Nick: And we get an overhead shot of the rig picking its way through the woods, grinding deep tracks into the mud, skirting the now killing field where you all met.
Drew: As the rig goes by, Emma you're sitting there.
Cameron: Next to Wyatt.
Drew: He's got his hand up on a hold so they're rocking back and forth as the rig begins to go and through the trees we can see that little gully where there's 15 people that are dead. And Emma you can hear Wyatt under his breath go
Drew (as Wyatt): You I don't remember.
Cameron: Emma doesn't say anything but quirks an eyebrow to herself. Doesn't look at Wyatt as she does it but definitely notes the difference.
Nick: And the rig picks its way past the field deeper into the woods and hopefully towards somewhere that's safe for now. And as the rig moves deeper into the woods, we get another view of Emma and Wyatt in the back. The Knight is tucked away taking up most of the space, most of the rest of the space is taken up by Pallie's mobile workbench and a large glossy red motorcycle that shows some fresh scratches in the paint. And you've ridden in bumpy silence for about as long as you can handle, Emma.
Drew: One of the things that is immediately noticeable now that we're sitting here, the camera pans over Emma looking at Wyatt, and it pans over Wyatt down to his legs which are dangling off the side of the truck. He has his right leg, but his left leg is just one of those springs, one of those running springs, that dangles outside of the poncho. You didn't notice it maybe before Emma because of Oh - they're here and everything else but he doesn't have a leg now.
Cameron: Emma has been sitting cross legged, leaning against the wall of the truck to maintain balance as we bump along the road and has been quietly studying Wyatt because she heard the mechanical noise when he stood up. So she's trying to figure out what exactly has happened while giving him the space and not forcing him to talk, and has noticed the leg and it doesn't quite make sense that that would have made that noise when Wyatt stood up, but can tell shit went down.
Drew: The cameras on Wyatt, who's looking out over the forest and the road as they're going and from inside the hood you can hear
Drew (as Wyatt): You can ask.
Cameron (as Emma): Are you okay?
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm.
Drew: And we see Wyatt let go of the handhold and he flips back his hood. One he's missing an eye. And there's just a scarred socket, where that eye, that left eye, used to be. And he looks over at you.
Drew (as Wyatt): I've been better.
Cameron (as Emma): No kidding. What what happened?
Drew: [deep breath and sigh] That's a long story.
Cameron (as Emma): We can do the footnotes right now
Drew (as Wyatt): Sure!
Cameron (as Emma): and you can tell the longer version to everybody else too?
Drew (as Wyatt): Let's do the footnotes, shall we?
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): I messed up. I made a bad call and it came down to them, or us. And I really thought it was gonna be them. But um, Zee-o made sure it was us. And they've been putting me back together ever since.
Cameron (as Emma): And that's why y'all missed the train?
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah. That's why we missed the train.
Cameron (as Emma): So that must have gone very poorly.
Drew: Very poorly.
Cameron (as Emma): I mean, looking at the injuries that I can see that you got - I'm very happy you're still up and moving and alive.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm.
Cameron (as Emma): Um, have y'all been having fights like that this whole time?
Drew (as Wyatt): Not constantly. But every bit. Yeah. They'll find us or hone in on Zee-o somehow, I think they have a tracker of some kind, tracking the signal that they give off? I don't know. I just know that these injuries were not all in that first fight. But once you lose one thing, it's easier to lose the second. And then the third.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, especially if you keep fighting and don't give yourself any time to rest. Although I guess if they're coming and finding you, it's not necessarily you not giving yourself time to rest. It's
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah. But uh
Drew: And we hear [hydraulics noise] as he rolls his shoulder, and he pulls back the poncho and you see what he has on his left, he's got like a mechanical socket. That's what you're hearing whirring back and forth. And that's a pretty sophisticated socket, but the arm that's in it is skeletal and it doesn't even have a hand. It's got an attachment like it's a thing that attaches to something. And you notice on the Zweihänder at the bottom on the pommel, there is something that connects so it obviously connects to this hand. And he holds it out and it's kind of jerky, and it's janky and it shutters and moves and he's like,
Drew (as Wyatt): Hhh. I'll get it eventually.
Cameron: Emma looks over her shoulder deeper into the truck where Pallie's arm is mounted on one of the work benches.
Drew (as Wyatt): How about you? What's your short version?
Cameron (as Emma): Well, we got on the train.
Drew (as Wyatt): Obviously.
Cameron (as Emma): Yep. Someone tried to blow it up.
Drew (as Wyatt): Understandable.
Cameron (as Emma): I diffused my first bomb.
Drew (as Wyatt): Good for you.
Cameron (as Emma): We got to Eagle Hill, saw some baseball, hid out in a counterfeiters gang warehouse.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right.
Cameron (as Emma): Cassidy did some jobs for the city, maps, radio tower fixing, stuff like that. I have been studying this guy.
Cameron: And Emma gestures behind her towards the Knight.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm.
Cameron (as Emma): And I played some baseball and made a few friends. And
Drew (as Wyatt): All in all a good winter.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, until we got probationary banished from the city.
Drew: [laughing] Well, you're not a mercenary unless you get kicked out of the city or two.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Cameron: Emma smiles because she 100% mentioned that specifically because she knew it would make Wyatt laugh.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm.
Cameron (as Emma): And then we were allowed to stay until the train showed up and then the train showed up and y'all weren't on it. So Cassidy and I packed up and left and drove up here.
Drew (as Wyatt): How'd you find us?
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah so uh, we didn't really have much of a heading except for get here, uh delivered some mail along the way,
Drew (as Wyatt): What?
Cameron (as Emma): Beat some bandits up. Huh?
Drew (as Wyatt): You delivered mail?
Cameron (as Emma): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): [grumble] I mean, if you have to.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I mean, it led into some bandit fighting and a valiant rescue.
Drew (as Wyatt): Good. That's good.
Cameron (as Emma): But then we got here and we were asking around trying to find y'all and everyone was being really kind of cagey about it and they're getting freaked out whenever we asked. But then a small child told Birdie where we should head to find y'all and somehow was accurate. And y'all were in the field fighting and then we found you.
Drew (as Wyatt): We'll have to find that kid.
Cameron (as Emma): Why?
Drew (as Wyatt): You don't need to worry about it. It's fine.
Cameron (as Emma): Why? [laugh]
Drew: And we see Wyatt kind of smile.
Drew (as Wyatt): I'm teasing.
Cameron (as Emma): [unconvinced] Okay.
Drew (as Wyatt): That sounds like a good winter though.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, it was. It sounds a lot better than y'all's at least.
Drew (as Wyatt): Well. I suppose so. It's all subjective, I guess.
Cameron (as Emma): I feel like this one is a fairly objective comparison, actually.
Drew (as Wyatt): [laugh] I'm alive. That's one thing I guess.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, that means y'all's wasn't totally terrible.
Drew (as Wyatt): No, no, it wasn't totally terrible. So what's the plan now for you?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh well, find y'all. So check! Accomplished. That was the plan.
Drew (as Wyatt): Mission accomplished.
Nick: And as the two of you declare that the mission has been accomplished that the Patina is back together, we cut away from the bed of the rig and to the front, where Cassidy is driving with Zee-o and Birdie.
Sydney: It just cuts back into the same awkward silence that they had had in the back where they were sitting and driving and Zee-o had been giving directions, but with only the next step at a time, like not the big picture of Oh, it's this big place we're at. It's just turn left here.
Aly: Mhmm.
Sydney: After the latest, short leg of direction, Cassidy just takes a second to take her eyes off the road and look at Zee-o and goes,
Sydney (as Cassidy): Where are we going?
Aly (as Zee-o): Well, in a way, home.
Sydney (as Cassidy): What is home now? Is it a safe house? Is it a fortress?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): All right. Did you build it?
Aly (as Zee-o): No.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Did you find it?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): What was it before?
Aly (as Zee-o): Many things, I imagine.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Can you enumerate them?
Aly (as Zee-o): Previously it must have been some sort of compound, part warehouse, part workshop, part office, many things. It is a large campus, we only use part of it.
Sydney (as Cassidy): How did you find it?
Aly (as Zee-o): There was a ping. When we left the borders of Tree All Mountain, I picked up on the ping. Wyatt was doing poorly, so I made arrangements for us to divert from our path. When we arrived, the ping was inside. It was very fortunate.
Sydney (as Cassidy): How long ago was this?
Aly (as Zee-o): A few months.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I guess you guys missed the train.
Aly (as Zee-o): We did.
Sydney (as Cassidy): And then missed the next train. We were hoping you would have caught the next one.
Aly (as Zee-o): We were unable to return to the train station.
Sydney (as Cassidy): What happened?
Aly (as Zee-o): We went to the temple of Aranebis as Wyatt needed. It went -
Aly: And they stop for a minute and they don't say anything. And then after another moment, they pick back up.
Aly (as Zee-o): We left the temple of Aranebis and we needed to hide out. So we stayed. We were unable to make it to the train on time. Wyatt was not doing well. Winter came, we had to stay. And then as it started to turn towards spring, we had hoped that we might meet you along the way or that you would perhaps return on a train. But things were complicated. And we had to leave the city and then we came here.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Still Aranebis priests because that was a lot of bodies.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes. They managed to keep finding us.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] Are you guys okay?
Aly (as Zee-o): Right now? Yes. Previously no. Wyatt is doing much better, but there is no way we would have been able to make it all the way to Eagle Hill.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Then it's good we came back up to find you.
Aly: Zee-o turns in their seat and looks at Cassidy.
Aly (as Zee-o): I am so glad that you are all right.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] I am glad you guys are too. It was a long winter without you.
Aly (as Zee-o): It was a long time. I did not know how I would feel about it until it was too late. I am very glad that you are all right, Cassidy. And Emma. I am so glad that Emma is all right.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, we did our best to stay busy and stay fed while we waited for you.
Aly: Zee-o turns slightly in their seat again and looks over their shoulder to the back seat where Birdie is sitting in silence.
Aly (as Zee-o): I have just met you, but I am glad that you are also all right.
Kit: Birdie has been watching the conversation, like a very calm, very slow paced ping pong match. She's been looking back and forth, pretty attentively. Zee-o is very, very new. And she thought that the weirdest thing that she would see with Cassidy and Emma would be the Knight and Zee-o isn't technically weird. She's very interested in the completely synthetic human being that's in front of her. She's definitely more thrown for a loop by the conversation. The fact that to her Zee-o was perfectly human, just doesn't look that way physically. And so she just says,
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, well. Thank you. I'm glad you're okay, too. I've heard a lot about you.
Aly (as Zee-o): You have?
Kit (as Birdie): Ah, yes. Cassidy and Emma have told me some about you. I've only known them for what?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [voice tinged with laughter] Like a week.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, give or take.
Aly (as Zee-o): Were they good things?
Kit (as Birdie): Yes. I don't think they would say anything bad about you.
Aly: Zee-o stares at Birdie.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm definitely sure that's true and we would never say anything bad about you.
Aly: Zee-o turns to face front and settles back into the seat normally.
Aly (as Zee-o): I imagine so.
Aly: And then they immediately turn back around and look at Birdie.
Aly (as Zee-o): I was joking.
Kit: Birdie. Her smile gets so big. She is absolutely delighted by Zee-o. She goes,
Kit (as Birdie): Yep. You know that helps. Sometimes I'm a little bad at reading tone. [laugh]
Aly (as Zee-o): So am I. I apologize if I was unclear.
Kit (as Birdie): No, not at all.
Aly: Zee-o turns to face front and looks out across the not quite a full road that they're using to cut across the back country towards the hideout.
Aly (as Zee-o): Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Zee-o
Aly (as Zee-o): I missed you.
Sydney: And Cassidy tilts her head for a second.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I missed you too.
Aly: And Zee-o reaches out with one hand and touches Cassidy's arm gently, just a little gentle pat. And then they take their arm back.
Aly (as Zee-o): Turn right.
Sydney: Cassidy turns right.
Nick: And Cassidy turns right onto even less of a road deeper into these woods and the truck pulls through shattered and rusted gates, drooping fences topped with antiquated barbed wire full of holes, remnants of a bygone era, as we pull into the not so small hideaway of Zee-o and Wyatt.
Aly: As the rig gets close enough to the compound, Zee-o sticks their hand out the window makes a gesture and there's a faint signal noise that happens that's audible to both Birdie and Cassidy. Just a small noise happens. They're basically just sending a signal out to indicate that the rig has them in it.
Drew: As the rig drives through the campus. We see remnants of buildings that were built on top of this place, like there was a town that was here and then it got destroyed in some way or it fizzled out, or there was a bandit camp, or there was a watch tower like we see there has been history built on top of this campus, not just the campus itself that we pass in different ways until we get to this little annex building that's off in like a corner of trees in front of an overgrown courtyard. We see the rug pulled to a stop in this overgrown courtyard. And the camera is on it as Wyatt jumps out, steadies himself against the rig and turns to Emma,
Drew (as Wyatt): Emma will you hand me my, my my great sword, please?
Cameron: Emma is already sliding it out.
Nick: Wyatt you notice that Emma is able to lift this large weapon without much hesitation. She's stronger than she was when you last saw her.
Drew: Emma you pass it out to Wyatt and Wyatt looks quizzically at you, takes about five steps back, a little wobbly, and he goes
Drew (as Wyatt): Bring it to me.
Cameron: Emma gives him a look and still holding the sword jumps down from the truck and walks over and hands it to him.
Drew: He doesn't take it. He steps 10 feet back again and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): Come about five feet from me.
Cameron (as Emma): O-kay.
Cameron: Emma does so.
Drew (as Wyatt): Put your right foot forward.
Cameron (as Emma): All right.
Cameron: Emma shifts position.
Drew: Widen your stance. Wide feet. Good. Now sink into your hips and knees. All right?
Cameron (as Emma): Are we doing a sword fighting lesson?
Drew: You're gonna take the sword in two hands.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Drew (as Wyatt): Dominant hand on top. Whichever one that is for you, I didn't pay much attention. You a righty or a lefty?
Cameron (as Emma): Righty.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, right hand on top. All right? Now you're gonna place left hand closer to that - the pommel. Extend your arms, but keep them kind of bent.
Cameron (as Emma): All right.
Drew (as Wyatt): And keep the point forward.
Cameron (as Emma): Like out forward or up forward?
Drew (as Wyatt): I want it at an angle. So I want it pointed forward but up.
Cameron (as Emma): All right.
Cameron: Emma does an exact 45 degree angle.
Drew (as Wyatt): It's good enough.
Aly: I think at this point Zee-o has climbed out of the front cab of the truck and is coming around the back to see what's going on.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right Zee-o, come here, please.
Aly (as Zee-o): What is it?
Drew (as Wyatt): Stand here.
Drew: And he rests his mechanical, skeletal appendage on Zee-o's shoulder to steady himself.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. Now swing. Emma, swing. [yelling] Emma swing!
Cameron: [laughing] She's swung already.
Nick: How does it feel to swing such a bigger weapon than what you're used to.
Cameron: So it goes back to her default baseball swing. She doesn't pull it back as far over her shoulder before doing it, she starts from the position she had it in, but it's that same kind of leaning motion into it. And she's slightly thrown off by the weight distribution on it because whenever she was practicing previously, she was either using her bat or a small fencing practice sword. And this is much longer than that. So I think she does it once and it's a little wobbly. And then she makes a face and you can kind of see her doing calculations on what felt wrong about that. And she takes a step forward and swings it back the other direction and while it's still slightly wobbly is much more steady than she was the first time.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm. Home run. Give it to me.
Cameron: Emma lowers it down and passes in pommel first to Wyatt.
Drew: And he turns it and sticks it down to the ground and uses again like a walking stick.
Drew (as Wyatt): Lets go inside and get something to eat.
Drew: And he hobbles away.
Cameron: Emma laughs quietly to herself and kinda shakes her head and shakes her arms out a little bit.
Sydney: Cassidy walks around the backside of the truck with Birdie in tow in time to see Wyatt walking away.
Aly (as Zee-o): Let's go inside.
Aly: Zee-o gestures for everyone to come with and follows Wyatt into the building.
Drew: The building is small annex. Wyatt and Zee-o do not have access to the entire compound. It is one building or even a small little annex.
Aly: It's part of a building. Yeah, but there are still things in place there leftover from the old times that Zee-o themself can get them through, but that they haven't been able to shut it down, nor do they want to considering there's people looking for them.
Drew: It used to be glass, like a glass front, but there's security armor that has gone down over the front of it. And we go inside and it is first there's a beep because Zee-o has to get into the place, so there's got [beep beep] as we get close, and the doors open. And in the front area of this place, there is what looks like this is where they've been living. The annex itself goes back a little further and maybe down a couple of floors, but this front area is where they've lived. We see there's a fire pit, there's obviously like that's a kitchen area, that's an area where we sleep, all this kind of stuff. There's also a workbench in the back, and it's kind of Spartan, it's not really totally lived in. It's more of a place that they are now.
Aly: I think there's a section near the workbench that's a lot of weird looking stuff that we've retrieved from elsewhere and we've compiled here. Not a ton of things, but there's a couple of boxes or crates maybe of material and supplies and tools and things like that.
Drew: What cool tool do you add to it that that's the mission that we were on to get?
Aly: It's a soldering iron. A handheld thing that you can use to meld metal. It's not like an open flame that comes out of it.
Drew: It's more wild tech then that.
Aly: Yeah.
Drew: We go inside there's this echoey sound as Wyatt says
Drew (as Wyatt): Sit down. Make yourselves a home. I'll get something for you to eat.
Drew: And we hear that [prosthetic leg clicking on floor] as he hobbles his way over to their kitchen to get some food.
Aly: Zee-o moves things around and tries to find things that people can sit on because there really isn't any furniture.
Sydney: Cassidy pulls up a bucket.
Cameron: Emma just sits cross legged on the floor.
Kit: Birdie is also just sitting on the floor. She just sees that it's sparse.
Aly: Yeah, Zee-o has emptied something onto the workbench and turns around with a crate to see the two of you sitting on the floor and their shoulders sag a little and they go.
Aly (as Zee-o): I am sorry, we do not have more chairs. I keep thinking how nice it would be to have chairs.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You weren't exactly expecting visitors.
Aly (as Zee-o): Well.
Sydney (as Cassidy): At least not ones that were friendly.
Aly (as Zee-o): That is true. I knew you would be back. I did not know when.
Aly: And they put the crate back down and they sit on the crate themselves facing the others while Wyatt tinkers in the kitchen area. And they look kind of silly because their knees fold way up because the crate is not very big. They sit down and they realize that and then they just hug their knees gently and look at the others.
Aly (as Zee-o): So how are you?
Cameron (as Emma): I'm doing well.
Cameron: Emma realizes that she was the only one who wasn't in the truck with Zee-o. [laughing]
Aly: Zee-o nods.
Cameron (as Emma): Are you doing better than Wyatt's doing?
Aly (as Zee-o): What do you mean?
Cameron (as Emma): Well,
Cameron: Emma kind of gestures.
Sydney: Cassidy looks over and is really seeing the shape of Wyatt for the first time in detail as he goes through getting food ready.
Drew: He takes off his poncho cloak and hangs it up. And you see for the first time, how much of his mass is gone. He was a man who was broad shouldered and big and he's just not any more. His hair, which had some black in it is now gray and white. And you see him hobbling around in the kitchen. And you see that he's missing that left arm, he's missing that left leg, he's missing that left eye. And there are chunks what seem to be taken - his right arm which was so strong the last time you saw him seems so withered, he seems to have just shrunk as a person.
Aly: Zee-o follows everyone's gaze to Wyatt and then looks back at them.
Aly (as Zee-o): Oh, yes. Well, we've managed quite a bit of improvement.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh, yeah. He seems like he's functioning decently.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That's probably a bad sign this is improved. I mean, he's, he's working.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes, he is much more functional and comfortable. But it is still a work in progress. There are still pieces I'm looking for. I know they are here somewhere.
Aly: And they gesture out the window towards the rest of the compound.
Aly (as Zee-o): But I have not found them yet.
Cameron (as Emma): Like pieces to alter the limbs?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Aly: And Zee-o points and there's pieces of something on the workbench. And they gesture at it and it becomes clear that they're building him a leg. And it's not complete yet. It's like barely a leg. It's less of a leg than the thing he already has right now. But it's literally a work in progress right now.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes, there are pieces somewhere here. I'm certain. We are slow going in finding them. So you can see why we did not make the train.
Cameron (as Emma): Ye-ah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Drew: Wyatt comes back. He's got a bowl that's full of a trail mix thing. It's mostly like nuts and berries and little things to snack on. And he's got a pouch of beef jerky, and he hobbles over and you can hear that [prosthetic leg clicking on floor] as he hobbles over and puts it down in front of everybody and
Drew (as Wyatt): Anybody want any jerky?
Cameron (as Emma): I'll take a piece.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sure.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): Please.
Drew: And you see him go over to what is obviously his chair. It's obviously like a dad chair that looks very comfortable and looks like a place where he spends a lot of time and he hobbles over there and sits down in it. And he has a piece of jerky and he takes a bite.
Drew (as Wyatt): So who the fuck is this?
Drew: And he points to Birdie.
Kit: Birdie is just mid bite with this jerky and she very quickly swallows and goes,
Kit (as Birdie): Um. I'm - I think I already said that I'm Birdie. Um.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeahyeahyeah, I know your name is Birdie, but who the fuck are you?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, um, I - That's a really existential question. What is it with you guys and existential questions?
Cameron: [laughing] Emma face palms at this repeat in conversation.
Sydney: Cassidy covers her mouth.
Aly: Zee-o tips their head and says,
Aly (as Zee-o): Where do you think they got it from?
Drew (as Wyatt): Like, are you traveling with them? Are you a job? Are um, you on your way someplace and they're taking you there?
Kit (as Birdie): Um~.
Drew (as Wyatt): Are you a new member?
Kit (as Birdie): You know, it's kind of up in the air right now.
Cameron (as Emma): I think we'll say traveling buddies right now.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): You took on a traveling buddy?
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): She more took us on.
Drew (as Wyatt): You let someone just tag along?
Kit (as Birdie): It wasn't really their choice.
Drew (as Wyatt): That- that's why I'm I'm saying this.
Kit (as Birdie): I really needed a ride out of place. So I got one.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. How much are you paying them then?
Sydney (as Cassidy): We haven't decided whether it's passenger or new member and given that we found you now.
Drew (as Wyatt): It's a trial run then?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yes, we've run a mission. She was effective.
Drew (as Wyatt): What'd she do?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Blew up an ammo dump.
Drew (as Wyatt): How?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh!
Kit: And Birdie hoists up this very lumpy bag and it clinks audibly. And she pulls out a bottle full of something that smells very much like bacon. It's corked up with a cloth of some sort and she goes,
Kit (as Birdie): I use these a lot. And so I just sort of put them to use.
Drew (as Wyatt): Are you a demolitions expert?
Kit (as Birdie): No.
Drew (as Wyatt): So you're an arsonist?
Kit (as Birdie): I mean, I guess?
Drew (as Wyatt): I like labels that works for me. So fire is her thing is what I'm getting?
Sydney (as Cassidy): And stealing.
Drew (as Wyatt): Oh, you're a thief?
Kit (as Birdie): I think that um, thief is a really strong word. I don't steal from everyone.
Drew (as Wyatt): But you do steal?
Kit (as Birdie): Sometimes.
Drew (as Wyatt): That's a thief.
Kit (as Birdie): Well that's not the only thing I do.
Drew (as Wyatt): Of course not. But it is something you do do and that is very useful.
Kit (as Birdie): You are really into labels, aren't you?
Drew (as Wyatt): I am.
Sydney (as Cassidy): She didn't steal from us, which is why we let her have the option to stay. She had the opportunity to and didn't.
Drew (as Wyatt): Just assessing her qualifications.
Sydney: Cassidy shrugs in acknowledgement.
Drew (as Wyatt): Well, I mean, it's not really up to me anymore, so.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Is it not?
Aly: I think at that, Zee-o turns slightly and glances sideways up at Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm. No, I don't think it is. Unless you um don't have eyes, like me I guess. I'm not exactly at peak performance anymore.
Sydney: Cassidy nods.
Drew (as Wyatt): I don't want to keep doing this. I can't keep doing this.
Sydney (as Cassidy): This being on the run from the Aranebis assassins?
Drew (as Wyatt): That yes, but I can't keep doing what I did before. I can't keep being me, I guess. Or parts of me I guess. What I'm trying to say is this: The Patina is no longer me. It's you Cassidy. And you Emma, and Birdie, if that's what you want. The rigs yours. The Knights yours. I can't do anything with it anymore. I want to go home really bad and um, I don't know if I'm going to make it. But I'll try. And the further west we go, the further away we get from these Aranebis - I don't know if it's all the Aranebis or just them. But [sigh] what am I saying? Um. I'm done, is what I'm saying.
Aly: Is there something in the kitchen that Wyatt has left running?
Drew (as Wyatt): Oh yeah I gotta go. Let me let me go get that.
Drew: And he gets up.
Aly: Zee-o looks at the girls.
Sydney: Cassidy has a - she just looks expressionless, but she looks back at Zee-o.
Cameron: Emma looks kind of like she was expecting this after her conversation with Wyatt in the back of the truck.
Aly: It was a difficult winter.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm gathering that.
Aly (as Zee-o): I suppose you probably want a clearer picture of what happened.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That would be helpful.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt needed to go to the temple of Aranebis for the Remembering. I went with him. He completed his task, but as he was finishing the priests of Aranebis, turned and demanded that he leave me with them. He told them no. They attacked us. We fought our way out of the temple. I do not think we left any alive, but that does not mean that all of the priests of Aranebis in the city were there, which we soon found out. Wyatt was barely alive when we left. I need to define somewhere he could be safe, recover. Somewhere, I could take care of him. I promised. I promised Pallie I would take care of him. We missed the train. I am very sorry we missed the train.
Cameron (as Emma): I - you had more important things to worry about than catching the train.
Aly (as Zee-o): I kept him going just barely. I managed to find places we could hide in the city. Places I could keep him warm during the winter. Places I could find food for him and medicine and supplies. I had to find other clothing, had to learn how to blend in with others. Every now and then someone would come looking for us and we would have to move again. Eventually, I found some supplies that allowed me to fix some of Wyatt's deeper injuries, his internal,
Aly: They break off and they glance over at Wyatt.
Aly (as Zee-o): There was a lot missing. I had to replace it, but Wyatt got better. So we kept going. And as we said before, a little while ago, some more of them came looking for us and we had to flee the city, but Wyatt was not well. We tried to head east towards where we thought you might be. I found a ping along the way. It led us here. This compound this campus a long time ago must have belonged
Aly: And Zee-o shrugs out of their jacket and shrugs out of one of the shirts and then rolls up the other sleeve of the shirt underneath and shows on their shoulder the carved insignia into their chassis. There's a tree with a snake winding up around the trunk of the tree and there's a black star carved as well.
Aly (as Zee-o): I believe that there are pieces here that can help me finish fixing Wyatt, and then I will take him home.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We could go with you.
Aly (as Zee-o): I know but he would not want that.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh]
Aly (as Zee-o): You know him. You know how difficult this is.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yup.
Aly (as Zee-o): He does not want me to go with him either.
Sydney (as Cassidy): He can't do this by himself, I don't think.
Aly (as Zee-o): I know. He told me it is my choice and I have chosen. He does not know it yet.
Aly: And Zee-o looks across at Wyatt again. And there's almost in the weird light of the room a wistful expression on their face.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Is that your plan to take him back home?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): And then what?
Aly: They look at Cassidy.
Aly (as Zee-o): I promised I would take care of him. But you have so much more to do. And I, in trying to save Wyatt, I have found pieces of things I thought lost forever and I know that there is so much else I can discover if I keep looking.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Worlds big.
Aly (as Zee-o): Very. You have survived the winter. You have kept each other safe across many miles and it sounds like a number of hardships. You are beyond ready. This is not just Wyatt retiring. It is time. You are your own now.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh]
Aly (as Zee-o): That does not make it easier.
Sydney (as Cassidy): No.
Aly: And Zee-o reaches across the small distance, palm up fingers soft and open as though to offer to hold Cassidy's hand. Again, a very familiar universal human gesture that Zee-o has never made before.
Sydney: Cassidy looks at it and blinks and looks at Zee-o and then accepts the gesture and puts her hand in it because the comfort is welcome.
Aly: And Zee-o's fingers gently close around Cassidy's hand, and it's not a firm squeeze but it is a slight one.
Sydney: Cassidy squeezes back and looks across the room at Wyatt.
Drew: It's at the moment Wyatt turns around and goes
Drew (as Wyatt): Tea?
Drew: And he's got a kettle dangling from his skeletal arm and a tray and his other one that's got a bunch of tea cups on it. And by tea cups. I mean like little tin cups that they've cobbled together and kind of brings it over
Drew (as Wyatt): Anybody want any tea?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah!
Cameron (as Emma): That would be great.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): You're gonna have to pour it yourself, I'm sorry.
Drew: Sets it down. I think there's a little table that everyone settled around.
Cameron: Emma starts pouring tea for everyone.
Drew (as Wyatt): Thank you, Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.
Drew (as Wyatt): So, where will you guys go now?
Sydney: Cassidy just shakes her head.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We haven't - Our plan was to get here and find you.
Drew (as Wyatt): Well then, let's make a plan.
Drew: And he sits up.
Drew (as Wyatt): Birdie, where are you going?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, I'm not going anywhere in particular. I've never really had a place to go.
Aly (as Zee-o): Where would you like to go?
Drew (as Wyatt): Where are you from?
Kit (as Birdie): Um I grew up on on Sasnak Traveling.
Drew (as Wyatt): Oh?
Aly (as Zee-o): Oh.
Drew (as Wyatt): You did?
Aly (as Zee-o): Interesting.
Drew (as Wyatt): Do you know Gwendolyn?
Kit (as Birdie): No.
Drew (as Wyatt): She's the first sword of Sassenach.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Birdie, when did you leave?
Kit (as Birdie): Um, I was 16 when I left.
Drew (as Wyatt): And you're like 17? [someone snorts] 18?
Kit (as Birdie): 24.
Drew (as Wyatt): [incredulous] Really?! [laughing] I'm really bad at that aren't I?
Aly (as Zee-o): You are.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Aly (as Zee-o): Every time.
Drew (as Wyatt): So you wouldn't know Gwendolyn then.
Kit (as Birdie): Probably not. I'm sorry.
Drew (as Wyatt): That's all right. I've been Sasnak Traveling. It's a very nice city.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I think it's the only one, one of the only ones so far we haven't been thrown out of.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah, I think so.
Kit (as Birdie): That's good.
Drew (as Wyatt): I liked it.
Cameron (as Emma): Quite an accomplishment.
Kit (as Birdie): How many cities have you been thrown out of?
Drew (as Wyatt): Ohh a lot.
Aly (as Zee-o): I suppose that depends.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We got thrown out of Eagle Hill, too. So
Drew (as Wyatt): Wow.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We'll add that to the list.
Drew (as Wyatt): You're not really a mercenary unless you get thrown out of a city, right?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] That's what you told us the last couple of times.
Aly (as Zee-o): I suppose that depends on your definition of being thrown out. Whether someone is doing the throwing in an official capacity, or whether there is a reason within the group that prevents you from returning ever again.
Cameron (as Emma): Mmm.
Kit (as Birdie): Hmm.
Drew (as Wyatt): So do you want to go home Birdie? Is that the plan? Do you want to go back to Sasnak Traveling?
Kit: Birdie - this is the most conflict any one of you has ever seen on her face. She does a long exhale, and just goes,
Kit (as Birdie): You know what? I'm good.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, so not Sasnak? Well, you could either go north, south, east, I guess you've just came east, so west. Those are the three directions you really got.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] And you're going?
Drew (as Wyatt): West. I'll go west.
Sydney (as Cassidy): But we're not we're not going together.
Drew (as Wyatt): I can't move for, I don't know another three months, four months. And you're a mercenary crew - can't just sit around. Not during spring when there's jobs to do. People start moving in the spring, caravans to protect. This is prime time for good coin.
Sydney (as Cassidy): It is. [sigh] Honestly, I think if we're if you're both leaving, like I don't two people and a maybe passenger are not a crew. I don't know if we even have if we know we're going to have to go find someone or something.
Drew (as Wyatt): Cassidy, do you remember I told you on that lakeside when we had that drink? Was it Wawa?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Wawa.
Drew (as Wyatt): Do you remember what I told you?
Sydney (as Cassidy): A few things.
Drew (as Wyatt): I told you that if it really came down to it, that entire crew was me and you. You were my eyes. I was the hands. That's all a team really needs to be. You're still the eyes and Emma, she can be the hands.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We've already put it into practice.
Drew (as Wyatt): And that's your crew.
Cameron (as Emma): Went swimmingly.
Sydney (as Cassidy): She got the exo rig matching - she basically shimmed it to fit her.
Drew (as Wyatt): You don't have administration rights on it, do you?
Cameron (as Emma): No. I do not, which I learned as I was getting ready to use it.
Drew (as Wyatt): Well here. Zee-o?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): Do you mind starting dinner?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): Emma come with me. We're gonna go outside.
Cameron (as Emma): Okey dokey.
Drew (as Wyatt): And we see Wyatt, it takes him a good 30-40 seconds to get out of this chair. But he eventually does.
Drew (as Wyatt): [groan and coughing] All right here we go. All right.
Drew: We see him walk across this little area and get to the doors and open them and he goes
Drew (as Wyatt): Emma, Emma, [yelling] Emma! Come on.
Cameron: Emma looks conflicted as though she has both missed this yelling and it feels right for it to be happening again, but also that she has not missed this yelling. But she follows.
Sydney: Cassidy has a faint smile on her face as she sips her tea and doesn't watch them go.
Nick: And so we follow Emma and Wyatt outside into the mud and towards the rig. Where Wyatts combat armor is housed in its quick release harness.
Cameron: So the armor looks much better than it did the last time Wyatt saw it. The giant crack and dent that it had in the helm has been mostly repaired on the outside and you can assume from that then that probably means the screen was repaired on the inside. And it looks like it has been cleaned very thoroughly and kept clean, that maintenance has continued through. You do notice, though, that one of the ankles appears to have snapped a piece of the metal just a little bit.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm.
Drew: We see Wyatt go up to the armor that he reaches out and he puts a delicate hand on it.
Drew (as Wyatt): Would you look at that. Did you fix her up?
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, the radio even works.
Drew (as Wyatt): Really?
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, it's very fancy.
Drew (as Wyatt): That is very fancy. Goodness. Do you know where I got this armor?
Cameron (as Emma): No.
Drew (as Wyatt): Pallie made it. It's a hodgepodge of all my lieutenants - all of their armor.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh okay. I was gonna - I was getting concerned. [laughing]
Drew (as Wyatt): That's fair. That's fair. I didn't do that very well. What I mean is there's a hodgepodge of all of their armor. They were all killed when the Iron Hazard betrayed us. Pallie took bits and pieces of all of it and put it all together. I always feel like I carried them with me for a little while. Climb on in.
Drew: You see him reach in and click something in the armor [hydraulics noise] opens up.
Drew (as Wyatt): Climb on in.
Cameron: Emma climbs up.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. Now what you're going to do is on that left panel right there,
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm.
Drew (as Wyatt): You're going to input 77312.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Drew (as Wyatt): It's gonna bring down a drop down, you're gonna go to Administration.
Cameron (as Emma): All right.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay. Now I want you to get into the change. Right there. It's gonna say it's going to ask you to change administrators.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm.
Drew (as Wyatt): And it's gonna come up with a probably voice command, right?
Cameron (as Emma): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. Press it.
Drew: And we see Wyatt lean in and say in a loud voice.
Drew (as Wyatt): Authorization: Fisher of Men.
Drew: And there's a
Drew (as Exosuit): Authorization accepted. New administrator. Ready.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. Give it a code.
Cameron (as Emma): Do I need a cool nickname now?
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh, gosh. You didn't give me time to prepare! Hmm. Gosh, I don't know Wyatt I need help.
Drew (as Wyatt): How about... home run queen?
Cameron (as Emma): Okay, I like that one.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, say it.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay. Do I need to press the button again?
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah press it.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay. Home run queen.
Drew (as Exosuit): Administrator excepted. Adjusting.
Drew: And we see on the inside of the armor it begin to adjust to Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): [startled] Ahh!
Drew (as Wyatt): Don't move, don't move. Just let it happen.
Drew: And we see the arms shorten and the legs shorten as it compacts itself to go around her.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, wait one second.
Cameron (as Emma): [uncomfortable] Okay.
Drew: And then it goes.
Drew (as Exosuit): [ding] Calibration done.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, close her up and walk her out.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay~.
Cameron: Emma pulls the hood down.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Oh this fits so much better!
Drew (as Wyatt): Right? It's good. It's good Pallie work.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] That is so cool.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right when you're ready, pull the lever come on down.
Cameron: Emma reaches behind her and fumbles a little bit for it and yanks the lever to drop down.
Drew: And it [landing mech noise] and it fits great, Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Wow~.
Drew (as Wyatt): It's all yours now. Go ahead. Take a run. Take a lap.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Ooo well, I do have a broken ankle right now. So
Drew (as Wyatt): Hold on. Let me let me let me look at that.
Drew: When we see Wyatt kind of
Drew (as Wyatt): [groan]
Drew: get down and look at it.
Cameron: Emma daintily holds the ankle out.
Drew: And we see him rummage around, he's got his coat on, he rummages around and pulls out a bullet casing and he just puts it into the slot.
Drew (as Wyatt): That's not a permanent fix, but that will hold for a couple of battles.
Nick: And Wyatt the part but snapped - it's a piece that you've replaced before, but not often. The only way that could have broken would have been if a tremendous amount of torque had been placed at a strange angle on this suit. It's definitely the kind of damage that would happen if you use it in a way it's not intended.
Drew (as Wyatt): What are you doing with this anyway?
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Um.
Cameron: The mech suit scratches its head as Emma does that on the inside. [laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Um, so in the heroic rescue mission that I mentioned to you, uh we were more aiming for distraction than damage because we were heavily outnumbered. So my goal was to keep everybody's eyes on me while Cassidy picked people off and Birdie got in and rescued the person we needed to deliver mail to. Um so after throwing a tree into the camp,
Drew (as Wyatt): All right.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] I kind of just ran in and then to keep everybody's eyes on me, I just spun in a circle with my baseball bat.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Like really fast.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay. Can I ask you a question?
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Go for it.
Drew (as Wyatt): When you say you're outnumbered, what did you mean by that?
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Um well, there were 3 of us and about 30 of them.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. That's pretty big odds. No, I think that the distraction would work there. But remember in this, you are worth 10 men. That's why in my old mercenary company, we just had these and then their snipers. We were an army of like 20 people. In this you are a God. And this is just the small one. In this you are alright to wade into 10 people, 15 if you're lucky, and come out unscathed.
Cameron: Emma cocks a hip to the side and kind of leans.
Drew (as Wyatt): It looks good on you.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Thanks.
Cameron: The mech does finger guns.
Drew (as Wyatt): Good. Now, I'm gonna ask you a question.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Go for it.
Drew (as Wyatt): Do you want my great sword for this? Or are you more bludgeoning damage?
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Your - the the one you're using right now is a walking stick?
Drew (as Wyatt): I have a cane. I don't need that one. Besides, I want my sword back.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Oh, yeah.
Cameron: The mech throws a thumb pointed back towards the cab of the truck.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Your sword is still hanging up where it was.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right I'll get that in a second. But do you want my great sword?
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Uh.
Drew (as Wyatt): Or do you want to keep using something else?
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] I think I would like to have the option available to have the sword. I feel like I'm more of a blunt trauma type of person, but the swords got better reach than my bat does.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, then when you leave, it's yours.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Can I hold it in this?
Drew (as Wyatt): In this? Absolutely. Matter of fact, this is better suited than my my long sword. That's why Iokua had a great sword. I'm I had one too, but I lost it and I just use my regular sword. It's it works, but it doesn't work as well.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Yeah, you don't have quite the range to get fully around yourself in here.
Drew (as Wyatt): So yeah. It's yours.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] All right.
Cameron: Emma skips off and starts running around a little bit.
Drew: Wyatt just goes to the back of the truck and sits and just watches with a slight smile on his face.
Nick: And we cut away from that scene back inside where Zee-o is cooking dinner with Cassidy and Birdie.
Sydney: Cassidy keeps sipping her tea. It's actually not that bad for it being made in the ruins of this place where they live. They managed to have a creature comfort. They don't have more than one chair, but they have reasonable tea. She just looks over at Birdie and goes
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well this is the other half of the Patina until soon, I guess. Welcome to this situation.
Kit (as Birdie): You know, I'm, I'm happy to be here.
Sydney (as Cassidy): There's not how I maybe had been hoping it would have gone.
Kit (as Birdie): That's fair. Were you hoping that he would come back?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [long sigh] I think I was hoping it would just be the same... and it's not.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Loss in any sort of capacity really sucks, to put it lightly.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. Been a lot of that lately it feels like.
Kit: And Birdie's hand is very tightly holding her cup, but her face doesn't change.
Kit (as Birdie): You know, seeing you all together, you remind me a lot of my family.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Back on Sasnak?
Kit (as Birdie): You've got roles, and you work well together. And I don't know, it's been a long time since I've seen anything like that.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Why'd you leave? If you don't mind me asking.
Kit (as Birdie): Wasn't my choice. There was an accident and I - it's complicated, I suppose. It's - I mean, it's not really, there was an explosion and I was quite literally blown off the city, but, you know, I just I kind of made the excuse since it sort of moves that haven't gone back but been without it for so long that I think I'm afraid of it not being the same. I know it's not the same.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] No, it's not the same. Maybe it's never the same. Hey, Zee-o how's the food going?
Aly: It is almost done. Are you hungry?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well we'll say yes.
Aly: Zee-o pauses.
Aly (as Zee-o): Are you not hungry?
Sydney (as Cassidy): No.
Aly (as Zee-o): You are not not hungry?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yes.
Aly: Zee-o does a thing with their eyes, that's almost a squint and the light flickers and then goes back to normal.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I would be happy to have some food.
Aly (as Zee-o): Good. It is not much but we are happy to share.
Aly: Zee-o is dishing up pasta. But it's not like a good pasta. It's less that the noodles have shapes and more that they're just present.
Sydney: The bottoms of the pasta box, it's like a broken pieces of whatever.
Aly: Yeah, and there's some vegetables that have been cut and stir fried essentially. And of course there is the distinct aroma of cooked squirrel that's being added to the mix.
Sydney: Yeah, Cassidy is familiar with the smell and it's been a while since she's smelled it. It's like a nostalgic smell more than maybe a good smell now but it's definitely a smell full of memories.
Aly: And Zee-o dishes up enough for Emma and Wyatt and Birdie and Cassidy and sets it all out in a row. Moves things aside on the workbench so that they can lay it all out and carefully, painstakingly
Drew: [laugh] They eat next to the leg.
Aly (as Zee-o): These are ready for you if you want. When the others come back, we'll give them theirs
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's a nice ambiance here; the leg.
Aly (as Zee-o): Thank you.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, I suppose we've got Pallie's arm hanging out in the back of the rig too, so
Aly (as Zee-o): That's right.
Aly: And Zee-o stands up a little taller and says,
Aly (as Zee-o): Speaking of Pallie's arm, I wondered if we could have it.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That is a, sure. I mean, we - you have the claim on it. But why?
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt. Wyatt needs an arm. I believe that if I make the proper modifications to Pallie's arm, it would fit him.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That honestly would probably make Pallie super happy to have it go to her brother.
Aly (as Zee-o): I believe so. Although not before she got very cross that he lost an arm in the first place.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Ah, that's probably very true too. [sigh] I miss Pallie.
Aly (as Zee-o): I miss Pallie as well. Birdie, you would have liked her.
Kit (as Birdie): From what I've been told and what I've overheard, I would think the same.
Aly (as Zee-o): Everyone liked Pallie.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] Well, you wanna go outside and see what the kids are up to. I definitely heard the combat rig boot up.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes, I heard that as well. You stay. Eat. I will go fetch them.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay.
Aly: Zee-o gives a polite nod to both Cassidy and then Birdie and then excuses themself from the room and heads outside.
Sydney: Cassidy picks up a second bowl and hands it to Birdie on her way back to sit back on her bucket.
Kit (as Birdie): Thank you.
Nick: And we cut outside as Zee-o goes to ring the proverbial dinner bell. What scene do they come across?
Drew: I think it's just Wyatt sitting in the back of the truck watching Emma get the feel for the combat rig.
Cameron: Emma has moved on from running around and dodging and stuff. She's gotten some rolls in now and really has stopped seeing what the extent of the limitations are with the Exosuit and it's really now just having fun with it.
Drew: Also in the meantime, Wyatt has gone into the truck and pulled out most of his stuff at this point, like his trunk and his duffel bag, and pulls out his rifle, and he pulls out his sword and is pulling it all out by the truck. And I think he finds his guitar case. And he has it and he opens it. And he takes it out. And I think he goes and sits on the back of the truck. And he's holding it and he goes to strum it with his left hand, but he doesn't have it. And so he's playing really clunky chords or trying to play and just he stops and just holds it.
Aly: Zee-o comes out and sees this and gives Emma in the Exosuit a wide berth and comes to the edge of the truck.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hey Zee-o.
Aly (as Zee-o): Don't worry. It will come back to you.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay.
Aly (as Zee-o): I'm going to fix Pallie's arm for you.
Drew (as Wyatt): [sigh] I told you - [laugh] it's not like I forgot about it, but I just forgot about it.
Aly (as Zee-o): I think I know what to do. I think I know how I can make it work.
Drew (as Wyatt): Well, it's her- she was shorter than me.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): So the arm won't fit.
Aly (as Zee-o): It will.
Drew (as Wyatt): You gonna work on it?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay. I think I'd like that.
Aly (as Zee-o): I think so too.
Drew (as Wyatt): You know it's never the same - having a limb and then losing it. Even if you have something there to replace, it's never the same.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Drew (as Wyatt): Pallie used to talk about that, about how she'd still - she'd reach for things when she didn't have her arm on or how she'd still feel it - like it get hot or cold. I understand now. It's just hard.
Aly (as Zee-o): It will get easier.
Drew (as Wyatt): I choose to believe that. Should we go get it?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes, I will go get it.
Aly: And Zee-o goes and retrieves the arm and then stops on their way back out to look at the Knight thoughtfully. And I think there's a tiny moment where their eyes flicker and then they reach out and they touch the side of the Knight. Whatever's closest, whether it's the foot or the leg or whatever, and just touch it with one of their hands. And then they take their hand back and they come outside with the arm.
Aly (as Zee-o): Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Yeah?
Aly (as Zee-o): I'm going to take Pallie's arm. I'm going to retrofit it for Wyatt.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Oh, that's a good idea.
Cameron: Emma had stopped rolling around when she heard the few strums on the guitar, but then had seen that Wyatt and Zee-o were having a moment, so didn't approach but then once Zee-o started going up into the truck to grab the arm, she had started walking back over towards them.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Yeah uh, you found it?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Cameron (as Emma): [through exo suit speakers] Um. One second.
Cameron: Emma's looking around, shifting around slightly like she's figuring out how the controls work on the inside now that she has actual permissions to use all of them, and then the hud pops up, so she can see everyone again through her own eyes.
Cameron (as Emma): Could you do me a favor before you take it?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes.
Cameron (as Emma): So while we were in Eagle Hill and I was trying to find Pallie's notes on the Knight, I figured out that she had kept an audio journal in a recording device in the arm.
Drew (as Wyatt): What?
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, uh it seems like there's multiple files. The only one that I could figure out how to access was the most recent one that she had, which was entirely about the Knight. It started right after y'all found it, and she started working on it. Do you think that there's a way that you could transfer that into something that we could keep as well?
Aly (as Zee-o): Oh. Yes, I believe so.
Aly: And Zee-o, holding Pallie's arm looks down at it, and does a cursory scan of the contents of the arm just to see if they can locate where it is.
Aly (as Zee-o): Oh, yes. Where would you like me to transfer the files?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh, I mean, what do you think we have that could hold them?
Aly (as Zee-o): The Knight.
Cameron (as Emma): All right, that works for me. Would you mind showing me how I might access them once they're in there?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes. Let me see what I can do.
Aly: And I think Zee-o goes back into the rig to analyze how the recording device worked for Pallie's arm and figure out how to - it's going to be like an old school CD burning thing, where like, first Zee-o has to figure out the arm and then download the files into their own database, and then they have to upload the files to the Knight, and then they have to explain to Emma how to get to the files inside the Knight, so I think it's gonna be a complicated multi step process. But as they settle in to start figuring this out, they call
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hmm?
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): What?
Aly (as Zee-o): Go inside and eat dinner?
Drew (as Wyatt): [grumbling] Okay.
Aly (as Zee-o): Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah?
Aly (as Zee-o): Go inside and eat dinner.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Aly (as Zee-o): Do not let Wyatt not eat dinner.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right.
Cameron (as Emma): You can count on me.
Drew (as Wyatt): Hey, Emma. Emma!
Cameron (as Emma): Wyatt I am right here!
Drew (as Wyatt): I just need help getting up.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh, yeah. Let me get out of this so I can go inside. One sec.
Cameron: Emma jogs over to where the rack is for the Exosuit and gets herself out of it and heads back over to Wyatt to help him up.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right here we go.
Aly (as Zee-o): Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Yes?
Aly (as Zee-o): Help Wyatt take his things inside.
Cameron (as Emma): Okie dokie.
Cameron: Emma leans down and grabs the duffel bag and the sword and then holds out her other arm for Wyatt to use as assistance getting up.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): What? What is it Zee-o?
Aly: They look at him down the length of the truck rig, their eyes glowing in the shadows.
Aly (as Zee-o): Eat dinner.
Drew (as Wyatt): I will eat dinner.
Aly (as Zee-o): All of it.
Drew (as Wyatt): I will.
Aly (as Zee-o): Good.
Drew: We see Wyatt take Emma's arm as they move to go and he goes.
Drew (as Wyatt): I'm not gonna eat all of it.
Cameron (as Emma): I'm gonna tell on you if you don't eat all of it.
Drew (as Wyatt): You know, you're not going to tell on me.
Cameron (as Emma): I'm gonna tell on you.
Drew (as Wyatt): You're you're not gonna tell me. Do you know why?
Cameron (as Emma): Why?
Drew (as Wyatt): You don't know everything about that combat rig yet.
Cameron: Emma makes eyes at Wyatt, kinda glares at him. And then her eyes soften and she says
Cameron (as Emma): I think you should really listen to the recordings when you have a moment.
Drew (as Wyatt): I'll listen to them tonight. You leave tomorrow, right?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh. Probably.
Drew (as Wyatt): Alright, then I'll listen to them tonight.
Sydney: As they're walking into the building, Cassidy walks out to see where they're at just in time to see them enter behind her and then wanders out to the back of the rig. Because she's done eating. They took too long [laugh] and sees the guitar sitting on the bed of the truck and Zee-o maybe poking around with the Knight.
Aly: Yeah, I think Zee-o is in the rig, analyzing, downloading the files to themselves first, and they hear Cassidy and tilt their head in her direction, but they don't say anything.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [short sigh] Wyatt tried to play?
Aly (as Zee-o): He did.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Did he succeed?
Aly (as Zee-o): No.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hmm.
Aly (as Zee-o): His arm currently is simply not articulated enough.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, it's a sword mount.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes. But once I fix Pallie's arm, it will come back to him.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hopefully.
Aly (as Zee-o): It will.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] What are you up to?
Aly (as Zee-o): Emma told me of Pallie's files. I am downloading them so that I can upload them to the Knight. That way when we take Pallie's arm, you and Emma will still have access to Pallie's journal.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That seems good.
Aly (as Zee-o): It does. It is important that we each have a part of her.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I think that's - Yeah.
Aly (as Zee-o): Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Zee-o?
Aly (as Zee-o): Are you alright?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy just shrugs.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [false sentence starts and sigh]
Aly (as Zee-o): You are disappointed.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Zee-o I finally I found my friends and they're, we're some, we're not staying together. The last six months I've been trying to back to you waiting for you. And now we're gone again.
Aly (as Zee-o): You are disappointed.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I suppose.
Aly (as Zee-o): You are sad.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That's probably more likely.
Aly (as Zee-o): Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Zee-o.
Aly (as Zee-o): What do you want most in this world?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] That is a good question. I don't think I have an answer for you right now.
Aly (as Zee-o): That is all right. Not everyone has an answer to that question. I think the answer to that question changes over time for different people. I think for a long time, Wyatt's answer to that question was one thing, but his actions suggested another answer. I think when things went so badly in Tree All, it forced him to reevaluate, but for what it is worth, I believe the thing that he really wanted, he has accomplished and now he wants something else.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] He wants to go home.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes, but part of why he wants that is because he succeeded at the other thing he wanted, which was to do right by others, and to help make sure that you and Emma would be all right.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] I think we'll be all right. Eventually.
Aly (as Zee-o): You have proven that.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We made it this far.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes. If nothing else, you will be all right for spite to prove him wrong.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh, that - yeah. Well, [small laugh] maybe not out of the question. [sigh]
Aly (as Zee-o): If he did not think that you would be all right, he would not leave.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, maybe. He's not gonna - if I, if I'm the one that plays the music tonight, he's not gonna see it as a slight?
Aly (as Zee-o)” What do you mean?
Sydney (as Cassidy)” That I'm trying to do something that he can't.
Aly: Zee-o tips their head back almost thoughtfully.
Aly (as Zee-o): That is an interesting question. I do not know the answer. But you care.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I do. [sigh] Good luck with moving files.
Aly (as Zee-o): Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Zee-o.
Aly (as Zee-o): Play the music.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] Okay.
Aly (as Zee-o): Show him.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Then Cassidy leaves the back of the rig.
Nick: Dinner passes peacefully. Wyatt does not eat all of his dinner, but does eat more than he was intending to under Emma's watchful eye.
Cameron: When it becomes clear that Wyatt is not going to eat any more of it, Emma finishes it so that Zee-o doesn't get upset. And now they are co-collaborators. [laugh]
Nick: And after Emma eats what's left so that Zee-o won't know, they share a moment of conspiracy as the rest of the group files in and out looking at this small hideaway that Wyatt and Zee-o have made, eating and trying to rest and come to terms with what lies ahead. And later into the evening, someone has the idea on this first warm spring night to start a campfire outside by the rig. One last campfire. We see a circle of fire light and Cassidy adding twigs and then larger sticks to a comfortable campfire, seated out by the rig and she starts alone, but she's not alone for long.
Drew: I think Wyatt goes out and joins. After sitting there after dinner, everything's put away, everyone's sitting around talking a little bit, Wyatt looks outside and he sees the fire light and he goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah, one last fireside sounds good to me.
Drew: And he gets up and hobbles his way outside to go and sit. But before he goes and sits he goes back into the cabin and he pulls out the bottle and the box with the bottle and the glasses in it. And he takes out the bottle and all the glasses and he goes to put the box away and he thinks better of it and he takes it with him. And he sits down at the fireside and he looks at the box and he tosses it onto the fire.
Drew (as Wyatt): I won't be needing that anymore. Drink?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Last of the bottle?
Drew (as Wyatt): Last of the bottle.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh]
Sydney: Cassidy takes the shot glass and holds it up in a cheers gesture to Wyatt as he sits down.
Drew: He sits down, pours his own and says
Drew (as Wyatt): Hey! Hey! I'm not done with this place yet. When you leave tomorrow, then I'm not in charge. Come on out here. If you don't mind.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah go for it.
Drew (as Wyatt): Get your asses out here!
Cameron: We cut briefly to inside.
Drew (as Wyatt): We're drinking!
Cameron: And Emma is standing up next to where she was sitting next to Birdie. She says,
Cameron (as Emma): This yelling thing happens a lot.
Kit (as Birdie): I can tell.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Emma!
Cameron (as Emma): Gah we should-
Sydney (as Cassidy): Birdie!
Cameron (as Emma): we
Sydney (as Cassidy): Zee-o!
Cameron (as Emma): should go outside. They're just gonna keep yelling.
Kit (as Birdie): Is Cassidy -
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah come on!
Kit (as Birdie): Does Cassidy normally yell?
Cameron (as Emma): No, Cassidy does not normally yell.
Drew: To which Wyatt looks over puts his hand on Cassidy's shoulder and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): The mantle falls on you now. You have to yell at them. Come on!
Cameron: Emma shakes her head at Birdie and heads to the fire, at a jog so that Wyatt stops yelling.
Drew: And he pours a glass and hands it to you as you come on up.
Cameron: Emma takes it and sits down.
Kit: Birdie comes up behind Emma, she's walking quickly, not really jogging. She doesn't know if Wyatt will just keep yelling or not.
Drew: And Wyatt pours a glass and hands it to Birdie.
Kit: She nods and sits down.
Drew (as Wyatt): Where's Zee-o?.
Aly (as Zee-o): I am busy.
Aly: It echoes a little because it's from the inside of the truck.
Drew (as Wyatt): Alright, that's fine. They're not gonna drink this anyway. A toast to the Patina.
Sydney (as Cassidy): To the Patina.
Cameron (as Emma): To the Patina.
Kit (as Birdie): To the Patina.
Drew: And we all take a drink.
Nick: There's a moment of the fire crackling, and the silence is companionable. That awkwardness of being apart is gone in the fire light. Wyatt and Cassidy's echoes dissipate into the woods from their screaming and Cassidy, this is what it felt like before. This is what you were hoping it would be like again, but maybe one last night isn't so bad.
Sydney: Cassidy looks into the fire for a little bit and then stands up and goes to the side of the rig and starts rummaging around in her trunk and comes back with a briefcase looking thing. Wyatt knows what this is, but it's probably been years and no one else probably does.
Drew (as Wyatt): You're gonna play?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I think tonight might be a good night for it.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah. I'd love to hear that.
Sydney: Then Cassidy opens up the briefcase. It just is circuitry inside and she hits a couple of buttons and then there's a low whirring that kicks in and a piano keyboard made of light jumps up basically into Cassidy's lap in front of her. It doesn't leave a shadow, but the edges of the keys are all traced in a hard red light with fuzzy edges on it. She lays her hands on it, and it reacts to her touch and the keys, she gingerly puts, you know, finger weight on the keys and they sink down as she reacquaints herself with it. And she starts to play and it - it's a simple, wistful song, at least this first one. There's not a lot of rapid note playing or advanced techniques to it. But the chords are thick. Birdie, it's possible that she recognizes this. This is a pretty well known Mellow Tone jazz standard.
Kit: Birdie does recognize it, and she's smiling.
Sydney: And Cassidy just plays the simple accompaniment on the left hand and melody on the right and it's not flashy, but it is pleasant.
Nick: And Zee-o you hear the beginning of music. It doesn't bring back memories, but it brings back feelings from before. What are you doing in the back of the rig?
Aly: At this stage, Zee-o has finished downloading the files from Pallie's journal into themselves from the arm and they are now booting up the Knight. Not like a hard reboot where the whole thing is going to come online, just the computer, just the main motherboard. They're they're booting up the Knight enough that they can communicate with it. And once the Knight is online enough to communicate, they try to see if they can do it wirelessly and it's not it's not going to work. So if they reach out, they pull one of the panels off of the Knight and they find a place to jack in.
Nick: Is Zee-o sitting in the cockpit? Where have they set up to do this transfer?
Aly: In realizing that it's not going to work wirelessly, Zee-o opens the cockpit and climbs in and places themselves where a pilot would be. So they climb up in there and they jack in manually from the control center to communicate with the Knight. And there's a moment where everything is humming and there's some soft bleeps happening and then everything goes dark for Zee-o. But from an outside perspective, the Knight is still humming, Zee-o is still online, their eyes are still open and glowing, and the Knight is still on, but from Zee-o's perspective, everything goes dark and silent for a moment. And then when the senses return, Zee-o is standing in a dark hallway. It goes on in both directions ahead of them and behind them.
It's a wide corridor, kind of squarish. There's no doors. It's just a long hall from point A to point B kind of a thing. And they're standing in the middle of this hallway next to a portrait on the wall and the portrait, it's dark, so it's hard to see, but the portrait looks like it's probably the right one and so Zee-o reaches over and swings the frame out of the way and there's a little control panel there that looks familiar to them. So they use that to plug into to try to upload the files from Pallie's journal in the middle of this dark hallway. It's dark, but it's not scary. It feels like they've snuck out of bed in the middle of the night to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. And the little light on the control panel feels like the light from the fridge. It's not scary. It's very comfortable. It's very familiar.
Nick: Zee-o, as you start this upload, you've always thought about the Knight as almost a sibling or a cousin, something like you yet not like you. And though you've had a special connection with it in the past and have been able to do things that much to your own confusion, others could not, for the first time with this deep connection, you get a response. Not just a motion or a status, you feel through this connection a feeling; a feeling of welcome and warmth like the Knight is reaching back.
Aly: Zee-o still has the cord jacked into the panel behind this picture frame but they lean back a little bit and look up the hallway in the dark and then down the hallway in the dark, glance towards the ceiling.
Aly (as Zee-o): Hello?
Nick: The feeling strengthens. If you could put an emotional background to a sleepy smile, to a long stretch, to kicking back covers after a cold winter's night, that would be this feeling. And you find yourself wondering how the Knight can communicate this way and also wondering why you know what that feels like.
Aly: Zee-o tips their head to the side a little bit, then nods.
Aly (as Zee-o): I'm glad you're all right. Still in one piece anyway.
Nick: You see a motion down this hallway in the dark, a hulking silhouette, one that fills the hallway impossibly, bigger than the hallway itself could be by your own perception yet still fitting comfortably. And a massive hand gives a hesitant wave.
Aly: Zee-o nods and waves back a little more comfortably in their body than this form seems to be.
Aly (as Zee-o): It's going to be okay, you know? They're taking care of you and um, I'm giving you a piece of Pallie to hold on to. I hope that's okay.
Nick: The silhouette seems to shrink just a little bit. And you hear, not down the hallway, but inside of you a voice say
Nick (as The Knight): They will be okay. I will be okay.
Aly: Zee-o nods.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yeah, exactly. That's um, kind of how it works. We keep going. We keep trying and we take care of each other. That's that's how it works. And um, I uh, I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you more.
Nick (as The Knight): You will be okay?
Aly (as Zee-o): Yeah. [laugh] Yeah, I will. I'm, I'm, I'm going to be okay. I'm figuring things out. And um, I'm going to help Wyatt, and I'm going to figure things out. Things about us, things about me and you and how, how we got here, how all this happened? I know I - sorry. I know that's a lot. That's a lot for you. I don't I don't mean to dump that on you right now. Um but it's kind of like, the longer you're awake, the more questions you might have. Although I don't know, maybe you won't have as many questions as I do, I mean, we're, we're built a little differently. But uh [sigh] it's okay. I think that's part of it is that we have to keep going and we have to figure it out kind of on our own, right? But together too, eh but apart at the same time. It's it's complicated. I don't think it was meant to be this complicated.
Nick (as The Knight): Complicated. Com-complicated.
Aly (as Zee-o): Yeah.
Nick: And you get this feeling of self assurance, of strength, this contact with the Knight, with whatever you found in here, it's not an entity that doubts itself. And you feel a little more confident in yourself having talked to it a little bit.
Aly: Zee-o is watching the lights on the panel finish their loading pattern, and it finishes and they hesitate to pull the plug on it. They put their hand out and then they wait, just a moment.
Aly (as Zee-o): Um. I I think, I think it's a good thing that they have you and that you have them. And I think there are things out there still that we don't even know that we're looking for, all of us, but we're going to find them and it's it's going to be worth it.
Nick: The silhouette hasn't moved since its hesitant wave, but you feel more than see a kind nod from that direction, you feel but don't see a smile and you get a feeling that is just like when you nudge the back of a baby bird to get it to move off of a perch, just a gentle and benevolent nudge back into your chassis and back to your friends.
Aly: Zee-o reaches to pull the plug and as they do, their hands don't look like their hands. And as they see this in the dark of the hallway, they turn their hands back and forth and then there's something damp on their cheek, and they reach up and they brush it away and then it goes dark again. And when they open their eyes, they're sitting in the cockpit of the Knight, listening to the sounds of the evening, and the fire and Cassidy playing the piano, and they climb out of the rig, and they gently nudge the Knight back to sleep.
Nick: And as you leave the back of the rig and join your friends for one last campfire, you faintly note that a part of you is missing. Not just the knowledge of Pallie that you downloaded, but potentially something more. But now isn't the time to figure out what. Now is the time to be with your friends. And we see that dark hallway, comfortable, light emanating from behind the now closed portrait and that large, strong silhouette. And the silhouette is backlit by a deep red light. In a different voice than the one we heard before, we hear
Nick (as The Knight): We will be okay.
Nick: And the Knight falls back asleep and the hallway fades away. And back out by the campfire, the rest of the Patina see Zee-o hop down and enter the fire light.
Drew (as Wyatt): How'd it go?
Aly (as Zee-o): Good. It went fine.
Drew (as Wyatt): Good.
Aly (as Zee-o): I have retrieved a copy of Pallie's journals for us as well.
Drew (as Wyatt): That's good.
Aly (as Zee-o): It seemed right that we should each have a part of her.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah. It does.
Aly (as Zee-o): The Knight is doing well.
Drew (as Wyatt): Oh, okay.
Aly (as Zee-o): When I connected to the Knight, it seemed as though it were doing better. Pieces of it are coming back that were lost.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay then, that makes sense. Well, it's it's getting late. So if y'all are gonna go tomorrow then you should get an early start. Can I Can I ask a favor of everybody?
Cameron (as Emma): Sure.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sure.
Drew (as Wyatt): Can I sleep in the truck? Just one last time?
Cameron (as Emma): Of course.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I think that's fine.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay. Okay. [long sigh] All right. How about a song. One last song? Yes. No. Everyone's so damn quiet. What's going on?
Cameron: Emma had just looked over at Cassidy as she was the person with a musical instrument.
Sydney: Cassidy was looking back at Wyatt with her eyebrows raised.
Drew (as Wyatt): Look, this is not an end. It's just a start of something new. Will I see you again? Maybe, maybe I won't. But we spent every day like it was our last and if you do that, you can't regret anything. We had adventures. We had danger. But most of all, we had each other. So let's just play one last song and call it good.
Drew: And we see Wyatt go over and pick up his guitar. And he sits down with it.
Drew (as Wyatt): What do you want to play Cassidy? You're in charge.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, we - you got a couple of songs, you know, so, you want option one or option two?
Drew: We see him take out like a square and flip it.
Drew (as Wyatt): Looks like tails.
Drew: Which you know is funny because there's nothing on the squares.
Aly: Zee-o looks meaningfully at Emma.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Do you want to do the remembering song then?
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah, let's do that one.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I've been practicing it, so I think I know it now.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, I'll follow you.
Sydney: And Cassidy goes into that same song that they played at the campfire after Wawa and over the Jeep when Pallie was still around, And then eventually after Pallie. Cassidy has layered one more set of flavor notes into the chords that Wyatt had been using so that it is the same song, but there's more to it now. They build on each other as they play.
Drew: And I think Wyatt, he tries his very best, but it's slower than it used to be. It's not as quick it's not as agile, but it is and he does it. I think we see everyone sitting around the fire, listening to the song.
Nick: The plaintive notes of the guitar and the mournful chords of the piano twine around each other drifting into the night above the trees and below the moon. And it's not long after that, that each member of the Patina heads off to bed. Zee-o heads off to think, Wyatt beds down in the truck. Cassidy and Emma head inside and Birdie feels more welcome and she has so far with this group and feels a sense of history that goes beyond the people around this fire. And the next thing we see is Emma and Cassidy and Birdie standing in front of the rig. Everything is packed. They're not sure exactly what their plan is yet, but they'll figure one out, but everyone knows it's time to move on. And they're working on saying their goodbyes.
Drew: Wyatt is standing there in the early dawn. He doesn't have the zweihänder sword anymore, he has a cane like an actual cane. And we see him standing there, his coat on looking at the three of them.
Aly: Zee-o is coming back to where the rig is parked after having spent some time rummaging around in other parts of the complex and has brought a big crate full of tools and supplies, materials and stuff that they are going to present to Cassidy and Emma and Birdie to take with them.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. Looks like this is day one of a new day. That doesn't make any fucking sense, let me start over.
Aly (as Zee-o): Why did you say it like that?
Drew: And he turns around, he just turns around. He's like,
Drew (as Wyatt): [on exhale] Oh my god.
Sydney: Cassidy looks at Emma and looks at Birdie, and then looks back to Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): Look you fuckers.
Sydney: Cassidy nods in acceptance.
Drew (as Wyatt): You're a mercenary crew. All you have is each other from here on out. If you add people make sure they're the best. If you take a job, you make sure you finish it and you make sure you get paid. Always. You do the dangerous shit so other people don't have to. Make sure they remember that. Now, Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): Do you have my zweihänder, right?
Cameron (as Emma): I do.
Drew (as Wyatt): Good. There's also,
Drew: He like reaches and he pulls out a data stick and he puts it in her hand.
Drew (as Wyatt): Those are sword lessons if you want to watch them.
Cameron (as Emma): Ooh~.
Drew (as Wyatt): Go through them. But remember, don't try to be me. Don't try to do what I did. Be you. That's your combat rig. This is your group. You are their hands. Got it?
Cameron: Emma nods solemnly accepting this responsibility.
Drew (as Wyatt): And don't be a smartass about it.
Cameron (as Emma): I don't think I'd fit in if I wasn't though, is the thing.
Sydney: Cassidy grins from behind her.
Drew (as Wyatt): That's true. And I did tell you to be yourself, so fine. Be a smartass about it.
Cameron (as Emma): I will. Thank you.
Drew (as Wyatt): And make sure you give Cassidy hell.
Cameron (as Emma): I can probably manage that.
Drew (as Wyatt): Good. I feel better about that. Birdie.
Kit (as Birdie): [long pause] Yes, Captain?
Drew (as Wyatt): Took you a while to pick up on that, are you okay?
Kit (as Birdie): [laughing] I wasn't sure what to call you.
Drew (as Wyatt): You can just call me Wyatt.
Kit (as Birdie): Yes Wyatt?
Drew (as Wyatt): Now you're new and I like you. You got, I don't know, spunk to you. Just don't steal their shit. If you're gonna steal shit, make sure it's somebody else's shit. And don't get caught. You reflect on this team.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Drew (as Wyatt): What you do is what they do. Got it?
Kit (as Birdie): You know what? Yeah, I like that.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right. Now I'm gonna give you,
Drew: And we see Wyatt reach back into his pocket. And he's like,
Drew (as Wyatt): What the shit it's gone.
Drew: And he like, pats his pockets
Drew (as Wyatt): Oh, I was gonna give you a knife. But maybe it's inside. Zee-o do want to go inside?
Aly (as Zee-o): You had it on you.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah, I know, but
Kit (as Birdie): Is it the knife with a cool handle?
Drew (as Wyatt): Uh, yeah. Yeah, it's cool handle.
Kit: She just reaches into her back pocket and pulls it out.
Drew: He takes it, looks at it and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): Well, it looks like you're gonna fit in here.
Drew: And he puts it back into her hand.
Kit (as Birdie): Thank you.
Drew (as Wyatt): Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): It's up to you now.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh]
Drew (as Wyatt): Remember, your choices reflect on everybody. It's your job. It's not an easy one. But I believe you can do it.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'll do my best.
Drew (as Wyatt): That's all I've ever asked.
Drew: And he reaches in and he gives her a hug.
Sydney: Cassidy takes a second. [laugh] Caught probably more by surprise by this than by anything, and then returns the hug.
Drew: And in her ear he says
Drew (as Wyatt): I don't blame you. I never did.
Drew: And he lets go.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right fuckers, get out of here.
Aly (as Zee-o): I brought you these.
Aly: Zee-o steps in and holds out this crate. It's a goodly sized tote that you would use when moving out of your dorm perhaps. In this big crate full of stuff, some of its tools, some of its provisions, some of it is things that they have pulled apart from the inside of this compound that could be used for other things like storage or various and sundry things that are still usable that would be good for them to take on the road with them.
Aly (as Zee-o): I thought perhaps you might be able to use them.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh, thank you.
Cameron: Emma takes it and is interestedly looking around at all of the goodies inside.
Aly (as Zee-o): If they are broken, I apologize.
Drew (as Wyatt): If they're broken they can fix them.
Aly (as Zee-o): Maybe.
Drew (as Wyatt): Why-what do you mean maybe? They got Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): I can try at least.
Aly (as Zee-o): And if you can't perhaps they will be worth something in trade.
Drew (as Wyatt): All right, everybody.
Drew: And we see Wyatt turn around and look at them.
Drew (as Wyatt): Patina is yours. Don't fuck it up.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Take care of each other.
Drew (as Wyatt): You take care of each other.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You take care of each other first.
Drew (as Wyatt): No, you take care of each other first because you'll be on the road first.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh my gosh, children.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We're not the ones being attacked by a bunch of church assassin.
Drew (as Wyatt): Get in the truck.
Aly (as Zee-o): It was nice to meet you, Birdie.
Drew (as Wyatt): Go back inside.
Kit (as Birdie): It was nice to meet you too.
Drew (as Wyatt): I will go back inside when you drive away,
Aly: Zee-o is gently putting their arm around Wyatt to slowly start to take him back.
Drew (as Wyatt): I am not an old man. Will you stop that?
Aly (as Zee-o): Goodbye.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] Bye.
Cameron (as Emma): Bye.
Drew (as Wyatt): Remember, only takes the good jobs that are gonna pay you well.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): And always have exchange money.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): Wherever you go.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): And squirrels are a good meal in a pinch.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Cameron: Emma runs back over and gives both of them a hug at the same time, just one arm around each of them and then runs back to the truck.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt they know.
Drew (as Wyatt): Yeah. I know.
Sydney: Cassidy gives him a sharp salute.
Drew: And he returns it.
Sydney: And then she about faces and climbs into the rig.
Nick: And the rig rumbles to life, kicking up a little dust as it's thrown into gear and turns to drive out of this safe haven. And maybe the dirt has dried a little more than expected in the spring because it sure looks like a lot of people have dust in their eyes as the rig drives into the forest, leaving behind a mentor and a guardian. A piece of the past and a piece of the future.
[hurdy gurdy music swells]
Outro: Aly (as Zee-o): End of episode. Commencing end credits. The following information will be placed in the show notes for your added convenience.
This has been A Knight of Shreds and Patches, an actual play podcast using the Genesys game system from Fantasy Flight Games. The show is edited by Sydney Whittington, and features the talents of:
Drew Mierzejewski as Wyatt. Drew can be found on Twitter @ worldstoforge and is the showrunner for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call, an all-ages actual play podcast set in the world of Spéir, designed by James D’Amato.
Aly Grauer as Zee-o. Aly can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ dreamstobecome. Aly is also a player on and audio editor for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call. You can support both Aly and Drew by joining their Patreon @ Patreon.com/WhimsyArtifice.
Kit Adames as Birdie. Kit can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor for Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast that can be accessed on Spotify and YouTube.
Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt.
Cameron Robertson as Emma. Cameron can be found on Twitter @ midnightmusic13 and on Instagram @ reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.
And Nick Robertson as narrator. Nick can be found on Twitter @ alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron, which you can support @ Patreon.com/TabletopSquadron
This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.
The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @ rashedjrs.
You can follow the Patina on Twitter @ akosap_podcast or visit the website: www.akosap.com. Until next time…
...Audio Offline. [hurdy gurdy fades]