A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript Season 2 Episode 18: Symbol of a Nice Night Transcript by Cameron Robertson
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 –
Penn: Penn Van Batavia as Marathon Messenger.
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:
As always, thanks for listening! Each and every one of you is the best, and don’t think very hard about how that logic works or I’ll start getting overly semantic. And if you’re not in a position where you can listen, we provide transcripts with every episode, prepared by our lovely Cameron [Cameron: hello there!], which you can find on our website, www.akosap.com. Also fully transcripted is our Patreon, which gives you access to bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into Season 2, Episode 18: Symbol of a Nice Night. 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] Cameron (as Emma): Last time on a Knight of Shreds and Patches, we got the Abyss to go back to sleep and mostly saved the town - there is a rather large sink hole now and some missing buildings... Honestly I think that’s better than could be expected based on our time limit and the overall unhelpfulness of the Advantia even though it’s their freaking compound and wild tech. We’re all mostly uninjured - although Marathon kinda looks like she fought a can opener and lost - but I’m ready to leave and I think we could all use a good night's sleep far away from giant mechanical monsters. [radio static]
Episode Start:
Nick: The view from above Iota has changed dramatically since the Patina first arrived. Where there was once a small town overseen by an Advantia enclave behind walls, there is now a large crater having consumed part of the town. The walls of the Advantia enclave have been damaged, the doors burst down, pillars of smoke rise from the signs of conflict, explosions in combat, but the day is won. The Patina begins to assess what has happened and to pack up for the next leg of their journey. What is each person doing before setting out again on the road?
Kit: Birdie, who was propped up against this panel has now had a couple of moments to just breathe and try and get her thoughts and also energy in order to start making it out of the enclave and out of the town of Iota hopefully soon, and will groan while standing up and is going to go and check on her patient from earlier. While just
Kit (as Birdie): [sounding quite pained] Okay. Yeah, and~ yeah. [voice pinched] Okay. Everything's great. [sounds the opposite)
Kit: Through the rooms to get back to Jolene.
Nick: You're able to make your way there slowly. Jolene is where you left her. The Advantia heeded your warning and didn't interfere. She seems stable but is still unconscious.
Kit: Birdie is just going to check on everything and make sure that the wound that she patched up isn't doing too badly and is just going to sit down next to Jolene's unconscious body and be like,
Kit (as Birdie): [tired] Oh, it's been a really long day, huh?
Kit: To just know what in particular. [laugh]
Nick: Some of the Advantia on the far side of the room make uneasy eye contact wondering if they're supposed to answer the question or not.
Kit: Birdie isn't really looking at them. She's trying to look for Cassidy and when she's coming in.
Cameron: So now that it has gotten quiet, while everything is not currently on fire and falling apart, we still do need to get this pump room functioning quickly to keep that the case, so Emma is continuing to work with Cal and Vidia to get the other pump up and running and make sure that there's enough slurry, there's stockpile that this can keep running for forever, hopefully. And while they're doing this is complimenting them on how they took charge of the situation and how she really appreciates their help and is trying to just make them feel really good about the fact that they accomplished this.
Nick: Cal and Vidia are nodding along and they both look a little uncomfortable with the amount of praise that you're giving them but you see them slip each other's hands into each other and hold their hands and give a gentle squeeze before they turn and get back to work.
Penn: Marathon is just helping throw around these cans of slurry. The blood that was on her hands is dried and cracking off, but there's enough cuts on the rest of her body that there is [laughing] just the same amount of blood all over her. She looks not nearly as exhausted as Birdie, but definitely feeling a crash of sorts.
Nick: The pump room is gotten into as good of order as it can be at this point and Emma and Marathon begin the long climb up the stairs and back to the main meeting room where the Advants not that long ago were being held hostage.
Cameron: There's a very obvious speed difference in how quickly Emma and Marathon are going up the stairs compared to how quickly they ran down here earlier. They're both dragging a little bit.
Penn (as Marathon): [needs a nap] How many stairs? I swear it was only like one flight on the way down.
Cameron (as Emma): [also needs a nap] I think they're just - I think it's growing. I think there's more now.
Penn (as Marathon): Yup, that's our luck.
Cameron (as Emma): [tired concern] Are we going the right way?
Penn (as Marathon): No. [laugh] Don't start this again.
Penn: And yeah, do we see Birdie when we get up or - ?
Kit: Yeah, Birdie has gone from talking to herself slash Jolene to calling the Advantia members over or at least trying to get their attention and is scolding them in the way that an older sibling would.
Penn: That's what we see as we enter this atrium and Marathon just gives a go ahead signal to Emma and she turns and just lays on the ground in this blood next to Jolene.
Kit (as Birdie): Marathon why are you laying in the blood?
Penn (as Marathon): I - you know, uh -
Penn: [laughing] And you can see that while she's laying down Marathon's subtly reaching into Jolene's pockets to just check for some coins.
Kit (as Birdie): [groan]
Penn (as Marathon): [little bit awkward] Sorry, I'm just - We bonded, okay?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, okay. Yeah, whatever.
Kit: And she just turns back to the Advantia.
Kit (as Birdie): [continues tirade] And I can't believe - Don't - come back here!
Penn (as Marathon): You all good Joe? I don't know.
Penn: Does Marathon find any money?
Nick: Yeah, but not a lot - you're rifling through her pockets for spare change. Marathon as you dig through Jolene's blood soaked pockets, the woman who you had bonded with who has now been shot almost fatally, does have some money. You find a quarter of a square worth of various change.
Penn (as Marathon): Fuck.
Penn: Marathon feels like she's reaching a new low as she claims the quarter square amount and puts it just in her waistband.
Cameron: Emma leaves the main hall with all of the Jolene centered activities occurring and climbs the stairs to the courtyard and switches her radio over to just call Cassidy.
Cameron (as Emma): [over radio] Hey, Cass where ya at?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [over radio] Sitting in a barn. There's a donkey here.
Cameron (as Emma): [over radio] Okay, I'll try to find you. [slightly hopeless laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): [over radio] Yeah there's a big hole in the ceiling. Also, there's not there's only one wall left so...
Cameron: [over radio] All right, I'll be there shortly.
Nick: Emma you leave Birdie and Marathon behind with Jolene, making your weary way out into the world to find a barn mostly demolished by the fall of the Knight as far as you can tell. And you find Cassidy in what remains of the barn with the Knight and a very unimpressed looking donkey.
Sydney: The camera sees Cassidy basically sitting on the Knight's ankle, forearms resting on her knees with her previously sweated through shirt tied around her waist and she looks up to see Emma.
Cameron: As Emma approaches Cassidy, because you fell through the roof there was a hayloft so that's how the donkey got the hay but there's also still hay floating in the air as the combat suit walks through the snow of hay over to you and throws the HUD up.
Sydney (as Cassidy): This should be perfectly familiar.
Cameron (as Emma): What did you do?
Sydney (as Cassidy): The Abyss um, threw me.
Cameron: Emma just looks at a loss and she just looks over the Knight and sees the things that she's obviously going to need to repair from this fall and just looks exhausted.
Cameron (as Emma): [tired voice of someone feeling very small compared to the task at hand]Okay.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Good work. We made it.
Sydney: And Cassidy sticks her hand out to be helped up.
Cameron: Emma walks over in the exo frame and tries to gently pull Cassidy up but doesn't really have the full muscle control at the moment to not take more advantage of the strength of the exo frame than she probably should be. And it is a little bit more like she lifts Cassidy up and then sets her down rather than pulling her into a standing position.
Cameron (as Emma): Are you okay?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): [tired exhale] Us too.
Cameron: [laughing] Emma just sits down on the ground in the exosuit.
Sydney: Cassidy rests a hand on the arm of the exosuit both of them looking up at the Knight.
Nick: The next thing we see the Knight is being winched out of the barn and into the back of the rig which has been brought further into town. The Advantia are gathered around the rig inspecting the war machine that saved their enclave and the town and the Patina are packing up and preparing to go as they finish securing the Knight.
Penn (as Marathon): Birdie do you want like a piggyback ride to the rig or ?
Kit (as Birdie): Again, I will not say no to this -
Penn (as Marathon): Okay hop on up.
Kit (as Birdie): Are you sure?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): [overlapping] You're hurt too.
Penn (as Marathon): [overlapping] Let's do this.
Kit (as Birdie): [decides to stop arguing] Okay.
Penn (as Marathon): Well. [tired but strong laugh] I have energy still so
Kit (as Birdie): [good natured grumbling] Okay, whatever. [no longer joking] Thank you.
Penn (as Marathon): [cocky short laugh]
Penn: Marathon hoists Birdie up and piggybacks however far it is back to where the rig is parked.
Sydney: The camera is over Cassidy's shoulder as Marathon carrying Birdie walk up.
Penn: Marathon is sweating. [laugh]
Sydney: Marathon with an entire outfit less of clothes than previously and drenched in sweat. And Cassidy in the middle of reaming out Ipa and gesturing in the direction of their previous Advantia contacts, none of which had told them anything about any of this before they had gotten here, looks over and holds her gaze on Marathon just a little bit too long that it interrupts her flow and then Ipa tries to say something and she whips her head back to Ipa and keeps up the tirade.
Penn (as Marathon): Marathon also catches Cassidy's eye contact during this gaze and also sees that Cassidy is sweaty and wearing less layers of clothing and then loses grip on Birdie for a second and is like,
Penn (as Marathon): Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Kit (as Birdie): [sounding like a kid just given a cookie] No, it's okay. [giggling]
Cameron: Emma and Birdie make eye contact and giggle maniacally [laughing] from across this thing.
Kit (as Birdie): [giggling]
Penn (as Marathon): What-? Why are you giggling back there? What'd you see?
Kit (as Birdie): None of your beeswax!
Penn (as Marathon): Nothing. You didn't see anything!
Kit (as Birdie): MmHmm.
Nick: And the Patina climbs into the rig to the familiar sound of Cassidy telling someone about the information that should have been provided. You all see Ipa standing there with hands up and back - although, despite his injury, he looks very satisfied that the town has not been completely destroyed and despite the effusive criticism that Cassidy is raining down, still looks grateful for their help. As you are packing up to leave Marathon, you help Birdie into the rig and then take the mechanical tentacle that was still attached to you as you left the mine and throw it into the back amongst Emma's scrap and materials. You're not sure what it could be used for, but it seems like something interesting could be made out of it.
And as the rig pulls out of Iota, we see the townspeople taking stock of the weapons scattered around town by the bandits and several of the citizenry of Iota separate from the Advanta carrying Jolene on a stretcher down to the bar where they are going to ensure that she at least recovers from her injury, and the battered Patina triumphantly departs on a journey to find their contacts that had hired them for this job in the first place.
The next we see is the Patina for the first time in what feels like weeks but is in reality just a couple of days, gathered together around a campfire with a hearty meal and no pressing dangers to distract them.
Cameron (as Emma): This is really good stew Cassidy.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [deep breath] Thanks. I figured we needed something with a little bit of body after today.
Cameron (as Emma): It's warm. I like it.
Kit (as Birdie): Good soup.
Kit: [quietly laughing] She's holding up a little okay hand.
Penn (as Marathon): I need something with a little bit of body if you know what I mean. [awkward laugh that morphs into a pained laugh] Oh ouch.
Kit (as Birdie): [sinister laughter]
Penn (as Marathon): Ouch that kind of hurt something. [good natured laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, next order of business is we go find Renn and Ciphera and get paid and do all of the making the worth our while portion now that we've destroyed half of the Knight and you know pieces. [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah... [small laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Excellent.
Penn: Marathon is now dressed in some old clothing that's maybe got some oil stains on it from the back of the rig that used to belong to Wyatt, and it's just some ripped jeans that he no longer wore and a big flannel over her tank top right now.
Penn (as Marathon): Uh and uh thanks for the change of clothes guys. I - as much as I, you know, love running around in the, in my skivvies,
Sydney (as Cassidy): It does get cold.
Penn (as Marathon): It does. Indeed.
Kit (as Birdie): [voice full of mischief] Yeah, very cold. [laugh]
Cameron: [laugh] Emma is just looking down into stew eating and not saying anything.
Penn (as Marathon): But uh this isn't like a dead person's clothes, is it? Just making sure.
Cameron (as Emma): N-no.
Penn (as Marathon): Just want to double check.
Cameron (as Emma): No, no, that that's Wyatt's - he's alive.
Penn (as Marathon): I see. Okay. Yeah. The Wyatt. Cool.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Well, I um, want to apologize for uh, you know, I don't know, I feel like I uh ended up making a lot of messes today. I was not necessarily prepared I guess for a whole - as prepared as I thought I was for this kind of work, but you know, [slightly forced laughter] I'm just glad we made it all out alive. Am I right, guys? Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah honestly, Marathon. I don't think any of us were prepared for today.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh you didn't wake up this morning -
Cameron (as Emma): Think we were prepared for the first part of today.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. thinking there was going to be a giant land destroying, I don't know techno kraken thing under the ground that's gonna pop up and eat us all?
Penn (as Marathon): I guess not. I just thought I was gonna punch out some dudes or whatever.
Kit (as Birdie): [tired] Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Birdie you look alive.
Kit (as Birdie): [sarcasm + words slurring slightly from exhaustion] What? Yeah, of course. I'm doing great.
Kit: She's holding up another thumbs up. It just seems to be what she does when she's not having fun in the moment.
Penn (as Marathon): Birdie was a superstar.
Kit (as Birdie): [disbelieving] Uh-huh.
Penn (as Marathon): Totally yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Well, I don't know, I just didn't want to leave you behind Marathon.
Penn (as Marathon): Well yeah, yeah. So and you know what, I apologize if that - I didn't mean to come off as like, you know, sacrificing myself for anything I just, I assumed mission first is how we worked things here.
Kit (as Birdie): Nope. Or at least I don't work mission first.
Penn (as Marathon): Put the win first on the derby team, so just kind of getting used to that different mentality I guess.
Kit (as Birdie): Hmm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah we do tend to put a value on ourselves here.
Penn (as Marathon): Well, I've got value. I mean, [laugh] you didn't see me but I busted through quite a bit of cable and uh
Kit (as Birdie): [it's important to backup your friends when they're showing off for their crush] Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): - and I saved the Advantia from, you know, a hostage situation. It was pretty, pretty freakin rad.
Kit (as Birdie): [super important] Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You must be a professional then.
[small laughs all around]
Penn: Marathon jokingly dusts her shoulder.
Penn (as Marathon): Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, it was my first day. How uh - Emma and Cassidy how was something about I heard something about the Knight running around by itself?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh. Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Is that like a normal thing?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [matter of fact] No.
Cameron (as Emma): [concerned and depressed] No~.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Something tried to take over the Knight and um, then it did.
Cameron (as Emma): [so so tired] Oh, gosh, I'm gonna need to look at that, too.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I~
Cameron (as Emma): I'd forgotten~.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Continuing to use the Knight in that particular situation that it's in, feels kind of dangerous.
Cameron (as Emma): Yep.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Until we get that looked at.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, for sure.
Sydney (as Cassidy): And I don't think we want the Advantia to know that there's, if that is the Knight that I'm hearing and not whatever else - green, well, there was green and red and purple. So three things, which would imply more than just the one that had been directly attacking, so [blows air through lips] I don't know.
Cameron (as Emma): [sigh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): We need a computer expert probably. Unless you have enough textbooks here that Pallie left to be able to figure it out.
Cameron (as Emma): Um... I mean, I'll I'll look at it.
Penn (as Marathon): Scott was pretty good at computers. Could always go back for him.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Uh Scott's an Advantia member?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. Yeah. The one that helped the radio station.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, we're not doing that.
Penn (as Marathon): Oh okay.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I'm kinda sick of them.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yep.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, they were kinda kind of assholes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): They control too much knowledge.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhmm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): But yeah, I don't I think I'm good. Someone else, until we get that fixed - I don't like not being in control of my combat.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): I'd love to take that thing for a spin.
Penn: Marathon has got an evil little gleam.
Kit (as Birdie): No I -
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah... Patina members only.
Penn (as Marathon): [awkward laughter] Yeah, of course. Um.
Cameron (as Emma): I'd like the first time you use it to not have some other sort of um, entity in it. Um.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We can still do work without it, so
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): And we're out of fuel anyway.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, but we got the, the thing.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Sorry I - words right now are, I have some of them. Um. [tired laugh] Not the one that I'm looking for. The uh
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah no the the the -
Cameron (as Emma): The still! The still.
Penn (as Marathon): The still. Yeah....
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, we have we have that. So there's more, there's more fuel, cooking.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well and theoretically, a good chunk of our payment for this job is various Advantia tech things, so we'll just need to make sure we maintain some combat capability and don't let them know that something's wonky up with the Knight.
Cameron (as Emma): [tired] Yeah, just just physical damage.
Sydney: Cassidy finishes off her bowl and starts cleaning dishes up.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks, Cass.
Kit (as Birdie): Thank you, Cassidy.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks, Birdie for uh,
Kit (as Birdie): Huh?
Penn (as Marathon): patching up my friend.
Kit (as Birdie): Are you and Jolene friends now?
Penn (as Marathon): Well, I assume. I don't know. She was pretty drunk, so
Kit (as Birdie): Well she kind of owes you a lot. Like a lot a lot, so
Penn (as Marathon): Well I don't know, not - I probably won't see her again, but uh I, you know, I appreciate you uh~, stopping to heal her up.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. I mean, I wasn't really expecting you to completely like run away from me as soon as I got in to the room, but you know,
Penn (as Marathon): Apologies.
Kit (as Birdie): It's okay. Don't worry about it. She's she's gonna be okay. Okay meaning like she's probably never going to really be able to fight at full strength anymore, but alive.
Penn (as Marathon): But she can still drink, so [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Yep. Didn't happen to fixed any liver, liver damage while you're down there, did you?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, uh, life limited to drinking is maybe not the best.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Um.
Penn (as Marathon): Well, it wasn't limited to drink. I was just saying she she that was one of her joys and I'm just glad she continued doing it. So
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] I like that you guys are friends or at least that you know her hobbies pretty well I guess.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks. It was, it was a really nice night.
Kit (as Birdie): [laughing]
Sydney (as Cassidy): You looked really hungover when it was done.
Penn (as Marathon): [laugh] Yeah. You know, symbol of a nice night I think.
Cameron (as Emma): Is it?
Kit (as Birdie): Eh I mean, I think [trails off]
Penn (as Marathon): At this point in my life, I'm going to say yes.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay. All right.
Kit (as Birdie): That's not worrying at all.
Penn (as Marathon): [laughing] Okay, wait, I want it to be clear - I am not an alcoholic. I just enjoy having a bender every once in a while.
Kit (as Birdie): Mm hmm.
Cameron (as Emma): Mm.
Kit (as Birdie): That's good. That's every once in a while. [laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy's looking at Marathon with her eyebrows raised and then goes back to cleaning the dishes out.
Penn (as Marathon): Come on, guys. That's like a normal thing, isn't it? It's like,
Kit (as Birdie): Ehh.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay.
Kit (as Birdie): It's okay. It's okay. We believe you Marathon, right guys?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sure.
Cameron (as Emma): That the benders are only occasional?
Penn (as Marathon): Fine all.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, we don't have that much alcohol with us in the rig anyway, so
Penn (as Marathon): [yelling a bit] I'm not like a booze hound.
Kit (as Birdie): We know Marathon. It's okay. {laugh] It's okay.
Penn (as Marathon): I just want it to be clear.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): But uh, I don't know, yeah. Cool.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): [awkward laugh] Well, it's getting pretty late, so
Kit (as Birdie): Do you have - yeah you did get pretty banged up there Marathon. Do you need any help with that?
Kit: She's smiling a little bit to herself while saying this.
Penn (as Marathon): Probably just some bandages. I just probably need a tight wrap or something, so
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah, definitely. Well, I'm really sleepy. So. Cassidy, do you think you might? [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, wait, no, Cassidy doesn't have to help,
Kit (as Birdie): [overlapping] No I was just gonna say you guys are already sitting next to each other here.
Penn (as Marathon): [overlapping] Cassidy doesn't have to help if she doesn't want to.
Kit (as Birdie): It's just a suggestion. I don't know.
Penn (as Marathon): Cassidy you really don't - you don't have to if you don't want to. I can probably reach, you know.
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's fine Marathon. [Birdie doing a mischievous laugh] I can do basic first aid.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay. [clears throat] Thank you. Appreciate it.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy gets up to put the dishes and the cookware back into the side of the rig and grabs the first aid bag out of a different box on the side and walks back over to help change the dressings on the things that Marathon has in need of tending to.
Kit: Birdie is grinning and moving more towards Emma. She's very satisfied with herself.
Kit (as Birdie): [clears throat] So we can always go in start pitching the tents, Emma?
Cameron (as Emma): Oh, yeah, that is a good useful idea. Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhmm.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Hey, where are you guys going?
Kit (as Birdie): Nowhere. Don't even worry about it.
Cameron (as Emma): We're just gonna set up the tents.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Wait, I thought you're tired.
Kit (as Birdie): No I am tired.
Cameron (as Emma): We are. That's why we need tents.
Kit (as Birdie): That's why we're setting up the tents.
Cameron (as Emma): [yawning] It's fine. We'll be right back.
Penn: Marathon makes a glaring eye contact at Birdie.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy looks suspiciously at the two of them.
Cameron: Emma is legitimately yawning so it is hard to tell. [laugh]
Kit: Birdie, who is also exhausted, is just still grinning at Marathon.
Penn (as Marathon): Well, cool.
Kit (as Birdie): Have fun kids. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Ah they're so, they're so funny.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, Birdie's a notorious stand up comedian actually. That was part of why we recruited her.
Penn (as Marathon): Oh, really? I could see it. She's pretty, I mean, it's not like center punch. It's not like it's in. [raises voice] It's not like she's got a punch to her. Ha... got her. Um. [clears throat] Anyway, uh
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy looks at Marathon and then takes out a bandage.
Penn (as Marathon): Um so are you feeling all right? Do you need any - you look kind of burned and stuff. Do you need any like -?
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's fine. I put cream on it.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, cool.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That's why I'm wearing loose shirt right now.
Penn (as Marathon): I see. Yeah. Um. Well oof, that was a lot of people that died, huh?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Kind of how it works. Hold still.
Penn (as Marathon): Oh, yep. Sorry. Do you guys ever get like worn out killing people or -?
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, it's not an easy life no. Are you - this is your first fight? First -
Penn (as Marathon): I've fought before.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Battle maybe?
Penn (as Marathon): I haven't like watched anybody get shot or anything so that was kind of new. That kind of happened twice.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, it this is mercenary life.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I guess so.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] When you're armed like we are you go up against threats that are big enough in magnitude to warrant being dealt with by us because if we walk into town and are dealing with some bully kids by shooting them, it's not - there's a level of force that goes along with what we do.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I guess I'm I'm just kind of rocked I guess by the whole thing, but I'm glad I survived. [relieved laugh] So of all the people out there I don't know.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. Good work, not getting shot.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sounds like you punched a lot of people.
Penn (as Marathon): Just a few. Well placed punches and kicks and stuff. But uh, yeah, I mean, you were pretty good at there. So great job killin.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. I watched a lot of death today.
Penn (as Marathon): Ah yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Participated in some of it.
Penn (as Marathon): Hope that doesn't weigh too heavily on your soul.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Me too.
Penn (as Marathon): Um.
Sydney: Cassidy puts a cotton ball of rubbing alcohol up to
Penn (as Marathon): Oh Oh! Ow. Okay, sorry. Sorry. I was just wasn't prepared. Sorry.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, well, cleaning things off.
Penn (as Marathon): But yeah, I don't know why. It's like not like I haven't killed before, but it's just like, I don't know. It's just it really - It's tough. I don't know. Um, I don't know if I want to kill people, you know?
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, you don't have to. This this is a line of work that is elective.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, that's true.
Sydney (as Cassidy): But you - if you're willing to talk about it, what happened the other time then, if it wasn't a battle?
Penn (as Marathon): I don't know back in the derby days, things were pretty dangerous. I don't know. You know, slap speed skates on. People wrestling each other on the ice. And it's just not like a winning combination for life, I guess. But
Sydney (as Cassidy): Doesn't - ice derby doesn't sound like a safe sport.
Penn (as Marathon): No, it's not and that's the beauty of it. I love that. But well, so there's this. I just I accidentally like, you know how I got when I was on that arena juice back at the fight?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Fight pit? Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Uh huh.
Penn (as Marathon): So that that kind of happened, then and, I don't know, I just kind of raged out and hurt somebody I really cared about. So it's just I don't know if I can and see in the aftermath of that and just like, hearing all the people that that one death affected, it's just it's really tough for me to grapple with that, I guess.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yep. It's not an easy thing. I'm sorry you had to deal with that in not well, you don't expect to have it [laugh] happen outside of a violent line of work, I guess. But
Penn (as Marathon): [sad laugh] You don't expect it to happen over the airwaves for like, however many thousand people or so are listening. That was a
Sydney (as Cassidy): There's a lot of strong opinions. I know we heard it on the radio coming in and leaving Tree All.
Penn (as Marathon): I don't know. Thanks for listening to me ramble Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. All right brace yourself for this one.
Penn (as Marathon): Oh, god. Okay, I'm ready.
Sydney: Then Cassidy does another alcohol wipe on a fresh scratch.
Penn (as Marathon): How do you deal with the killing part? Do you just like,
Sydney (as Cassidy): Try to make sure they deserve it.
Penn (as Marathon): Sure.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Try not to take jobs that put me in situations where I would be hurting people that wouldn't deserve it. Try not to hurt people that don't deserve it.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. What if they like mix? What if What if you do? Have you ever taken out somebody that didn't deserve it? Or?
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] I've had people that didn't deserve it get taken out because I didn't that fast enough.
Penn (as Marathon): Mm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I err on the side of not doing it and that sometimes is bad. It's bad for my people, or my friends, or sometimes hesitating isn't the way to do it. So you just kind of get more used to it.
Penn (as Marathon): [awkward laughing] Well, no worries, because I can act pretty quick. So wait, no, I didn't. Anyway, sorry.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You have to be able to sleep the next day.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You have to find what makes sense for your conscience. Or you're haunted. Those are the two approaches is either do things and regret them or [laugh] do things and don't or don't be in this line of work. So I mean, you can while you're still paying to be a guest with us, you don't have to participate. You can be a passenger. We got to work anyway. But
Penn (as Marathon): Cool. Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You haven't made the choice. There's no - you have no obligation here.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, of course.
Sydney (as Cassidy): But the first I mean, I guess it was wasn't your first time but it's never an easy experience. It's just one that you get used to.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks Cassidy.
Sydney: Cassidy puts on the last ointment and bandage on Marathon's last exposed scratch and gives Marathon's shoulder a grab and says
Sydney (as Cassidy): All right, you're good.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, thanks Cassidy. That's excellent first aid if I do say so myself.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Now remember to take it easy and don't push yourself or things are gonna get hurt more.
Penn (as Marathon): Mhmm. Yes, nurse.
Penn (as Marathon): There's just a silence between them as they stand that goes just a little too long.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, well, I'm gonna go help out Birdie and Emma pitch up some tents. So if you want to, I don't know.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, I'll put this away.
Penn (as Marathon): You could join. Oh, no. Yeah, okay. [kinda yelling] Thanks for the stew.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm still right here. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): [under breath] Ahh. Dirt. Dirt.
Penn: Marathon starts walking over to help with tents.
Nick: While this conversation is going on, what are Birdie and Emma up to away from the fire light?
Kit: I guess Birdie is doing her darndest to help Emma pitch up these tents and she has hers down to a a well enough science that she can do it with without too much effort, but it's slower, much slower than it is normally for her.
Cameron: And I think they're picking locations to put the tents that don't require as much work to get the stakes into the ground. So picking probably slightly softer sections of dirt than they normally would. It's still firm enough to hold the stake in place, but Emma can put the stake where it needs to be and then kind of step on it to press it in rather than having to use the mallet to get into into the ground. And they're just moving slow, like tents are going up, but it's not nearly as efficient as normally but they are definitely eavesdropping on Cassidy and Marathon.
Kit: Yeah, as much as they can. Birdie probably looks over at Emma at some point and is like,
Kit (as Birdie): You know, it's it's really impressive. All that you do for this group and all that you're capable of with, I don't know, mechanics and stuff.
Cameron: You can't quite tell because of how far we are from the fire light, but you think Emma is blushing at the compliment. But she looks really tired so it could just be exhaustion - hard to tell. But she says
Cameron (as Emma): [said on a sigh] Thanks. I I am glad I was able to make it to where I could be of help today.
Kit (as Birdie): Well yeah, you did like [laughing] so much today. I mean, everyone was needing your attention and your help and stuff.
Cameron (as Emma): I am so tired.
Kit (as Birdie): We really couldn't have done it without you. [laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): I hate running so much Birdie.
Kit (as Birdie): [laughing]
Cameron (as Emma): I have had a stitch in my side just like ever since they told us that the Abyss was waking up. [tired laugh] It has not gone away.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah um maybe we can do like stretches or something because I have a stretches that I do before I go to bed to help me with my joint problems.
Cameron (as Emma): That would probably be good, because I I have a feeling I'm going to be incredibly sore tomorrow. [laughing]
Kit (as Birdie): [tired laugh] Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): I don't want something bad to happen, because I wasn't there.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. I get that.
Cameron (as Emma): And [sigh] I think I leaned a little too heavily into the additional strength and power that that suit gave me today and while it could keep going I, I should have stopped. [tired laughing]
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Well we got what we needed to get done finished and we saved a lot of people [laugh] from you know a really really shitty death.
Cameron (as Emma): Yep. And we also didn't die shittily.
Kit (as Birdie): We also did not die shittily.
Cameron (as Emma): Um.
Kit (as Birdie): There's a win
Cameron (as Emma): Those are the, the things I keep focusing on.
Kit: [laughing] Yeah and we're gonna get paid in a bunch of really cool stuff and
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Marathon got some stuff for you to tinker with and
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I saw, I saw the tent-,
Kit (as Birdie): Tentacle.
Cameron (as Emma): - the Abyss noodle. Yeah, tentacle. Arm. Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): It's very mean. I don't like it. I don't know why Marathon insisted on carrying it around, but that's okay because I know that you can make something cool out of it.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, I mean, at least it's it's metal.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): I'll, I'm gonna do something with it. I'm gonna need a lot of metal to fix up the Knight. Both for the damage from falling out of the sky and for the damage I had to have Cassidy do to the inside of it to hotwire it.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah,
Cameron (as Emma): Basically that's I haven't even looked in the cockpit yet.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): It's it's going to be a mess and that's that's a problem for tomorrow, Emma.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): I just - once these tents are up, I'm going to bed. [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I don't know. I think Marathon is actually a pretty nice addition to everything. Cassidy doesn't. I don't know how Cassidy feels. But she does keep reminding us that she's not a part of the Patina.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah but, she she softening.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.
Cameron (as Emma): Cassidy is. It's - she's trying not to, you can tell she's trying not to.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): But it's, yeah I mean, Marathon helped a lot in the pump room.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): She raced off to go get the barrel.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhmm.
Cameron (as Emma): She wasn't prepared to do that, but she did it. And I appreciate it. [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] She tries really hard for, you know, considering that she's technically our employer.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. I think that Marathon just really needs friends more than employees.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Um, Emma - so you know how he kind of got in like a little bit of trouble back during the trip over here and it was it was just me and Marathon?
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. When we when we foolishly made the decision to leave the two of you to guard the rig? Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): I don't know if it was foolish, but you know, the decision.
Cameron (as Emma): I mean, we got food out of the deal, so I guess it worked out.
Kit (as Birdie): Look, I'm, I just want to tell you this because it's only fair and because I'm like I'm still pretty new, but Marathon isn't exactly uh, in possession of what she promised us.
Penn (as Marathon): Hey, y'all. Uh.
Kit (as Birdie): Hey.
Penn (as Marathon): I'm here to help pitch the tents. Cassidy just patched me up, so thanks for [awkward laugh] leaving me stranded out there with Cassidy.
Kit (as Birdie): Sorry.
Penn (as Marathon): That was awkward~. [fake laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): You're welcome.
Kit (as Birdie): [big little sister vibes] But you guys got to talk a little bit, right?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, yeah. I mean,
Kit (as Birdie): [mischievous giggle]
Penn (as Marathon): We talked about people dying, so that was pretty cool.
Cameron (as Emma): Ooh. Bonding. Great.
Kit (as Birdie): Man. Okay, I don't even want to ask why - that's okay. It's just - Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Hey who's tent needs to go up still?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh Cassidy's. It's laid out right there.
Penn (as Marathon): Hey, great. Okay.
Cameron (as Emma): You know, at some point, we're going to leave the two of you all together, and you're going to successfully flirt.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhmm.
Penn (as Marathon): Now, you say -
Cameron (as Emma): It's gotta happen at some point, right?
Penn (as Marathon): You say this word flirt, and you assume I have no game. I'm just I'm just not using it yet, so
Cameron (as Emma): Why not?
Kit (as Birdie): We didn't assume anything.
Penn (as Marathon): Why would I wha-? Okay, you know what? I feel like I'm revealing my hand here a little too hard. I'm just, you know what, I'm just happy that we're all frien- or like, together. Yeah. You know?
Cameron (as Emma): You can say friends.
Penn (as Marathon): Friends.
Cameron (as Emma): And I don't -
Penn (as Marathon): I'm just happy we're all friends.
Cameron (as Emma): I don't think you're so much is like revealing your hand is like you have the entire time had your cards facing the wrong direction.
Penn (as Marathon): Damn.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Oof.
Cameron (as Emma): And that's, that's not a bad thing.
Penn (as Marathon): Look, I just I will be I'll be frank with you two - Cassidy's very cool. Yes.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm.
Penn (as Marathon): But you know, I'm keeping a professional relationship.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhmm.
Penn (as Marathon): And I definitely do not want to make Cassidy feel awkward or anything so that is
Cameron (as Emma): I don't I don't think it's you making Cassidy feel awkward. I feel like it's the other way round.
Penn (as Marathon): What?
Cameron (as Emma): You seem awkward, Marathon.
Kit (as Birdie): Just a little.
Penn (as Marathon): I [sputter]
Cameron (as Emma): It it's cute. But it's awkward. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): I'm cool. But, hmm. Okay, cool. I appreciate the feedback.
Kit (as Birdie): It's kind of endearing.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm.
Penn (as Marathon): I don't know if endearing is, you know, I want to want to seem rad, you know? But okay. I you know what, I I I'm appreciating an outside perspective. So um anyway, tents almost up. I'm getting pretty good at this guy's thanks for giving me the practice.
Kit (as Birdie): We're very proud of you.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. You're doing great.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, thanks. I appreciate. Thank you for the uh, yeah. Okay. Emma I have - I don't know if we came up with any sort of like, official me helping out kinda discount for this period, but I've got
Penn: Marathon pulls out a quarter square.
Penn (as Marathon): I've got a quarter square at least tonight. I just got to route around for the rest of it in the pack and stuff. So
Kit (as Birdie): This whole time the conversations that happening, Emma has been thinking through what Birdie said right as Marathon walked up and did have those suspicions already, so is not really surprised, and has determined through the flow of their conversation that yeah, Marathon is friend, therefore is fine. But she says,
Cameron (as Emma): I'm really not the one you need to be worried about paying, Marathon. In my book the help you did today was your - you're good. You're covered.
Penn (as Marathon): Cool. Hey uh, thank you. [nervous laugh] I'll I guess I'll have to bring that to Cassidy huh? Discount thing.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I I'd - hold off for a bit. You know, we're all real tired.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay. Yeah, sure. Um um. Yeah. Okay. Cool. I am uh, okay Emma. Let me just can I, can I be honest about something? So this is, I'm like, I've tried not to be like, you know, super liar or anything, I just, I just want to get this off. You could totally like, ditch me at Renn and Ciphera's or something, but I just want you to know, because I feel like we've been building a relationship and I don't want it to like be built on something that's not super true. Um. I just, [nervous breath] I don't have the squares to um, I just I didn't have the squares to pay y'all upfront. I've been - I mean and I can definitely scrounge them up like I have been so that's no problem at all, I just want you to know and I guess I'll have to tell Cassidy eventually, but I just yeah, I just I just don't have -I just don't have money. I apologize for misleading you. I, that is, I - Yeah. [nervous laugh] Yeah. Yeah, whatever. Whatever. Whatever you guys workout. Yeah,
Cameron: Emma's just gonna go over and give Marathon a hug to get her to stop talking.
Penn (as Marathon): Gah- Wha?
Cameron (as Emma): It's, it's okay.
Penn (as Marathon): [sounds more nervous now actually] Okay. Um.
Cameron (as Emma): You're fine.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Don't stress about it. We can make it work. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have suspicions beforehand, but I appreciate you telling me and just don't don't worry about Cassidy. It'll, it'll be fine.
Penn (as Marathon): [starting to sound emotional] Um, uh. Thanks.
Cameron (as Emma): You can tell her when you're ready.
Penn (as Marathon): [more emotional] Thank you. Um. I don't think I've - Yeah. Thanks Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): I'll get whatever you were supposed to pay up next covered because -
Penn (as Marathon): Okay.
Cameron (as Emma): - you were helping today. So,
Penn (as Marathon): Okay,
Cameron (as Emma): I'll go argue that for you.
Penn: Marathon is starting to cry. [laughing]
Cameron (as Emma): The longer you wait to say anything, it is gonna get more awkward.
Penn (as Marathon): You're right.
Cameron (as Emma): Um.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I'll just I'll mention it tomorrow. How about that? I'll prep myself tonight. [laughing]
Cameron (as Emma): I mean, you know, we we had a really long day. Do it on your own time. You know, wait until we see Renn and Ciphera again. Like,
Penn (as Marathon): Mhmm.
Cameron (as Emma): Lets everybody go to bed and sleep for so many hours.
Penn (as Marathon): Definitely. Um.
Cameron (as Emma): And we can - [laughing] this problem will still be here
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): When we're recovered. It's fine.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks for being my friend.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): I really appreciate it.
Cameron (as Emma): You're doing great Marathon. It's okay.
Penn: Marathon just gives you the hug back and then separates.
Penn (as Marathon): Well. Okay. [emotional laugh] That's uh, [fortifying noises to battle emotion]
Penn: She flexes.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. I think it's time for bed. Right, guys?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): [baffled] How do you how do you still have the energy to flex?
Penn (as Marathon): [deep breath out]
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] Marathon?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah?
Kit (as Birdie): Do you want to do some stretches with me and Emma, so you're not sore?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, definitely. That sounds pretty cool.
Kit (as Birdie): Cassidy can come and do them with us too.
Penn (as Marathon): Um. [clears throat] Sure.
Cameron (as Emma): We even will be nice and we won't make you invite her. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Oh, thanks, guys.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): But you could tell her I put up the tent, right?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Cool. Cool.
Cameron (as Emma): Never take credit away.
Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]
Cameron (as Emma): [yelling] Hey, Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [from a distance] Huh?
Cameron (as Emma): [yelling] We're gonna do stretches. Come on over.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [from a distance] Kay.
Kit (as Birdie): [giggle] Hey, Marathon?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah?
Kit (as Birdie): Um, yeah, I know I didn't like really respond in the moment because we were seconds away from death, but, you know, I think you're really good friend.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks, Birdie. [happy laugh] Yeah. Handshake?
Kit: Birdie just shakes her head and grabs her hand and pulls her into a hug.
Penn: Aw~, yay.
Kit: [laughing] It's very funny, because it looks like a child and their parent or something.
Nick: Cassidy, you approach the other three as they begin doing Birdie's workout routine. So the group is in a circle going through these stretches, which everyone has that moment of realizing how sore they are as they start to stretch out after the very physically demanding combat that they do. And by the end, everyone is lightly sweating, but starting to feel better as the evening stretches on and people prepare for bed.
Penn (as Marathon): Night guys.
Cameron (as Emma): Night.
Kit (as Birdie): Good night.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Night.
Cameron (as Emma): Hey, Cassidy could I talk to you for a sec?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Uh sure.
Cameron (as Emma): [yawning] I just need to tie the rig down. [no longer yawning] Mm sorry - I need to tie the rig cover down.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I can help with that. This is a thing that I know how to do.
Cameron (as Emma): [tired] Fantastic.
Sydney (as Cassidy): And I also I think was spending maybe more mental effort than physical effort today, so I still have a little muscle left.
Cameron (as Emma): Good because I am a noodle.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Just like Marathon's souvenir.
Cameron (as Emma): But like a cooked noodle. [sigh]
Sydney: They walk around to the back of the rig and start messing with the tarp.
Cameron (as Emma): So speaking of Marathon's souvenir, she was really big help today.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): And she didn't have to be.
Sydney (as Cassidy): No.
Cameron (as Emma): Like, I know, her initial role in the plan was much more - the only word I can think of right now is decorative and that's not, that's not the right - that's not what I mean, but do you know what I mean?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): It was it was more a useful nice to have.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, she's not a mercenary.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. But once things kind of immediately went off the rails and the radios went out she jumped in and while [laugh] while I will say she doesn't have necessarily the combat awareness that I would desire
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sure.
Cameron (as Emma): in someone I'm fighting with.
Sydney (as Cassidy): No she's effective.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. And
Sydney (as Cassidy): Maybe more raw talent than learned, trained.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. And that's, [laugh] that that's not dissimilar to how I started out so um, but like she she took out all the guards guarding the Advantia by herself. And then she got us the slurry we needed in the pump room and then didn't die and didn't let Birdie die and helped me carry stuff afterwards. She pulled her weight today.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Is this a Marathon praise session or - ?
Cameron (as Emma): It's a me arguing for, while Marathon is not a member of the Patina officially, she was today. So with how much she covered my butt today, I don't I don't feel comfortable charging her for us taking her into that situation.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I mean, make sense. Her cut of the winnings, I guess.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. Congrats you get a week free road trip and we put you into intense danger.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, just some mild mortal peril.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, you know, just your every day, Thursday stuff, I don't know.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh] It is starting to feel like she's gonna be here for a little bit doesn't it?
Cameron (as Emma): I think just distance we're traveling, yeah. It'd be weird, I think, if she was still fully treating us as employees.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sure.
Cameron (as Emma): I don't know if she's going to want to be a mercenary, but I think as long as she's with us, she is part of the team.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I've honestly tried to talk her out of it.
Cameron (as Emma): Being part of the team or being a mercenary?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Being a mercenary. [laugh] It's not an easy life.
Cameron (as Emma): No, it's not, but
Sydney (as Cassidy): Lot of life, your own lives in danger.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. But you also get to help a lot of people. That's how I look at it.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well I'm thankful we have the opportunity that most of what we're doing is helping. That's not always the case.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. And I don't I don't know if she'll stick around, but she will be for a while anyway, while we find this treasure. So
Sydney (as Cassidy): We've got a ways to go.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm. So I think um, in light of that, if we could provide some sort of uh that combat awareness knowledge sharing,
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): I think that'd be beneficial both for - well for everyone involved really.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [laugh] Yes. A little bit of radio discipline, a little uh
Cameron (as Emma): Both in making sure she doesn't die and uh making sure that she doesn't get us killed, either.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah there were a few times today she got in between me and the people I was fighting. [laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah and I my impression over the radio was there as a lot of boldly charging forward fists.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): So
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah uh,
Sydney (as Cassidy): Just a mild death wish, you know?
Cameron (as Emma): I don't know if it's a death wish or a, like a fear that she wasn't going to be useful.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): I feel like she really wants to be useful. So I think we should give her the chance to be useful, but [sigh]
Cameron: Emma finishes tying off the tarp.
Cameron (as Emma): But for right now, I'm gonna go to bed.
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's bed time.
Cameron (as Emma): I'm so freaking tired.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Good work. You saved the whole Patina.
Cameron (as Emma): We can we can sleep in tomorrow, right? We can sleep in, please?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, we have. We have nowhere to go.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay, good. Thank you. Good night Cassidy. [soft laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Night, Emma.
Cameron: [laughing] Emma staggers off towards her tent.
Sydney: Cassidy watches the tents close and the movement stop and goes and climbs up on the hood of the truck and looks at the stars for a little bit.
Nick: You've driven far enough across the country that you've seen the stars change, but something about the way they look with your friends sleeping in tents around you, as you sit on the hood of the rig makes you think that this might be your favorite view of the stars you've seen in a long time.
[hurdy gurdy music swells]
Outro: Penn (as Marathon): Welcome back to MTR 1153, that was just the end of today’s broadcast and we’ll be right back to the music after this little break. The particulars of the subsequent can be found in the show notes.
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:
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.
Penn Van Batavia as Marathon. She can be found on Twitter @ acquiredchaste. Penn is an indie TTRPG designer whose most recent work includes Wasmannian, a prompt game about gender and wasps. Check out faer other work at pennharper.itch.io.
Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt. She’s also a contributing editor for the Orpheus Protocol, a cosmic horror espionage actual play podcast..
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. Nick can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.
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. To further support the show, consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/AKoSaP, where we’ll be bringing you weekly content including bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
Until next time…
…Signing Off