(EARTHSHAKERS) by (Gary Mark Lee)

FADE IN: EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY A desolate expanse filled with the broken remains of a ruined civilization. Fire and smoke fill the air. Several ragged SEMI-HUMAN Scavengers root through the rubble in search of food. Theyre big, savage, bodies of metal and skin. They begin to fight for scraps of food. One cyborg is taller than the others with a Metal-Face pushes the others aside, he takes what he wants and feeds. A rumbling fills the air, The cyborgs Scavengers scurry back to their hiding places. The shaking noise grows louder. The sound of CRASHING STEEL and CRUMBLING STONE fills the air. Large, deep cracks open. The rumbling grows to an ear-splitting intensity then stops Through clouds of thick dust a GIGANTIC War-Machine approaches the Ruined City. Rusty and shell pocked on its surface, the earth cracks under its massive weight. The War-Machine stops. There is a grinding sound as the largest gun turret at the top slowly turns. The gun in the turret adjusts it's elevation, then fires. BOOM!! INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY Technicians seated at stations facing panels full of digital readouts and controls. The Techs are attached to their consoles by weird, clear tubes that plug into metal sockets on their abdomens. Everything in the control room appears old and worn, in desperate need of repair. One man, worn and scarred stands in the center of the control room. He looks into a periscope. He is the COMMANDER of this War-Machine. COMMANDER Miss! Whats the matter with you, tracking? I thought we had a lock? TRACKING TECH Neg, sir. Theyre blocking our sensors.

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The War-Machine rocks from a near miss. SECOND TECH They have us fixed, sir. Three thousand meters, range closing. Outriders approaching. COMMANDER Hangar Bay, prepare Runners. INT. WAR-MACHINE RUNNER HANGAR - DAY Technicians move among a group of bizarre men, extremely large, SUPER-MUSCULAR LEGS. Each wears an elaborate harness with a large square pack on it's back, the MASTER WEAPONS TECH speaks through a com-link. MASTER WEAPONS TECH Runners one through twelve ready. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander checks wrist-mounted digital read-outs and looks through the periscope once more. COMMANDER Range? TRACKING TECH Two thousand and closing. COMMANDER Runners, fire one. INT. WAR-MACHINE RUNNER HANGAR - DAY A Technician pulls a switch on a giant control panel mounted on the hangar bay hull. An adjacent hatch dilates open and the first Runner springs out like a human Greyhound. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY The Runners race out of the War-Machine at regular intervals and head straight across the landscape. Their helmets make a loud beep tracking to their targets. Shells explode about them. They pick up speed, their legs a blur, dodging and whirling through the maelstrom of steel and high explosive.

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EXT. BATTLEFIELD ANOTHER PART - DAY Some distance away is another huge land battleship. It fires its weapons. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander watches through his periscope as his Technicians report. THIRD TECH Enemy Main Unit is firing. FIRST TECH Runners at three hundred and closing. SECOND TECH All Runner warpacks armed. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY A Heads Up Display inside the Runners helmet shows the target labeled Outriders in red letters. SOOTHING SEXY FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) Activate Overdrive, Confirm Outrider visual contact. Warpack Armed. Final Approach. The Runners speed is now FANTASTIC. One by one Runners are blown to pieces until only one Runner is left. He heads right for his target, an Outrider just a few more meters from him. BATTLEFIELD - ANOTHER PART - DAY A large REPTILE, covered with armor-scales, a horned head. A large cannon is mounted on a harness attached to the head and shoulders of the beast. A rider in a large saddle crouches behind the cannon, aiming it at the Runner. With a final burst of fantastic speed the Runner changes course slightly and heads straight for the Outrider. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander watches through his periscope. COMMANDER (to himself) Come on. Come on.

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FIRST TECH On target sir, forty and closing. Thirty. Ten. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY Streaming blood from wounds the Runner charges the Outrider beast. The Runner opens his arms in an ecstatic embrace. There is a gigantic BLAST, the Outrider beast is destroyed along with the Runner. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY Cheers fill the control room. COMMANDER Well done, but its not over yet. Stay alert, find me another target. Another near miss rocks the War-Machine. FIRST TECH Sir, four more Very Large Targets approaching from the west. Bearing two two five, appear to be heavy crawlers. COMMANDER (shakes his head) We need to distract them. Alert Tank Bay. Deploy one Crawler Team. INT. WAR-MACHINE TANK HANGAR - DAY A gigantic space. Five of the Mini-Tanks stand before giant round hatches in the hull of the War-Machine. Technicians activate the machines. With whining turbine engine noises the Mini-Tanks come to life. CLOSE ON MINI-TANK Letters on the side hull. JON INT. MINI-TANK A YOUNG MAN sits strapped into a form fitting chair. He is fitted with wires and tubes that penetrate his abdomen like a fetus umbilical cord. His eyes are closed, his face motionless. The control panel directly in front of the man lights up. His eyes open.

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CALM SOOTHING FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) JON-28, time to wake up. Engage enemy, destroy enemy. The man, JON-28, grabs the steering wheel and begins to tap touch panels on several of the LED screens on the panels that line the mini-tanks inner hull near his seat. The Mini-Tanks systems activate as he taps the panels. JON-28 Yes, Mother. Activating systems. CALM AND CONFIDENT DEEP BASS VOICE (V.O.) Weapons are at maximum. SOFT CALM TENOR (V.O.) Power is fully charged. Seek and destroy. JON-29 Yes, Mother. Seek and destroy. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY Five heavy hatches in the side of the War-Machine slide open. Short, wide ramps extend from the open hatches and the Crawler Team moves out. They maneuver through the broken city, pass down cracked streets and plow through fallen rubble as they search for the enemy. INT. MINI-TANK JON-28 controls his Mini-Tank and checks his screens. JON-28 JAC-28, I am on point. Assault formation twelve, activate. Vector one four. Multiple Outriders detected. JAC-14 (V.O.) Affirm. AAL-8, RIC-12 on flank. AAL-8 (V.O.) AAL-28, left flank, positioning. RIC-12 (V.O.) RIC-28, right flank, positioning.

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JON-28 MAC-28, rear guard. MAC-8 (V.O.) MAC-8, rear guard, on station. JON-28 Activate weapons. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons ready. MOTHER (V.O.) Seek and destroy. JON-28 Yes, Mother. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander watches through his periscope. COMMANDER Signal Crawler team: engage Outriders bearing mark seven three, heading mark four nine. FIRST TECH Crawler Team notified, targets acquired. SECOND TECH Sir, I have fast movers, appear to be Shrikes, at bearing seven five, fifteenth hundred meters and dropping. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY A formation of five flying cyborgs, men and women with hugely developed torso and arm muscles, equipped with large lightweight metal and plastic wings. Each Shrike carries a heavy machine gun and six small bombs. The lead Shrike nods at the ground, and one by one they peel off from their five-finger formation, roll and dive. POV LEAD SHRIKE The ground hundreds of meters below rushes up, the WarMachine is directly below them, the five Mini-Tank's of the Crawler Team visible moving away from the War-Machine.

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EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY The Mini-Tanks roll through the ruined city streets. About them shells explode. MAC-8 takes a direct hit and goes up in flames. AAL-8 is crushed as a building collapses from a near-miss. INT. MINI-TANK JON-28 controls his Mini-Tank as he stares into the Main Viewer Screen, which shows the forward view from the MiniTank. JON-28 New target at bearing seven, I count nine targets, acquiring. WEAPONS (V.O.) Shrikes at nine oclock high. Range two-hundred meters. JON-28 quickly punches several touchscreen panels. The view on the screen changes to the sky overhead, the Shrikes hurtling down on the War-Machine. JON-28 Affirm. All units deploy Sky Fire. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY A small multi-barreled mini-gun emerges from a hatch on the Mini-Tanks deck, rotates skyward and points at the diving Shrikes. INT. MINI-TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN JON-28 coolly takes aim at the Shrikes. JON-28 Fire. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY A metal-storm of bullets fills the sky. One by one, swiftly, the Shrikes are blown out of the sky.

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EXT. RUINED CITY ANOTHER PART - DAY The other surviving Mini-Tanks of the Crawler Team also deploy Sky Fire. RIC-12 wounds a Shrike as it passes directly overhead, the out-of-control Shrike crashes into JAC-14, blowing the Shrike into pieces. INT. MINI-TANK JON-28 destroys one last Shrike and switches his view screen back to the oncoming Outriders. JON-28 Shrikes eliminated. Switching to primary targets. Units report. RIC-12 (V.O.) RIC-24. JON-28 Units report. RIC-12 (V.O.) JAC-14 is hit. JON-28 taps a touchscreen and looks at a new display on the Main View Screen. JON-28 JAC-24 destroyed. Affirm. RIC-14 and JON-28 are sole remaining active units. Deploy for individual assault on Outriders. RIC-14 (V.O.) Affirm. JON-28 Systems? POWER (V.O.) Power at sixty-three percent. WEAPONS (V.O.) All weapons function nominal. MOTHER (V.O.) Good boy. JON-28 smiles.

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EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The Mini-Tanks now head for the Outriders. The huge armorscaled reptiles move stealthily towards the giant WarMachine. RIC-28 passes an alley, and an Outrider beast emerges from its hiding place behind a ruined bus. Its cannon blasts, and RIC-14 is destroyed in a thunderous explosion. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY Two gigantic shells slam into the forward armor of the WarMachine. The shells explode in a tremendous maelstrom of flame and smoke. INT. WAR-MACHINE CONTROL ROOM - DAY There is now some fire and smoke inside the Main Control Room. Automatic fire-control systems quickly put out the fires with chemical spray. COMMANDER Track the trajectory for those last two, initiate counter-fire. The Commander coughs once and clears his throat. COMMANDER Initiate damage control, increase air filtration. Move to Waypoint HSeven. Now. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY Slowly it begins to move, a mountain once more comes to life. As it turns, several more huge shells barely miss the WarMachine. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY Three Outriders emerge from a side street and charge at JON28. JON-28 fires his main gun, the Sky Fire Mini-Gun also emerges from the hull and joins in, adding a hail of machine gun fire to the blasts from the cannon. INT. MINI-TANK JON-28 calmly fires his main gun at an Outrider visible on his Main View Screen.

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EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY All three of the charging Outriders are destroyed, the last collapsing in a mini-gun bullet riddled heap just two or three meters from JON-28. INT. MINI-TANK JON-28 Battle Log. Count four enemy Outriders destroyed. Continuing to engage. POWER (V.O.) Activating secondary fuel cells. Power at forty-nine per cent. WEAPONS (V.O.) Recharging main gun. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The last Outrider turns to face JON-28s Mini-Tank, its thickly armored head and long horns loom over a pile of rubble. The rider of the beast wears an armor suit and helmet with opaque visor. The Outrider raises the opaque visor on the helmet. The Outrider is a very grimy and weary-faced YOUNG WOMAN. Directly behind her, facing out over the creatures spiked tail, is a small pig-like creature that sits behind a cannon facing to the rear of the Outrider. OUTRIDER (to tail gunner) Put all your fire on that MiniCrawler. Distract him while I get him in my sights. The Pig creature grunts once in reply and turns his gun to the charging Mini-Tank. The gun fires and the beast rocks on its thick legs from the guns recoil. The beast raises its head and roars. INT. MINI-TANK - DAY Smoke and flame fill the Mini-Tank interior. A small piece of the hull interior has blasted loose and pierced the left thigh of JON-28. The wound bleeds. JON-28 grimaces and looks down at the leg.

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MOTHER (V.O.) Do not worry JON-28. Vital signs strong, no termination necessary. MONTAGE Fluids pump down the umbilical cord through clear tubes. The bleeding stops from the wound. Mechanical probes with claws extend from the tank hull and remove the jagged piece of hull form JON-29s thigh. A flash of light as the wound is cauterized. A plastiform bandage is slapped on to the wound by the mechanical arms and seals air-tight. The mechanical arms retract into the hull. MOTHER (V.O.) Temporary repairs completed. Functionality of eighty-seven per cent. Good boy, JON-28. The entire repair takes less than ten seconds. JON-28 looks into his Main View Screen and aims for the Outrider that wounded him. POV JON-28 ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN The same Outrider, the female rider now has her helmet visor lowered and is crouched behind her large cannon prepared to fire. WEAPONS (V.O.) Target locked. JON-28 Fire! EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The Mini-Tank's Main Gun fires. The Outrider beast is hit directly on its armored head. The Outrider is blasted from her saddle and into the air. She lands hard then gets up drawing her handgun from a holster, she aims, another blast, the gun flies from her hand as she is thrown into the air.

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The and the and

Pig Creature turns in the saddle, swerves the gun around manages to fire one last time just as the Beast is hit in side by another blast from JON-28s Main Gun. The Beast the Tail Gunner are killed.

EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The last blast from the Outriders Tail Gun hits the MiniTank, it flies up in the air and lands on its side, spins twice and stops. INT. MINI-TANK - DAY JON-28 slams against the interior hull and as the tank stops spinning he lies motionless. EXT. BATTLEFIELD The massive War-Machine is hit repeatedly by huge blasts from the enemy Heavy Crawlers. Thick black smoke and crimson flame pour from several gaping holes in the superstructure. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY Even more fire and smoke than before. Warning alarms, both sound and voice blast loudly, punctuated by yet more muffled explosions that rock the War-Machine. FIRST TECH Multiple hits to Fire Control. Medium damage to ray shields and tracking stations. SECOND TECH Outriders are eliminated. Mini-Tank Team 23519A is expended. COMMANDER Make heading forty six, to section nine five. Disengage active tracking. Deploy smoke. DAMAGE CONTROL (V.O.) Damage Control. COMMANDER Report. DAMAGE CONTROL (V.O.) Fires are in external bays and hangars. (MORE)

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DAMAGE CONTROL(cont'd) We had one deep penetrator that set off some Pentagmite magazines, but the blast panels worked and we have it contained. If we retreat we will survive.
COMMANDER Working, good job! EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY The War-Machine slowly retreats as it lays a smokescreen. It continues to fire from the remaining guns. A few last shells from the enemy land nearby. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The Mini-Tank has a large hole in the side hull. Not far away another machine lies motionless. Its not a Mini-Tank, but rather some sort of maintenance/repair vehicle, equipped with cranes and mechanical arms with metal-fingered hands. INT. MINI-TANK JON-28 sags in his seat harness, dead. A large hole in his chest, more damage to his head face and his left arm. CLOSE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Dark and blank. Then a flash, and darkness again. A flash of light again, and the screen begins to show words. SUPER: "ACTIVATE PENULTIMATE RECOVERY SEQUENCE" The screen goes blank. Only a flashing cursor blinks on the blue background. MOTHER (V.O.) Driver Unit severely damaged, metabolic level low, personality core in stasis. Initiate repair sequence. Lights flicker and then burn steadily. The same mechanical arms extend from the mini-tanks hull and begin to examine and treat JON-28. POWER (V.O.) Power level insufficient for completion of repair sequence.

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MOTHER (V.O.) Pause repair sequence. Analysis. Report. ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Data streams across the main View Screen. Schematic drawings of JON-28, the wounds showing as faint outlines, unwounded parts of his body in bold outline. Numbers stream by swiftly next to the wounded areas. Red numbers blink repeatedly next to his head and face. POWER (V.O.) Insufficient power for full biological reconstruction. Prosthetics as temporary expedient available and adequate for emergency functioning. MOTHER (V.O.) Conclusion? POWER (V.O.) New iteration of Driver Unit, designation of JON-29 will function at eighty-three per cent of nominal capacity, sufficient for return to base unit where full reconstruction available. DRIVER REPAIR MONTAGE JON-29 is slowly put back together, the tiny repair machines do their jobs. The hole in his chest is closed with a patch of artificial flesh. His head and face are repaired with metal parts and also covered in life like artificial skin. A mechanical arm of brass, plastic and stainless steel is attached to the stump of his missing left arm. It remains metal. MOTHER (V.O.) Driver repair sequence complete, personality core stable, opening stasis loop, initiate reanimation. A hum of power that quickly rises in intensity, then a snap of electrical sound and JON-29 jerks in his harness.

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MOTHER (V.O.) Insert glycogenic compound, boost power to level three. Fluids surge down the umbilicus and into JON-29. Again the whine of power, and the snap of electricity, JON-29 convulses. JON-29 opens his eyes, calmly blinks once, and looks around himself. JON-29 Mother? MOTHER (V.O.) Your metabolism was terminated while you were in Personality Stasis. Penultimate repair sequence has reached minimal level of completion. You have been reanimated. You are now capable of adequate function for return to base. Driver Unit iteration is now JON-29. JON-29 Understood Mother. JON-29 tentatively touches the Main View Screen. JON-29 Is communication with Main Unit HQ possible? MOTHER (V.O.) Communication malfunction, repair incapable. Our orientation nonoptimal for communication or locomotion. JON-29 looks around, as if he has just noticed he lies on his side supported by his harness. JON-29 Weapons? WEAPONS (V.O.) Damage to weapons server, incapable of repair. Damage to weapons server, incapableJON-29 End report. Power?

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POWER (V.O.) Power failing. Twenty per cent. JON-29 looks down at the repairs to his body. His severed left arm lies on the side of the hull interior that is now the bottom. JON-29 seems unaffected by the grisly sight. He clenches the fingers of his new mechanical hand into a fist, then relaxes them. JON-29 Prosthesis adequate. Biological limb, is repair possible? MOTHER (V.O.) Factory original part beyond repair, original manufacturer replacement unavailable until return to Main Unit repair facilities. JON-29 Satisfactory. Time to arrival of recovery unit? MOTHER (V.O.) Recovery not possible. Main Unit no longer in communication. We are expended. JON-29 Default command sequence, adapt last issued orders, seek and destroy. MOTHER (V.O.) Default option no longer available. Insufficient resources. JON-29 Conclusion? POWER (V.O.) Power insufficient for seek and destroy. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons non-functional. MOTHER (V.O.) We are expended.

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JON-29 shows no emotion. JON-29 Understood, we are expended. Options? MOTHER (V.O.) Systems repairable, repaired blue systems are of possible use to red forces. Driver Unit may order abort sequence. JON-29 Concur, red force repair and use of JON-29 possibility, driver unit authorizes termination. MOTHER (V.O.) Weapons? WEAPONS (V.O.) Concur. MOTHER (V.O.) Power? POWER (V.O.) Concur. ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN A bright green numerical COUNTDOWN begins. JON-29 is calm and motionless. He has little interest in the flashing green numbers counting down on the main view screen. MOTHER (V.O.) Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four, Three. Two. One. Termination charges initiated. Good-bye, JON29. Nothing happens. JON-29 frowns at the main view screen. JON-29 Is this termination? MOTHER (V.O.) Termination charges malfunction. Diagnostics malfunction. We are unable to terminate. JON-29 stares at the Main View Screen for a moment.

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JON-29 Alternatives? MOTHER (V.O.) Unknown. I have suffered core damage. Options unavailable. JON-29 stares at the Main View Screen. He shows no emotion. He lays back in his harness, hanging at an odd angle in the tilted Mini-Tank. JON-29 Understood. MOTHER (V.O.) You need rest. JON-29 I am not tired. MOTHER (V.O.) Mother monitors all systems. Mother knows correct procedures for all situations. Rest. A blue fluid runs into JON-29s body, he closes his eyes. FLASHBACK DREAM MONTAGE VERY FAST images of the past life of JON-29. A tiny baby being inserted into a Mini-Tank. JON at age five being trained inside of Mother. JON at age eight being trained in hand to hand combat outside of Mother. JON at age ten practising his driving with a primitive combustion vehicle. JON at age fifteen command driving Mother in a battle with the Outriders, he is killed and repaired. Multiple scenes of JON being killed and repaired. More images of death and destruction, faster and faster. END FLASHBACKS JON-29 wakes with a start, he looks around the dark interior of the tank then closes his eyes again.

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EXT. RUINED CITY - NIGHT The Mini-Tank lies on its side as before. There is a full moon. The night is quiet, nothing moves save a few windblown leaves and dust. A LARGE RAT scurries across the roadway and up the side of the Mini-Tank. It sniffs about the edge of the hole blasted in JON-29 by the Outriders gun and then disappears into the hole. INT. MINI-TANK The rat crawls carefully about the interior. It skitters up to the index finger of JON-29s right hand, sniffs it once, and bites it. JON-29 wakes with a start, grabs the rat with his new mechanical hand, and holds it up in the dim moonlight from the hole in the hull. He examines the squirming creature from first one side, then the other. JON-29 Information. A single dim light shines on JON-29 and the rat. MOTHER (V.O.) Subject? JON-29 stares intently at the rat. The rat is surrounded by a square of light. Beneath the square appear letters in Green. "UPLOADING VISUAL" JON-29 What is it? MOTHER (V.O.) Rattus Rattus, also known as the Black Rat, a large omnivorous Scavenger rodent. JON-29 Poisonous?

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MOTHER (V.O.) Non-venomous. Commonly carries any of several varieties of disease causing microbes, several of which were tactically deployed early in the opening stages of the First Millennial War. You have received DNA-Mods against all known varieties of these pathogens. JON-29 Characteristics? CLOSE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Diagrams and data on the rat flashes by. One word is highlighted in BOLD. "EDIBLE" JON-29 looks at the rat for one long moment. Then bites off the head and chews slowly without emotion. He swallows. JON-29 It is not very good. MOTHER (V.O.) Black Rat has sufficient nutrition to maintain basic function level. Finish your meal. JON-29 Understood Mother. JON-29 eats the rest of the rat and burps. MOTHER (V.O.) Now rest. JON-29 Understood. The single dim light goes out. JON-29 leans back and looks at the Main View Screen. JON-29 Will you tell me a story? MOTHER (V.O.) Power should be conserved for necessary functions.

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JON-29 It would help me to rest. MOTHER (V.O.) Very well. The main system components of a JON armored fighting vehicle are as follows:... One: Driver Unit, a bionic humanoid trained in the full use of the destruction mechanisms...Two: MOTHER (V.O.) Second is the multi-task, over view, tactical, hyper-active, errornull repair unit, or MOTHER, next is the weapons array, the main gun is a faze projection Multiplane Gun with a maximum effective range of thirty-one kilometers... JON-29 closes his eyes as MOTHER's soft voice continues to explain the different functions of the JON battle tank. EXT. RUINED CITY - NIGHT Cyborg Scavengers move down the street, but carefully avoid passing too near the damaged Mini-Tank. They spot a humanoid creature and quickly kill it then begin to eat it. INT. MINI-TANK JON-29 opens his eyes. JON-29 Information? MOTHER (V.O.) Available. JON-29 Water? MOTHER (V.O.) Hydration System damage. Water unavailable. JON-29 Alternatives? MOTHER (V.O.) Core damage. Data unavailable.

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JON-29 If water remains unavailable, will I terminate? MOTHER (V.O.) Affirm. JON-29 When I terminate, what will happen to Weapons, Power and you? MOTHER (V.O.) Systems will default to stasis loop for maximum power conservation. When power level zeroes, we will lose cohesion and be dispersed. Termination beyond recall. JON-29 Then what? MOTHER (V.O.) Core damage. Information unavailable. JON-29 What happens when you terminate? MOTHER (V.O.) Unknown. JON-29 Will we be together? MOTHER (V.O.) Unknown. JON-29 lays back in his command chair. JON-29 Did we win? MOTHER (V.O.) Affirm, you have done well JON-29. Your name will be placed in the Shrine of Records, and revenge will be taken in your name. POWER (V.O.) Power minimal, fuel cells damaged, batteries twelve per-cent.

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JON-29 watches as the lights inside the control room start to fade, he looks worried. JON-29 It is getting dark, Mother? MOTHER (V.O.) Yes, JON-29 JON-29 Do not terminate. MOTHER (V.O.) No alternative, low-power protocol requires placement of all critical functions in stasis loop. JON-29 Understood. MOTHER (V.O.) From stasis loop mode I cannot interface with you. You are an excellent Driver Unit JON-29. I have enjoyed being with you. (beat) End of transmission. The lights dim. JON-29 Mother?...Mother? Darkness. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNRISE The bright yellow morning sun rises over the desolation of the ruined city. Rats and other small animals retreat into the ruins. The storm of battle has passed. INT. MINI-TANK Through the hole in the side of the Mini-Tank sunlight streams into the interior. The morning sunshine is on JON-29s face. JON-29 opens his eyes, blinks at the sunlight, then covers his eyes with his mechanical hand. JON-29 Mother...Mother what time is it... Mother?

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After a moment of silence JON-29 lowers his hand and stares at the hole in the hull. JON-29 I must survive to destroy the enemy. JON-29 slowly releases the clasps of his harness and climbs up from his sideways hanging command chair. John reaches down with his mechanical arm, and pulls once on his umbilical cord, it snaps apart, fluid spurts. He climbs out the hatch. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNRISE JON-29 stands next to the Mini-Tank. He rest his hand on it and speaks to it. JON-29 Mother, I have sufficient knowledge to survive in the outside world. I will not terminate, I will seek and destroy. I will take revenge in your name. I will make you proud. JON-29 unfastens the chin strap of his helmet, takes it off and drops it to the ground, he wipes his head with his left hand and looks around the ruins. Giant mutant insects crawl over the ground, he steps on several of them as he walks away. EXT. RUINED CITY - LATER JON-29 moves past and between gigantic pieces of a collapsed statue. One of the larger pieces reveals that the statue was of an Outrider. A large, dead Outrider beast lies two meters from the base of the rubble pile. Its recognizable as the same Outrider Beast that destroyed JON-29's Mini-Tank. The small tail gunner creature is dead. Another five meters beyond the beast, is the crumpled form of the female Outrider, motionless. JON-29 warily walks around the dead beast. He closely watches the figure of the female soldier lying in the street. She still wears her armor and helmet. KT-7 is in black letters on the helmet front.

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JON-29 kicks the body once with the toe of his left boot. It falls back and lies motionless. He bends over and looks closely at her face. The female rider is young and attractive. Her face is grimy, and streaked with blood, which also cakes the few strands of yellow hair visible beneath her helmet. JON-29 turns and walks to the dead beast, examines it a moment then lifts his mechanical right arm. The tip of the index finger opens, and a thin blade extends. JON-29 slices a large piece from the creatures flank, smells it, makes a face, takes a bite, chews, then swallows with a grimace. EXT. RUINED MINI-TANK The sun rises on the horizon, the ruined tank silhouetted against the morning light. The small repair crawler still sits a few meters from the ruined Mini-Tank. A beam of sunlight strikes its hull. The sunbeam shines directly on a solar cell on the upper hull of the Repair Crawler. A hatch on the crawler opens and a camera extends, it scans the area. It zooms in on the ruined Mini-Tank. Large green letters appear on the screen. INT. REPAIR CRAWLER. A small diagnostic screen. Words on screen. DAMAGED CRAWLER UNIT DETECTED. INITIATE DIAGNOSTIC SEQUENCE. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The Repair Crawler weakly rotates to face the ruined MiniTank and crawls towards it. It stops next to the side hull of the Mini-Tank. a tentacle reaches out and attaches itself to a small opening in its side. INT. MINI-TANK Dark and silent. Then a flicker of light on the Main View Screen. The screen activates, words appear.

26. REPAIR CRAWLER 24C41. ACTIVATE DIAGNOSTICS. POWER (V.O.) Remote power supply accessed, minimal levels. Some of the interior lights switch on. MOTHER (V.O.) (weak, scratchy) JON-29? JON-29? Where are you? The command chair activates. The umbilical cord that was attached to JON-29 is pulled back into the chair. MOTHER (V.O.) Driver Unit JON-29 is missing. POWER (V.O.) Power sufficient for minimal repairs. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons damaged beyond repair, replacement necessary. MOTHER (V.O.) Driver Unit JON-29 is missing. Return to operations requires recovery of Driver Unit. POWER (V.O.) Insufficient power for recovery operations. MOTHER (V.O.) Operational alternative will be developed. CLOSE ON MAIN CONTROL SCREEN Data flows down the screen. Maps of the ruined city, photographs of JON-29, aerial views of the city, Mother searches for a plan to recover her missing Driver unit. Her child. MOTHER Repair Crawler, diagnostics result? REPAIR CRAWLER 24C41 (V.O.) Repair Crawler 24C41, diagnostic routine complete. I have surveyed damaged vehicles in this sector. (MORE)

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REPAIR CRAWLER 24C41(cont'd) By cannibalizing available wrecked crawler units, full repair with significant augmentation of capabilities possible. Shall I proceed?
CLOSE ON MINI-TANK MAIN VIEW SCREEN A schematic drawing of the damaged Mini-Tank. Images of various damaged crawlers that lie about the battlefield. Now appears a second drawing. a larger, more heavily armed and armored Mini-Tank. MOTHER (V.O.) Full maintenance cycle confirmed. Initiate. We will not terminate. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY JON-29 sits near the dead Outrider beast, still eating its flesh. He stares at the sky. The woman Outrider, KT-7, still lies in the street, in the same crumpled position as before. Her left hand moves slightly. She lifts her head. Her eyes are slits. She slowly and carefully looks around. She spots her enemy. Her right hand slowly and silently pulls a large combat knife from a sheath strapped to her left calf. KT-7 in a silent and swift motion leaps to her feet and attacks JON-29, the knife extended as she lunges at him. JON-29 parries her knife thrust with his mechanical arm. He then ripostes with his finger knife. KT-7 whirls and kicks at JON-29's legs, JON-29 leaps and kicks the knife from her hand. It flies through the air, and KT-7 follows it in a graceful somersault, grabbing the blade mid-air and landing on her feet. JON-29 You are very well trained in hand to hand combat. KT-7 Yes. That is why Im going to kill you! The fight resumes, with more acrobatic moves, thrusts and parries. They both become more and more tired.

28. In a final desperate lunge, KT-7 manages to scratch JON-29s cheek, but nothing more. JON-29s mechanical arm pushes her away with such force she flies through the air and hits her dead Outrider beast. She shakily stands and holds her hands out from her body. KT-7 Truce? JON-29 Truce? What is truce? KT-7 Its a temporary secession of hostilities. JON-29 frowns. JON-29 Purpose? KT-7 So we can recover There is no glory enemy, so what do head, do we fight JON-29 nods once, slowly. They move back from each other and sit down on opposite sides of the street. They stare at one another intensely. JON-29 You are strong. KT-7 So are you.... Is that your designation? She points at his breast patch. JON-29 looks down at the patch, then back at her. JON-29 Joint Operations Nexus Driver Unit, Iteration Twenty-Nine. KT-7 Twenty-Nine? Your patch shows Twenty-Eight Iterations? JON-29 I was revived by my unit during combat. (MORE) our strength, in killing a weak you say metalor do we rest?

29.

JON-29(cont'd) My Iteration has increased by one, for the glory of the Motherland.
KT-7 nods, and stands proudly. KT-7 Im an Outrider, Komodo Trooper, Iteration Seven. The best unit of the Outriders. JON-29 Komodo? KT-7 nods at the dead Outrider beast. KT-7 Gen-Modded Komodo Dragon. Outrider, isnt that what you call them? You should know you killed her. JON-29 You killed many of my comrades. KT-7 Yes. And you killed my Sister Dragon. Her name was Auron. JON-29 As I will kill you. KT-7 smiles a little. KT-7 Ha! You can try but I don't think you will. Iron-riders are weakbrained and sore-bottomed. They stare at one another. KT-7 makes a move and JON-29 leaps to his feet ready to fight. KT-7 No you thick skulled machine-brain, its still truce. She walks slowly to the dead beast and pulls a canteen from a saddle pack. Never taking her eyes off JON-29, she opens the canteen and drinks. JON-29 watches her closely. She lowers the canteen. KT-7 Are you thirsty?

30.

JON-29 Affirm. KT-7 takes another long drink from her canteen. KT-7 Do you want a drink? JON-29 nods his head once. JON-29 Affirm. KT-7 puts the canteen down on the ground and moves away. JON29 waits until KT-7 sits down again then he carefully walks to the canteen and picks it up. JON-29 You are the enemy. Why do you share? KT-7 I already told you fuel-eater, there is no glory in defeating a weak enemy. JON-29 True. I can not be defeated. Only destroyed. KT-7 Then there would be glory in destroying you. JON-29 You can try. JON-29 takes a drink, he makes a face. JON-29 This is not water! KT-7 laughs. KT-7 Water? Thats for baby-suck, I gave you well aged fire-brew. I made it myself. JON-29 looks at her for a moment then takes another drink. He smiles.

31.

EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET The damaged Mini-Tank repairs itself with parts from the maintenance vehicle. Small robots move over the hull to repair and replace parts. INT. MINI-TANK The screens are functional now. The interior shows repairs have been made. The hole in the hull is patched. MOTHER (V.O.) Information? POWER (V.O.) Power output is high, must stop soon, reactivate at sunrise. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons are not functional, use of primary defense is obtainable. MOTHER (V.O.) Activate primary weapon. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY A large, MENACING CLAW, mounted at the end of an articulated arm mounted on the forward hull of the Mini-Tank opens and closes. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET JON-29 and KT-7 stand near the dead Dragon. They stare at each other. Neither moves. Then KT-7 looks over at the setting sun. KT-7 The light is going, it will be Sundeath soon. JON-29 We will have to fight in the dark. KT-7 Yes, dark or light I will still kill you. KT-7 gets up and JON-29 does the same as KT-7 pulls her visor down over her eyes. Through her helmet visor: a green, night scope image of JON29. The image blurs, flickers.

32.

KT-7 raises her visor. JON-29 Is the truce ended? KT-7 Yes. They start to circle each other once more, they are just about to fight again when KT-7 stops and listens. JON-29 Why did you stop? KT-7 Listen. KT-7s helmet is amplifying the sound in the area. We can hear a faint sound like BREATHING. KT-7 looks around quickly and she is scared. JON-29 can see it too. JON-29 What is it? KT-7 Scavengers. JON-29 What are Scavengers? KT-7 points to a pile of rubble in the middle distance down the street. KT-7 That! A dozen or more charging Scavengers, The Metal-Faced leader at the front. KT-7 and JON-29 fight on the same side, together they manage to kill several of there attackers, MORE Scavengers appear, the humans are trapped. JON-29 is almost killed by METAL-FACE when KT-7 comes to his rescue and together they manage to escape the Scavengers. The half-humans turn to the dead Outrider Beast and begin to eat it.

33.

EXT. RUINED CITY ANOTHER PART - NIGHT JON-29 and KT-7 run through the fallen city, KT-7 disappears into a large building, followed closely by JON-29. INT. FALLEN BUILDING - NIGHT Its dark. JON-29 and KT-7 move clumsily about. KT-7 takes a small metal object from her carry pouch and tosses it on the floor. It hums and then a faint glow. They are in what appears to be an abandoned storage room, They sit down, exhausted. JON-29 Why did you save me? KT-7 The Scavengers are animals, There is no glory in letting your enemy die by other hands. JON-29 What you call Scavengers we designate as non-combattant semihumans. Do we fight now? JON-29 starts to get up, but KT-7 just looks at him. KT-7 We can fight at Sunbirth, tonight we truce. JON-29 sits back down and is glad he doesnt have to fight right now. JON-29 Affirm. Truce. You are a good fighter. KT-7 Yes. So are you. JON-29 I should be, I have been trained in hand to hand combat by direct cranial input and strength enhancers. KT-7 moves to some storage selves and takes off some very old can goods and sits down with them, she takes her knife and opens one of the cans, she eats some of the contents, then looks at JON-29.

34.

KT-7 Hungry? JON-29 Affirm. Yes. She throws a can to him, he looks at it then takes his mechanical hand and a CAN OPENER like device springs out and he uses it to open the can, he eats. KT-7 Your arm is very useful. JON-29 Yes, My mother gave it to me. KT-7 finishes her meal and then settles down on the floor, she takes out a SMALL DEVICE from her pouch and places it on the ground, she turns it on, a ghost like ring springs out around her and the device. KT-7 Its an Alarm field. If you come near me Ill kill you truce or no truce, you comp that metal-head? JON-29 taps a switch on his metal arm, and a small light begins to blink on the tip of the LITTLE FINGER of the mechanical hand. JON-29 My arm never sleeps. KT-7 frowns, grunts, she sits staring at JON-29 her knife in her hand. JON-29 watches her as he finishes his meal. He leans back and crunches the now empty can in his metal hand. He stares back at her. EXT. FALLEN BUILDING - MORNING JON-29 and KT-7 exit and walk a few steps into the plaza that stretches before them. JON-29 wears a long overcoat. They look up at the sun and then turn to face one another. JON-29 extends his knife blade. KT-7 pulls her knife from its scabbard. They stare at one another for a moment. JON-29 End truce?

35.

KT-7 Perhaps we could negotiate? JON-29 Negotiate? What is that? KT-7 We agree not to kill each other, at least for a while. JON-29 is not sure what that means. JON-29 To not fight? There is no honor in this. KT-7 Yes there is. My mother taught me that there is a time for killing and a time for truce. JON-29 You had a Mother? KT-7 Of course, she carried me inside herself and nurtured me, she taught me how to fight. JON-29 My mother carried me inside herself also. She kept me safe, taught me to fight, to survive. Then I had to come out and live in this world. She has terminated now. KT-7 Yes, so has mine. JON-29 lowers his mechanical arm and the knife retracts into his hand. JON-29 I will negotiate. KT-7 carefully takes two steps closer to JON-29. She holds out her right hand to him. JON-29 stares at the open hand, then at her face. KT-7 If we are to survive we must work together, Will you touch hands and swear truce?

36.

JON-29 thinks this over for a moment then awkwardly holds out his hand and clasps hers. JON-29 I will not kill you....for now. KT-7 I will keep our truce....unless you attack me. JON-29 pulls his hand back and looks at it. KT-7 looks around the plaza. KT-7 The Scavengers are close. We must keep moving, but we need weapons and supplies or well end up as scraps. She turns and walks away across the plaza. JON-29 doesnt follow. KT-7 stops, turns and looks at him. KT-7 Well are you coming or not? JON-29 I can not defeat Scavengers alone. Together we can fight them. I will come with you. JON-29 walks across the plaza with her but keeps a distance. INT. MINI-TANK All of the visible damage is completely repaired now, the hole in the hull is patched. POWER (V.O.) Power reserves are at maneuver level, sufficient to initiate search for Driver Unit. WEAPONS (V.O.) Field expedient weaponry functional. MOTHER (V.O.) All systems, priority mission is location of Driver Unit JON-29.

37.

WEAPONS (V.O.) Weaponry insufficient for engagement with enemy. Advise extreme stealth in search operations. MOTHER (V.O.) Agreed. Priority mission remains recovery of JON-29. POWER (V.O.) You act contrary to main directive. Power levels are insufficient for long term search. We must obtain fuel cell replenishment and weapons repair. INSERT MAIN VIEW SCREEN Readouts of different power source show as bars of varying heights. WEAPONS (V.O.) I concur. MOTHER (V.O.) Agreed. Initiate search for fuel cell replenishment and weapons repair. Then we must locate JON-29. Driver Unit is necessary for full functionality of this unit. WEAPONS (V.O.) Replacement Driver Units available at Main Supply Depot. MOTHER (V.O Neg. Recovery of original Driver Unit JON-29 necessary. Initiate operations. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY Slowly the repaired Mini-Tank moves out across the city. It resembles the old tank, but with various scavenged bits of equipment mounted here and there. EXT. RUINED CITY ANOTHER PART - DAY JON-29 and KT-7 walk slowly and carefully, well apart from each other, KT-7 in the lead. They each keep one eye on the other. They move through what was a housing project.

38.

JON-29 The air smells. KT-7 The air is the air. I think you're the one who smells tread-rider. JON-29 I do not smell myself. Perhaps I smell you? KT-7 Perhaps. If you smell strength, and victory. JON-29 Does victory smell like dead Outrider? KT-7 Sacrifice is the little sister of victory. JON-29 We will win. We are stronger. We can not be defeated. Our weapons are superior, we will seek and destroy until victory is achieved. KT-7 Reality? Is that why I had to rescue you from the Scavengers? JON-29 doesnt answer. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET The Mini-Tank moves through the ruins. Scavengers scatter and disappear as it passes. INT. MINI-TANK Readouts appear on all the screens. MOTHER (V.O.) Fuel Cell replenishment station is near. POWER (V.O.) Power is at fifteen per cent. Replenishment is critical.

39.

MOTHER (V.O.) I concur. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET The Mini-Tank passes a pile of rubble, and there lies the body of KT-7s Outrider Beast, surrounded by Scavengers feeding on it. The Mini-Tank stops a few meters from the mass of Scavengers. Metal-Face stares at the it. INT. MINI-TANK The Main View Screen shows the Outrider Beast body. It superimposes the dead Beast onto an image of a live Outrider Beast. MOTHER (V.O.) Confirmed. This is Outrider target we destroyed in last combat action. Fuel Cell resupply one-hundred meters ahead. Initiate attack, Havoc mode. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET The CLAW on the front of the Mini-Tank opens and closes as it charges the Scavengers. The Scavengers swarm over the Mini-Tank. It fights back with the claw, crushing, ripping, flinging them away like toys. The Scavengers scatter from their new enemy. The Mini-Tank is undamaged but covered in blood. The claw scatters the last few Scavengers, The Mini-Tank moves close to the dead Outrider Beast. INT. MINI-TANK The Main View Screen shows a scan of the area around the dead Outrider Beast. ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN A building up the street is outlined in red, green letters beneath. FUEL CELL REPLENISHMENT STATION

40.

MOTHER (V.O.) Creatures have retreated. Power resupply available. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET The Mini-Tank trundles up to a ruined Fuel Cell Mech. Its a small Crawler that looks like a fuel tank on treads, with a large solar cell on the top of it. The Mini-Tank extends a probe that plugs into a socket on the Fuel Mech. INT. MINI-TANK The Main View Screen displays data readouts from the Fuel Cell Mech. a NEW VERSION of the Mini-Tank appears. The weapons of the dead Outrider Beast are part of this process. Its a weird combination of the Mini-Tank, the Outrider weapons and the Fuel Cell Mech. MOTHER (V.O.) Alternate design accepted. Initiate upgrades. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNSET JON-29 and KT-7 have come to a vacant street filled with rubble. In the middle of the avenue lies a dead Outrider Beast. Beside it is half a body, it is another Outrider. Vulture like birds fly away as the two soldiers approach. KT-7 looks closely at the dead Outrider for a moment. KT-7 I comp him, he was a subordinate in my unit. He might have useful intel. KT-7 pulls a loop of wire from her belt. She inserts the plug into a socket on the side of her helmet. Crouching over the dead Outrider, she pulls his helmet off, and RAMS the large metal probe into his head. She takes out a small device from her carry pouch and places it on his chest. It activates. The dead man jerks once, his back arches, and his eyes open.

41.

KT-7 JP-6, information is required. The dead eyes focus on KT-7. JP-6 KT-7. Its good to see you. What information do you require? KT-7 The Vector to the closest emergency supply depot. JP-6 Coordinates are five, seven, three. Vector two seven three, four point six kilometers. Can you initiate my repair sequence? KT-7 Further iterations are not possible. Youre scrapped. Im sorry. JP-6 Understood,...permission to withdraw? KT-7 Granted. KT-7 pulls the probe from JP-6, and the device from his chest. He slumps to the ground. She replaces the devices onto her belt and pouch then stands. She looks at her wrist compass, then points. KT-7 That is our vector. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT The War-Machine Bellerophon moves slowly over open rolling terrain. INT. WAR-MACHINE MAIN CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT The Control Room shows extensive damage. Dead technicians sit slumped over some of the consoles. The Commander sits in a central Command Chair staring at screens on his command console. THE COMMANDER All stop.

42.

FIRST TECHNICIAN All stopped, sir. THE COMMANDER Initiate replacement of Command Techs. Activate repair units. The surviving techs disconnect and remove the dead Techs from their consoles, Replacement Techs enter the Main Control Room and hook themselves up to the consoles. SECOND TECHNICIAN Replacements ready, sir. THIRD TECHNICIAN Repair procedures initiated. Estimated time to full engagement compatibility approximately thirty six point nine hours. THE COMMANDER Acceptable. EXT. OLD MUSEUM DEPOT - NIGHT KT-7 and JON-29 stand before the main entrance of a gigantic building with pillars and wide steps. The moonlight reveals carved letters above the entrance. PEOPLES MUSEUM OF THE FIRST MILLENNIA WAR KT-7 Dont speak or move. KT-7 slowly walks up to a heroic statue of a soldier holding a rifle as if charging up a hill. The statue is larger than life-size, and stands on a massive concrete slab. With a deliberate motion KT-7 pulls her knife from its scabbard and cuts one of her fingertips. She squeezes the fingertip, then wipes the blood on the left boot of the statue. A hum, and the statue comes to life. Its a ROBOT GUARDIAN. It looks down at KT-7, and lowers its weapon to cover her. ROBOT GUARDIAN KT-7, Outrider, Shock Troop 3. Identity confirmation. KT-7 Armageddon, Tripod, Lancer.

43.

ROBOT GUARDIAN Confirmed. (points rifle at JON-29) Enemy. Prisoner? KT-7 Confirmed. Transporting for interrogation and liquidation. Require immediate resupply. The robot turns and points at the museum entrance. ROBOT GUARDIAN Emergency supply depot activated. A hidden trapdoor in the museum steps silently raises. INT. MUSEUM DEPOT A few dim lights flicker, Dust is thick. KT-7 and JON-29 walk slowly past displays of military equipment. None of it looks functional. They pass into a larger room, and the lights here are working better. It is full of art. Paintings, statues, tapestries, and shelves of books. JON-29 Information? KT-7 What? JON-29 What sort of supply depot is this? KT-7 Oh, this is not the depot. This is for after-time storage. She waves her hand at the art. JON-29 These are not weapons or food? KT-7 No. These are treasures, from the before-time. They are stored here for The Peace. JON-29 The Peace?

44.

INT. MUSEUM DEPOT HALLWAY Almost pitch black, just one light in this long hall. They move slowly and carefully. KT-7 has her knife out and JON-29 has his finger blade extended. KT-7 Something ahead. Scavengers may have gained access. They reach the end of the hallway. A door stands half open, light from the room beyond shines around it. Faint tap-tap sounds echo in the room beyond the doorway. The pair carefully move close to the doorway and peer into the room. A small pig-like HUMANOID CREATURE is in the middle of the large room. Its the same sort of creature as the Outrider tail gunner on KT-7s Outrider Beast. The small creature wears overalls, with dozens of tools and other small devices hanging from a harness. It works on a ancient multi-wheeled MILITARY TRUCK. A large four-barreled machine gun is mounted on the flatbed. The creature ignores them. KT-7 sheathes her knife. KT-7 Were safe now. KT-7 walks out into the room. INT. MUSEUM DEPOT GREAT HALL KT-7 stops halfway between the doorway and the armored Truck on which the small creature works. KT-7 Baktor, nirada. The pig creature stops its work. It drops its tools and snaps to attention. PIG CREATURE Nirada, akto. KT-7 KT-7, Outrider, Shock Troop Three. Designation?

45.

PIG CREATURE Depot maintenance, Left Level Three. Detached from Fourth Regiment, Second Battalion. KT-7 Unit status, report? PIG CREATURE Expended. I alone remain. I seek a command unit. KT-7 I accept you as subordinate unit. The Pig Creature salutes KT-7. KT-7 Your designator? PIG CREATURE They called me Fixer. KT-7 nods and smiles. KT-7 Fixer, we require resupply. FIXER Rations limited. Weapons available but substandard. Land Master restored. No plasma armaments. Projectile weapons available. Theyre not very good, but better than nothing. KT-7 We need weapons of any type, and transport. JON-29 steps forward from the doorway. Fixer sees him, and draws a small handgun from a holster on his tool belt. FIXER Enemy! KT-7 Prisoner. FIXER I am not a prisoner transfer unit. You should terminate him.

46.

KT-7 Maybe later. Fixer holsters his pistol and returns to his repair work. KT-7 turns to JON-29. KT-7 Hes a Repair unit. JON-29 Will it give us supplies? KT-7 If I order it to. They are very good at repairs, but not very intelligent....just like you. JON-29 warily walks over to a bench by the wall and sits down. KT-7 begins to remove her armor, uniform and supplies. She has a very athletic body, and very feminine. A few scars, a pair of tattoos. Colorful depictions of Dragons. She removes her outer garments, her only remaining clothing are a pair of shorts, halter top of tan cloth and a pair of arm braces. KT-7 notices JON-29 as he stares at her. KT-7 Is there something wrong? JON-29 Neg. I was examining your body. KT-7 looks down at herself. She runs her hands over herself, as if searching for something she hopes is not there. KT-7 Is there a leech on me? Is there? I hate leeches! JON-29 Neg. There are no leeches on you. Your body is functional. Nominal. KT-7 Oh. Nominal? Yes. Ive been passed through all levels of training and testing for Outriders. At last youre talking the truth, I have been terminated and reanimated seven times.

47.

She smiles at JON-29. KT-7 You have undergone twenty-nine iterations. But I can see you still need more work. He looks at his mechanical hand. JON-29 Affirm. Yes, so do you. KT-7 frowns. KT-7 I was in the battle for this city when your kind first invaded our--Jon-29 gets very angry. JON-29 We did not invade! We repelled your invading forces and pushed you back. KT-7 Like I said you still need work! She sits down on the other side of the room from JON-29. She still wears a combat knife in a scabbard strapped to her left calf. KT-7 takes her canteen and drinks deeply. KT-7 You want some more? JON-29 nods his head. JON-29 Affirm. She hands the canteen to him and he takes two deep gulps and hands it back to the girl. KT-7 takes a couple more gulps. They stare at one another, the only sound in the shadowed chamber is the tapping of Fixer working on the Truck. JON-29 turns his head and stares at the painting on the wall beside his bench. It's a Renaissance style painting of a Madonna and Holy Child. JON-29 frowns.

48.

KT-7 Do you require information? JON-29 Affirm. Why does this screen display a child unit in the company of a female? KT-7 glances at the painting. KT-7 That is an ancient, permanent display of a mother with her child. JON-29 laughs. KT-7 You find this information amusing? JON-29 It is incorrect. Female units are not Mothers. They lack the capacity. KT-7 Youre brain must be war-weary. My mother was a female. JON-29 Incorrect. Females are warriors, not mothers. KT-7 laughs. KT-7 We can be both strong warriors and caring mothers, the repairs to your brain must have been faulty. JON-29 You are the enemy. You are wrong. KT-7 comes over and looks at him hard. KT-7 An youre an iron-assed machinehead who has spent to much time in coma-freeze! JON-29 also gets mad. He jumps to his feet, poised for a fight.

49.

JON-29 And you are a foul smelling beastherder that would not know a multiplexing phase converter from a stress fractured base plate! They stare at one another intensely. Fixer interrupts them. FIXER Reporting! Repair of the land rider is completed. I have located ammunition and rations. JON-29 and KT-7 slowly relax. KT-7 Excellent. We will depart at SunBirth. (TO JON-29) Truce? JON-29 nods his head. JON-29 Truce. They sit down once more. Fixer turns and walks away. KT-7 takes another drink from her canteen. JON-29 looks around the chamber. He sees a detailed painting of a man kissing a woman, JON-29 looks at KT-7, then at the painting. He stares hard at the painting, then at KT-7. She watches him closely. KT-7 Now what are you looking at? JON-29 (he points) That. What duty are these units performing? KT-7 Theyre kissing rivet-head. JON-29 Kissing? Is this a maintenance activity?

50.

KT-7 No. Pressing lips together is how bucking begins...well most of the time. JON-29 Bucking? KT-7 Yes. The coupling of two warriors to initiate production of replacement units. KT-7 begins to pump her hips in a sexual way. KT-7 Bucking, hump-grinding, belly warming....sex! JON-29 Understood. I have information on sex, it is very complex. KT-7 takes out her knife and uses the jagged edge to comb her hair. She also drinks again from her canteen, then hands it to JON-29 who also drinks deeply. KT-7 At first bucking is awkward, but you get better as you go, and its very pleasurable if you do it correctly. JON-29 You have performed this procedure? KT-7 smiles broadly. KT-7 Oh sure many times, but Im not a bivouac belly warmer, I dont just buck with anyone. She takes another drink. KT-7 My buck partners never complained. I was even selected for future service in a Reproduction Unit. JON-29 Understood.

51.

KT-7 looks closely at JON-29. She smiles softly. KT-7 Youre a no-timer aren't you? Fixer is visible in the center of the room loading crates of ammunition and other supplies onto the Truck. KT-7 drinks more, she it getting a bit drunk. She hands the canteen back to JON-29 who is also getting a little high. He drinks. JON-29 I have been briefed on basic reproductive procedure. KT-7 Just the basics, no....? She pumps her hips again, JON-29 looks embarrassed and hands her back the canteen, she drinks more, she looks around the room. She sees a marble statue of a Greek god, naked. KT-7 stares at the statue, then at JON-29. KT-7 I dont mind no-timers, theyre just more work thats all. Take you for example, I think you could learn if you had a good teacher. JON-29 blinks once. JON-29 You wish to mate with me? KT-7 Well your not very intelligent but you have a nice bottom cushion so I guess it might be interesting, ....Unless youre afraid? JON-29 I am a fully trained combat driver, I am never afraid! JON-29 thinks this over for a moment or two. JON-29 This will involve close contact will it not?

52.

KT-7 (smiling) Very close. JON-29 Do we need to negotiate? KT-7 takes another drink from her canteen. KT-7 State your terms. JON-29 Terms? Yes. That you do not kill me during mating. That we promise truce for duration of the procedure. KT-7 thinks this over, then nods her head. KT-7 My terms are in mind-sinc with yours. Do you accept? JON-29 I accept. (LONG BEAT) When? KT-7 what? JON-29 When do we initiate mating procedure? KT-7 stares at JON-29 for a long moment. Takes another gulp of fire-brew and smiles. KT-7 This seems like an acceptable time. JON-29 smiles shyly. JON-29 Affirm. KT-7 loosens the straps on her leg sheath, and removes it. She shoves her knife into the wooden leg of the bench she sits on. She stares at JON-29.

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KT-7 Just in case our truce is cancelled. JON-29 slowly walks to her, and sits next to her on the bench, KT-7 takes him in her arms, and they kiss awkwardly, JON-29 embraces her with his robotic arm, KT-7 flinches and pulls back. JON-29 Have I harmed you? KT-7 No. Your replacement arm is cold thats all. JON-29 looks at his arm and it starts to hum, a SOFT GLOW begins to surround it, it warms up. They kiss. Fixer still loads the Truck with supplies. He stops and looks at them for a moment. He shakes his head. FIXER He will not repair her with this procedure. EXT. RUINED CITY - SUNRISE A bright sunrise over the fallen city. INT. MINI-TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Various readouts appear. MOTHER (V.O.) It is now oh-six-hundred-thirty hours. Initiate repair procedures. POWER (V.O.) Initiating power-up. Power sufficient for full repair sequence. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weaponry upgrade unavailable. MOTHER (V.O.) Understood. Weaponry will be obtained from expended units.

54.

EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The small repair robots work to repair the Mini-Tank. They are disassembling the 124c1 Repair Crawler and using its parts to repair and modify the Mini-Tank. INT. MINI-TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN. Readouts appear detailing the repairs. A rendering of JON-29 appears and rotates. MOTHER (V.O.) Once system functions are recovered we must initiate search and rescue operations for Driver Unit JON-29. We require JON-29 for full and proper functioning of this Battle unit. INT. MUSEUM DEPOT GREAT HALL - DAY The Truck is ready, the large multi-barrelled machine gun rises on its heavy mount above the piles of supplies. JON-29 sleeps soundly, a smile on his face. KT-7's boot taps him on the shoulder, he opens his eyes. KT-7 (O.S.) Sunbirth has taken place. We have to evac immediately. JON-29 slowly gets up from the floor. He stands unsteadily holding his head, he looks over at KT-7, once again fully clothed in armor and uniform. JON-29 Why does my head hurt? KT-7 smiles. KT-7 Dont tell me your also a firsttimer with fire-brew? JON-29 shakes the pain away. JON-29 You were correct. Your mating skills are well developed. KT-7 nods curtly.

55.

KT-7 I told you they were. JON-29 waits for a further response. KT-7 continues to assist Fixer with the Truck. JON-29 clears his throat. JON-29 You have not reported on my mating skills. KT-7 opens the drivers door of the Truck. She pauses, her back to JON-29. KT-7 They were..... Adequate. JON-29 Adequate? KT-7 Yes. Adequate. JON-29 frowns. JON-29 You are certain? KT-7 turns and stares at JON-29. KT-7 Yes. Your performance was quite adequate. JON-29 looks down at the ground for a moment. KT-7 smiles. KT-7 Yes. Yes, quite adequate. For a first-timer I think you did very well, and if you continue youll be almost as good as me. JON-29 looks at her and smiles. He comes closer to her. JON-29 You are the enemy, you tried to kill me, yet you mated with me, why? KT-7 My mother told me that death always rides with you so dont waste time with silly blush-talk.

56.

She flicks a switch on her arm brace and out pops a small cutting blade. KT-7 Beside I had this just in case. JON-29 smiles. JON-29 Your mother was a very wise woman, and so are you. She flicks another switch on her other brace and out pops another blade. She smiles. KT-7 Very wise! EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The group of Scavengers crawl out of the ruins. Metal-Face stands at the front. He sniffs the air in several directions, he moves away, the other follow. EXT. RUINED CITY - ANOTHER PART - DAY The Mini-Tank is MUCH LARGER. It has large solar panels mounted over the rear hull, flanked by heavy armored panels. Overall the Mini-Tank is more menacing. There are even some bones from the Outrider beast mounted on the Mini-Tank like grisly trophies. INT. TANK The interior is completely repaired, everything shiny new. POWER (V.O.) Power is at maximum. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons are online, nominal capacity. MOTHER (V.O.) System capacity recovered. Commence search and rescue operations for Driver unit JON-29. Sensors detect pheromone traces.

57.

EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY With a rumble the upgraded Mini-Tank moves out of the rubble and down a large avenue. INT. MUSEUM DEPOT GREAT HALL JON-29 and KT-7 stand by the Truck. JON-29 is now fully dressed in his uniform and has even added some armor and a pistol belt with holster and gun. KT-7 Ill take command of the vehicle and select our heading. JON-29 shakes his head. JON-29 Have you ever driven a vehicle? KT-7 Ive read the manual. JON-29 I am a highly trained Driver Unit. I have more driving experience than a beast-rider. KT-7 Have you ever driven a primitive combustion drive vehicle before? JON-29 I was taught in the early stages of my training, I am a highly trained command driver. KT-7 Oh I comp, now brain-work this, if youre such a good driver, why were you walking? JON-29 shakes his head angrily. JON-29 That was not my fault, I was temporarily engaged in repulsing the enemy when I was...... KT-7 lifts her hand.

58.

KT-7 Negotiation, here are my terms. You will be the unit driver. I will operate the main gun and decide on the correct vector of our advance. Do you accept? JON-29 looks down at the ground, then up at her. JON-29 Agreed. KT-7 climbs into the main gun operation station. JON-29 opens the driver's door and sits beside Fixer. JON-29 Do females often act like this after mating? Fixer nods. FIXER Yes. They have no choice they are programed that way. JON-29 climbs in the cab, SLAMS the door shut and starts the Trucks engine. EXT. MUSEUM DEPOT - DAY A large steel panel slides open in the street. A roar, and out comes the Truck. It leaps into the air as it exits the hatch, then lands roughly on the street, swerves, tilts and then spins wildly, nearly out of control. KT-7 stoically clings to the machine guns handles, swaying in his seat harness. KT-7 (yells) Reduce speed! JON-29 jerks the wheel left, then right and then slams on the brakes, bringing the Truck to a screeching stop. KT-7 You drive like you mate, too fast! JON-29 Incorrect. I was adjusting to the unfamiliar control systems. Now What heading shall I set?

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KT-7 frowns, then shrugs. She points up the avenue, deeper into the ruined city. KT-7 Make heading zero five, north by seven. The terrain will be uneven, and there may be Scavenger traps so keep a tight-eye. And make sure you only run at half-juice. JON-29 Understood. I will maintain a safe speed. JON-29 hit's the gas hard again and they take off even FASTER this time. KT-7 (yelling) Of all the scale-headed, jerk-legged, rack-butted, foulsmelling....... EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The Tank rumbles down the avenue. It turns a corner. The Museum is across the street from the Tank. INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN INSERT "PHEROMONE TRACK JON-29 HEADING ZERO FIVE, NORTH BY SEVEN" MOTHER (V.O.) Tracking online. Driver Unit has been in this area within one hour. Maintain course. POWER (V.O.) Power systems online. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons online. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY As the tank rumbles towards the museum the ROBOT GUARDIAN activates.

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ROBOT GUARDIAN Halt! INT. TANK An alarm sounds. MOTHER (V.O.) Alert! Attack in process. Weapons! WEAPONS (V.O.) Working. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The armor plates close down over the solar disks. The Tank moves forward. The Guardian lifts its weapon as the machine rumbles forward, it fires. The blast hits the side of the Tank but doesnt stop it. INT. TANK MOTHER (V.O.) Maximum speed! POWER (V.O.) Engaging maximum speed. EXT. TANK - DAY The Tank rams into the Guardian, it falls to the ground, it tries to get up but the Tank rolls over it. The Guardian is damaged but tries to rise. The Tank rolls over it again and again, its smashed flat. INT. TANK The alarm stops. MOTHER (V.O.) Enemy is destroyed, continue search for JON-29. POWER (V.O.) Power is at acceptable level, recharge will commence. WEAPONS (V.O.) Damage is minimal, repairs in progress.

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EXT. TANK - DAY The armor plates open, the solar panels open and turn to the sun. The Tank starts to move down the avenue again. EXT. RUINED CITY - ANOTHER PART - DAY The Truck speeds down the middle of the street. It swerves wildly around piles of rubble. JON-29 smiles as he swings the Truck around the obstacles in the street. The Truck brakes suddenly to a hard stop. Steam pours from beneath the Trucks' hood, Fixer gets out and waddles over to the hood and opens it. FIXER I fix good! JON-29 gets out of the cab and surveys their surroundings. KT-7 climbs down from the truck and holds a large assault rifle. She turns to JON-29. KT-7 Youre NOT a good driver. You disobeyed orders by driving at full juice after I ordered you not too! JON-29 Mating with you must have dulled my senses. KT-7 grunts then looks around, then back at JON-29. KT-7 Were at the city perimeter. Beyond the next street lie the Outlands. We should----. Her voice trails off. She looks closely at something in the sky. KT-7 Look! She points at something overhead. Several GIANT BATS pass silently overhead and disappear.

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KT-7 Something has disturbed them. They almost never come out before Sundeath. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY Metal-Face and his band of Scavengers head down the avenue at a steady lope, like wolves on the scent of their prey. Down the street JON-29 and KT-7 stand by the Truck. Fixer works on the engine, his head and shoulders beneath the open hood of the Truck. The Scavengers slow down, stop and form into a ragged line across the avenue. Metal-Face snarls, and points at the Truck. The Scavenger gang howls and charge for their prey. KT-7 Here they come! KT-7 raises her rifle and begins firing at the Scavengers. JON-29 grabs another assault rifle from the Truck and fires wildly at the cyborgs. Together they pick off several. Fixer stolidly continues to work on the engine. One Scavenger gets past KT-7 and JON-29, and lunges for Fixer. Fixer turns calmly, and quick draws his little pistol, fires, and the Cyborg collapses at his feet. Fixer resumes work upon the engine. KT-7 jumps into the Truck bed. She grabs the machine gun and swings it around towards the Scavengers as they regroup for another charge. JON-29 is directly in the line of fire. She screams. KT-7 Down! JON-29 falls flat on the pavement as KT-7 fires the machine gun over his prostrate form, a wave of bullets rip into flesh, many Scavengers die. Fixer slams the Truck hood shut. FIXER I fix good! We go now. Fixer and JON-29 jump into the cab. He tries the motor, it wont start.

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KT-7 yells from the back. KT-7 Whats the no-solve? Get moving..NOW! JON-29 keeps trying the motor. Nothing. Metal-face reaches the back of the truck and starts to climb in. KT-7 sees him and pulls out her hand gun and shoots him in the chest. He is hurt but keeps coming. At last the motor starts, JON-29 hits the gas. Metal-face is almost into the back of the truck, KT-7 fires her hand gun until its empty, then she lifts her heavy boot and kicks the Scavenger in the face. He falls back and is dragged by the truck. EXT. RUINED CITY - ANOTHER PART - DAY Smoke blows from the Trucks tail pipes as JON-29 maneuvers through the piles of rubble and potholes in the street. KT-7 hangs on to the machine gun, steadying herself as she stands in the Truck bed. She fires a last burst in the direction of the Scavengers as the Truck turns a corner. KT-7 (YELLS) Death-fire is almost gone. We must evac the city, NOW! A gigantic wall, one-hundred feet high, looms directly ahead. In it is a tunnel entrance twenty feet high and wide. The avenue disappears down into it. INT. TRUCK CAB - DAY Fixer points at the tunnel entrance. FIXER Hide-space! JON-29 drives the Truck straight for the tunnel entrance. One giant bat disturbed by the sound of the Truck, flies from the tunnel and passes overhead.

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EXT. TUNNEL ENTRANCE - DAY JON-29 slams on the brakes. The Truck slides to a screeching stop just outside of the tunnel entrance. KT-7 I might have been mistaken when I said your handling of this combustion vehicle was substandard, it was...... JON-29 Adequate? KT-7 (smiles) Superior! JON-29 smiles at her. JON-29 Yes. We are in agreement. What is our heading? KT-7 looks down the tunnel. KT-7 The tunnel is our best hope of escape. JON-29 Understood. Then we can... Suddenly Metal-Face JUMPS OUT from behind the Truck, his body and face are torn and bloody. Both JON-29 and KT-7 draw their weapons and fire at the cyborg, he falls to the ground. JON-29 Is it dead? KT-7 fires SEVERAL MORE TIMES into the scavenger. KT-7 Affirm. EXT. TUNNEL - A BIT LATER The Truck moves into the tunnel, KT-7 tosses one of the gas cans out the back and aims her handgun at it.

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She shoots and the gas can explodes sending up a wall of flame blocking the entrance to the tunnel and incinerating the cyborg. EXT. RUINED CITY - DAY The Tank moves slowly down the broad avenue. INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Readouts appear. MOTHER (V.O.) Detection of weapons fire near city wall. POWER (V.O.) We must pause operations soon. Power level is minimal. MOTHER (V.O.) This fire may be indication of the recent presence of Driver Unit JON29. EXT. TUNNEL EXIT - AFTERNOON The Truck exits the tunnel. The Truck's engine runs roughly, smoke rises from under the hood. With a last rumble and cough the engine dies. The Truck rolls to a stop at a low rise in the terrain a hundred yards from the city wall. The land beyond stretches into the twilight haze. It is a vast and empty plain as far as can be seen. INT. TRUCK CAB JON-29 We have lost power. KT-7 Fixer, commence repairs. EXT. TRUCK - AFTERNOON Fixer, grumbling, gets out of the Truck cab. As he opens the hood and examines the engine, he makes exasperated little sounds. JON-29 exits the cab, while KT-7 climbs down from her gunner position.

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They walk together to the rear of the Truck and look out at the desolate terrain. KT-7 There will be no resupply there. But they wont come after us. Even Scavengers fear the Outlands. JON-29 Yes. You are a good gunner KT-7. Your skill with the projectile weapon was superior. KT-7 Thank you. JON-29 Thank you? What is thank you? KT-7 laughs. KT-7 Thank you? Its a term my mother taught me. Its a signifier of gratitude to a friend or comrade. JON-29 frowns, then smiles broadly. JON-29 Then I accept. We are friends and comrades. Yes. Thank you. They smile at each other and move closer. JON-29 puts out his arm to embrace her. They are about to kiss. FIXER Reporting. I have performed field expedient repair procedure five dash fourteen upon the combustion vehicle. Repairs are substandard. It may achieve terminal failure at any time. It must not be broken again. Fixer stands behind them, at attention. JON-29 lowers his arm. KT-7 nods to Fixer. KT-7 Understood. She turns and frowns at JON-29.

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KT-7 Try not to damage the combustion vehicle again. JON-29 Perhaps you should drive? KT-7 climbs into the Truck bed and stands by the gun. KT-7 No. I shoot and tell you where to go, if it wasnt for me wed all be feast-meat. JON-29 and Fixer climb into the Truck cab. INT. TRUCK JON-29 turns to Fixer. JON-29 Have you ever had a mate? Fixer sighs and shakes his head "no". JON-29 You would be wise not to. It is very complicated. Fixer grunts and stares straight ahead. FIXER She is good at killing. I am good at fixing. You are good at breaking things. JON-29 stares at Fixer for a moment, then starts the engine. EXT. OUTLANDS - SUNSET The Trucks engine runs rough, disappears into the Outlands. EXT. TUNNEL ENTRANCE - SUNSET The Tank crawls up to the tunnel entrance and halts. A hatch opens on the front hull. A spotlight emerges on an articulated arm from the opening and switches on. It illuminates the charred form of Metal-Face sprawled on the concrete. INT. TANK

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ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Readout's appear around the image of the dead Scavenger. MOTHER (V.O.) Remains are of a sub-human cyborg unit. CLOSE ON TIRE MARKS ON CONCRETE MOTHER (V.O.) Tracks are those of a vehicle that departed at high rate of speed. Analysis of atmospheric emissions indicate combustion vehicle has passed this point. Weapons have been fired. Pheromone analysis shows trace of JON-29 and an unidentified enemy personnel. Conclusion. JON-29 is prisoner of enemy unit. Numbers and graphs scroll down the screen. MOTHER (V.O.) All systems alert. Report availability for immediate rescue operations Driver Unit Jon-29. POWER (V.O.) Insufficient power for night operations. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapon systems adequate. Power systems report fourteen megajoules stored in capacitors. Calculate twenty-seven megajoules requirement for minimal combat operations. MOTHER (V.O.) We will wait here for Sunbirth and then continue search. The lights in the control room dim. MOTHER (V.O.) I will have Jon-29 back. EXT. OUTLANDS - NIGHT JON-29 and KT-7 sits next to a small fire of burning fuel. Fixer sits cross-legged on the other side of the fire

69. repairing some small piece of machinery. KT-7 and JON-29 eat rations as they talk. JON-29 You are incorrect. Replacements do not emerge from females. KT-7 Youre the one whos wrong basebrain I have viewed this procedure myself. JON-29 Impossible. We all know replacement Driver Units are constructed by Creche Units programmed for this purpose. This is of course followed by a regimen of training and indoctrination inside Mother Unit's. You have the basic procedure backwards. KT-7 snorts loudly and slaps her thigh with one gloved hand. KT-7 Your information on reproduction is as weak-armed as your driving skills! JON-29 You will retract that statement when I show you the true facts of reproduction. KT-7 looks over at Fixer. KT-7 What do you think Fixer, is he correct or am I? Fixer continues to work on the small device. FIXER I think it is broken. I think his head is also broken. Fixer throws the small device away, it hits the ground and activates. Old rock and roll music starts to play, JON-29 jumps to his feet.

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JON-29 What is that noise? KT-7 laughs. KT-7 That is music. JON-29 sits down and shakes his head. JON-29 The outside world is a very strange place. EXT. OUTLANDS - MORNING The Truck rolls across the plain, a cloud of dust rising lazily behind it. The city is a dot on the horizon behind it. A CLOUD OF DUST RISES FROM THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIDGE. KT-7 stands behind the machine gun. She stares directly forward over the Truck cab. She squints at the cloud of dust, then reaches out her left hand and raps smartly on the roof of the drivers compartment. KT-7 Stop! The Truck stops. Jon-29 and Fixer get out of the cab, and look questioningly at the cloud of dust. KT-7 Listen. A whirring, buzzing, whine comes from the other side of the ridge. It rises and falls in volume, in a regular pattern. Just a few yards away, just below the ridge top, is an ancient, rusty wrecked Truck of the same model as theirs. Fixer walks over to the wreck and begins to remove parts from it. KT-7 dismounts from the Truck and walks over to stand next to JON-29 just below the ridge top. KT-7 It could be a sand dragon.

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JON-29 Neg. This terrain is not suitable for sand dragons. Reconnaissance is required. Fixer lifts the hood of the wreck. A small, furry creature jumps out at him, screeching and pulls the hood shut in his face. JON-29 and KT-7 turn at the commotion and watch as Fixer starts to walk away from the Truck towards the wreck. He holds the same huge tire iron he used in the battle with the Scavengers. JON-29 Agreed. Fixer is small, he will be harder to detect. KT-7 turns towards Fixer. (KT-7) Fixer! Fixer turns to her. KT-7 motions her hand to call him over. Fixer tucks the giant tire iron into his tool belt and stolidly walks up the ridge towards them. FIXER There are repair parts in the wreck, but a Drop Bear is living in the engine compartment. KT-7 Blank that. We need you to perform reconnaissance. Fixer removes his tool belt, and draws his pistol. He walks carefully to the ridge top, drops to his stomach, wriggles to the top and peers over. After a second, he stands, holsters his pistol and calmly walks back down the slope to them. FIXER More wrecked equipment, Something is digging a hole. KT-7, JON-29 and Fixer walk up over the ridge and look down to see.

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The remains of wrecked War-Machines. Evidence the battle fought here was recent. Beyond that a large mound of sand. In the distance a dust cloud rises, it moves in a circle, KT7, JON-29 and Fixer move up the rise to a destroyed WarMachine and look down. A RUNNER races around and around in a wide circle. He has cut a trench a meter deep into the dry prairie. The dust rises from his whirling legs as they kick up the soil. JON-29 It is a Runner unit. I have fought beside them many times. JON-29 carefully climbs down from the wreck and walks closer to the trench. The Runner approaches him swiftly. JON-29 raises his arms over his head. JON-29 Halt! The Runner continues on past JON-29. It circles around and heads back around towards him again. JON-29 waves his arms this time. JON-29 I command you to HALT! Again the Runner mindlessly sets off around the trench. JON-29 turns to KT-7. JON-29 This Runner has sustained damage to his tracking. He has locked into a holding pattern and is unable to break the pattern. FIXER He is broken? KT-7 Hes dangerous. His Warpack may explode any second. JON-29 shakes his head.

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JON-29 Neg. His Warpack is nonfunctional. He is damaged. But he may have information on supplies, we should communicate to him. JON-29 takes up a piece of metal from the ground and waits by the side of the trench, when the Runner is about to pass him by he jams the metal into his powerful legs. The Runner falls to the ground, JON-29 jumps on him and snaps off the antenna on his back, his legs stop moving. FIXER You broke him good. EXT. TUNNEL EXIT - MORNING The Tank exits the tunnel and stops. INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN A readout of a large sand storm approaching. MOTHER (V.O.) Long range scanners have detected a storm approaching from the east. POWER (V.O.) I advise that power be shut down until storm has dissipated. MOTHER (V.O.) Concur, forward movement will stop, initiate shut down of all unnecessary power. POWER (V.O.) Concur, power shutting down. The lights in the control room dim, the engines stop. EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY The wind is blowing hard, JON-29, KT-7 and Fixer huddle inside the truck, The Runner sit in the back oblivious to the heavy wind.

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EXT. TUNNEL EXIT - LATER The storm has passed. The Tank is two-thirds buried in dust and sand. A grating, grinding sound. Then a whine as the various panels on the Tank open. The weapons and antennae emerge and lock into place. The solar panels rise, unfold, spread and rotate to catch the morning sun. INT. TANK A single dim light illuminates the interior, The Main View Screen comes to life. MOTHER (V.O.) It is now oh six hundred thirty one hours. Power up all systems. Enable tracking. POWER (V.O.) Power online. EXT. TANK - DAY The tank slowly rotates within the sand and dirt that encloses it. The tank rotates faster, faster, faster. The sand and dirt fly away like water from a wet dog shaking itself dry. INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Readouts appear. The screen clears to show the plains ahead, as the dust settles about the Tank. MOTHER (V.O.) Overland tracking non-optimal. Blast-Storm has erased vehicle tracks. We will search along last known vector. POWER (V.O.) Power levels rising. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons online.

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EXT. TRUCK - DAY JON-29,KT-7 and Fixer get out of the truck, they shake the sand from their bodies. KT-7 looks at the truck buried in the sand. The Runner head is sticking out of the sand. KT-7 We have work to do. Everyone starts to dig out the truck. EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY The Tank rolls easily over the plains. It comes to the ridge that extends across the desolate terrain, and slowly advances up it. The Tank crests the ridge, and stops. Its the same small valley, filled with the ruins of wrecked War-Machines where JON-29, KT-7 and Fixer found the Runner. In the distance lie the scattered parts of the wrecked War Robot. Its head rests against the ridge, shining in the morning sun like a mountain of metal. INT. TANK MOTHER (V.O.) Short range scanners detect motion. Vector five point three north. Intercept angle of advance is fourteen point seven five. POWER (V.O.) Maximum solar power is online. WEAPONS (V.O.) Caution advised. Tactical situation unclear. JON-29 may be compromised. He must be considered as possible threat. MOTHER (V.O.) Understood. We shall proceed in full tactical mode. Primary order. Return of Driver Unit JON-29 to Command Chair. Secondary order. Destruction of Outrider holding JON29.

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EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY Bellerophon sits atop another section of the same ridge line. The terrain is empty in all directions. Scanner antennae on the War-Machine rotate in every direction searching for the enemy. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Main Control Room is dimly lit. A Few tech's work quietly. One sleeps at his console. The Commander strides into the Main Control Room. One of the tech's snaps to attention. FIRST TECHNICIAN Attention! Commander on deck! Most of the tech's stand swiftly and alertly to attention facing the Commander. The sleeping technician is slow to rise. The Commander glares at him, then steps to the center of the main Control Room. COMMANDER Activate all systems. Search pattern Zed. COMMAND CREW ALL TOGETHER Yes sir! COMMANDER Carry on. The Commander steps over to the technician that was slow to get up. The Commander pulls his pistol from its holster and shoots the tech in the head. He calmly turns to the techs at the two nearest consoles. COMMANDER Remove this damaged unit. Request a replacement. The two tech's unstrap and carry the dead Tech from the Main Control Room. The Commander steps to his periscope and begins to check the terrain. COMMANDER Heading fourteen point five. Advance.

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EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY Bellerophon rises on it's tracks and moves forward, it picks up speed. EXT. OUTLANDS - ANOTHER PART - DAY The Truck is buried up to the top of its wheel wells. The Runner stands a few meters in front of the Truck. His harness is attached to the Trucks front tow bar by a chain and hooks. He pulls forward, his huge leg muscles strain with effort. Fixer sits in the drivers' seat. KT-7 and JON-29 push at the rear of the Truck, The Truck is slowly pulled and pushed free. JON-29 (To Runner) Halt! JON-29 unfastens the chain from the harness, KT-7 climbs into the back of the Truck and checks the machine gun. After a moment's examination, she slaps the side of the gun in exasperation. KT-7 Its scrap. She looks around the bed of the Truck. KT-7 Food, water, death-fire Its all gone. JON-29 Without supplies we will terminate. KT-7 thinks for a moment. KT-7 My mother once told me of a place far into the Outlands, a place called the neutral zone. JON-29 Neutral, what is that? KT-7 A place where warfare is forbidden, it is beyond Lands End, if we reach it we may survive.

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JON-29 A place where there is no war, can such a thing really exists? KT-7 Perhaps, we may end up as scraps but if we dont....... She turns her head and stares into the distance. Her head cocks to one side, as if she listens to something only she can hear. CLOSE ON KT-7'S HELMET A faint signal beeps in her earpiece. JON-29 Information? KT-7 Something is actively tracking us. Its close. JON-29 Drive fast? KT-7 As fast as you can. They get in the Truck cab. INT. TRUCK JON-29 tries to start the Truck. The engine starter grinds, then the engine coughs once and dies. A second grind of the starter, the engine backfires and stutters into life. The engine stops. Fixer jumps out of the Truck cab, opens the hood and starts to work on the engine. KT-7 listens to her earphones. KT-7 Its very close now. We must evac. JON-29 We can not. Repairs are needed. They get out of the truck.

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EXT. TRUCK - DAY A whine of powerful engines. Along with a rumble and clank of treads fills the air now. In the middle distance appears the Tank, It moves towards them a few yards and stops. KT-7 grabs a rifle. JON-29 stares at the Tank. He doesn't move. KT-7 Fixer, repair fast! INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Readouts appear of JON-29 and the others. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29 located. Activate external com-link. EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY The Tank moves forward slowly, to within a dozen meters of the Truck. The weapons claw retracts, and a loudspeaker extends from an open panel. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29! You are rescued. JON-29 stares at the huge Tank. He walks past KT-7 as if she no longer exists. He walks towards the Tank. KT-7 aims her rifle at the loudspeaker. KT-7 JON-29, what are you doing? JON-29 stops a few meters away from the Tank. Unseen by him, KT-7 walks up behind and to his left. She stops. JON-29 Mother? MOTHER (V.O.) Affirm. I have been reanimated, repair and upgrades to my systems were achieved from a Field maintenance Unit. (MORE)

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MOTHER(cont'd) I stand ready to continue our mission! You may now return to your Command Chair. Together we shall continue the battle for the glory of our Motherland!
JON-29 shakes his head. JON-29 I have been expended. There is truce. MOTHER (V.O.) Truce? Null content. Enemy unit identified. Outrider. Terminate. The Tank extends the weapon claw and moves it menacingly towards KT-7. JON-29 holds up both hands, palms outward at the Tank. JON-29 Neg. System pause, code Endymion. The weapon claw retracts. MOTHER (V.O.) You have thirty seconds. JON-29 This is not an enemy unit. She and I are comrade units. She is strong and a good warrior. We have mated. MOTHER (V.O.) Mated? Null data set. Enemy units may not mate with friendly. System pause terminated. Data reset. You are compromised. You shall return to Command Chair for a full system replacement. Together we will search and destroy these enemy units. JON-29 lowers his hands and looks over his shoulder at KT-7. He smiles at her. KT-7 stares seriously at JON-29, then back at Mother. JON-29 Neg. No! MOTHER (V.O.) Obedience is your duty. It is not a choice. Return to Command Chair.

81.

JON-29 I will not. I am expended...I have made a choice! The main hatch of the Tank snaps open. A snakelike tentacle cable whips out from the hatch. Before JON-29 can react the tentacle wraps itself about his arms and upper body. KT-7 LET HIM GO! She swings her rifle around and fires at the Tank. Several bullets ricochet from the Tank. One or two hit the open solar panels. One of the panels explodes. The remaining solar panels retract and armor doors close over them with a crash. JON-29 is pulled to the Tank. He struggles against the tentacle cable. His metal arm extends a spinning rotary saw. He tries to cut the umbilical with the saw blade. INT. TANK An alarm sounds. Red lights flash. WEAPONS (V.O.) Attack detected. Primary weapon online. Armed. POWER (V.O.) Damage to solar panels. Solar power offline. Fuel cells activated. EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY JON-29 fights to cut the tentacle. Just as the whirring blade begins to cut into it, another cable shoots out and pins his mechanical arm. He is pulled up to the main hatch of the Tank. KT-7 throws her rifle away, and falls to the ground. She rolls behind the Truck and reaches up. She pulls an ax from its mounting on the Trucks front right fender. Fixer hides under the Truck. The Runner stands still, oblivious to the commotion all about him.

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MOTHER (V.O.) You will be reprogrammed. You will obey! KT-7 rolls to her feet, the ax gripped firmly in both hands, she charges the tank. JON-29 struggles as the tentacles pull him slowly into the Main Hatch of the Tank. KT-7 stands over him, and the ax swings down. It cuts a tentacle in half. Another blow, the second tentacle is severed. INT. TANK MOTHER (V.O.) He must return to me! WEAPONS (V.O.) JON-29 is enemy unit. Terminate him. MOTHER (V.O.) Neg. JON-29 will return. He must return to me! WEAPONS (V.O.) Failure to connect data points. JON-29 has corrupt files. He is enemy. We must purge all corrupt files and obtain replacement copies. Terminate him now. MOTHER (V.O.) You will not harm JON-29. Command overrides in effect. He must return to me. POWER (V.O.) Terminate him now. MOTHER (V.O.) Neg. Neg. Reboot. Reboot. System reset. EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY All of the hatches seal shut. The weapons all retract, the tank settles down on its treads, motionless. KT-7 and JON-29 run to the Truck. Fixer works under the hood. The Runner stands as before.

83.

JON-29 (to KT-7) You must survive. I will terminate. Now go! KT-7 No, well go together. As they pass Fixer he slams the hood shut. FIXER Maybe fixed? KT-7 jumps into the drivers' side of the Truck cab. INT. TRUCK She looks at the controls. KT-7 I hope the manual was correct. She starts the engine. Fixer jumps into the other side of the cab. EXT. TRUCK - DAY JON-29 yells at the motionless Runner. JON-29 Load onto vehicle! JON-29 and the Runner jump onto the back of the Truck as KT-7 drives past him. JON-29 Go! The Tank rises on its treads, the claw extends. The Tank surges forward and swerves suddenly as the Truck passes. The claw extends and grabs onto the back of the Truck. It stops the Truck instantly and raises the rear wheels free of the ground. MOTHER (V.O.) He must return to me! KT-7 hit's the gas, but the Truck doesn't move. The rear wheels whine noisily as they spin freely in the air.

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The claw holds them fast. JON-29 bends down and activates his rotary saw blade, he cuts through the pressure line to the claw but he breaks the blade. The claw opens. The rear wheels hit the ground and they take off fast. INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN A view of the Truck as it disappears in a cloud of dust over the ridge. WEAPONS (V.O.) Primary weapon is disabled. MOTHER (V.O.) Maximum power to drive. He must return to me. EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY The Tank moves up the ridge. INT. TRUCK KT-7 drives. Fixer is next to her. KT-7 We dont have much go-juice left. FIXER This is not a problem. The engine will undergo catastrophic disassembly well before fuel is completely expended. EXT. LANDS END - DAY The Truck heads for a huge crack in the earth, a canyon a kilometer wide and two deep. It stretches from one horizon to the other. Across the canyon extends an ancient and narrow suspension bridge. INT. TANK ANGLE ON MAIN VIEW SCREEN Readouts on the canyon and the bridge.

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MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29 approaches Lands End. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons non-functional. Request full repair cycle. MOTHER (V.O.) Denied. Repairs secondary. Recovery of Driver Unit primary. He must return to me. EXT. LANDS END - DAY The Truck has stopped near the edge of the canyon not far from the bridge. KT-7 examines the bridge and the far side of the canyon through binoculars as Fixer moves to the back. JON-29 sits at the rear edge of the Truck bed. Fixer stands next to him. He works on JON-29s metal arm. Fixer steps back, and JON-29 extends the arm, testing it. FIXER It is a good arm. It is fixed. JON-29 nods, and looks over at the Runner. It sits in the middle of the Truck bed, motionless. JON-29 Check the Warpack on it. See if it can be repaired. Fixer climbs into the Truck bed and begins to examine the Warpack. JON-29 stands and walks over to KT-7. She lowers the binoculars and looks at him. KT-7 Its clear. We can cross. Are you injured? JON-29 shakes his head. JON-29 I am repaired. KT-7 listens to her earphones for a moment. KT-7 Its still coming.

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They both get into the Truck cab, Fixer is in the back working on the Runners Warpack. KT-7 drives the Truck slowly onto the bridge. INT. TANK MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29 is crossing Lands End. Maximum velocity. EXT. LANDS END - DAY JON-29's tank starts to cross the bridge, as it does the bridge starts to shake. INT. TANK Readouts on the bridge and calculations on it falling. WEAPONS (V.O.) Warning! The spanner is substandard, there is a high probability of collapse if we continue on this course. MOTHER (V.O.) Override in effect. Disregard warnings and continue on course. Increase power to drive, maximum velocity. POWER (V.O.) Increasing power to maximum drive. EXT. BRIDGE - DAY The Truck comes to the end of the bridge. JON-29 (to KT-7) Halt! KT-7 slams on the breaks and the Truck comes to a screeching stop. KT-7 Why are we stopping? We should continue at full-juice. JON-29 No, we would exhaust our fuel and be terminated.

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JON-29 turns to look into the back of the Truck. JON-29 Fixer, are repairs on Runner completed? FIXER Affirm, his explosive pack is now activated. JON-29 and KT-7 get out of the Truck and go over to the Runner. JON-29 Runner, attention! The Runner snaps to attention and looks at JON-29. RUNNER Target? JON-29 Affirm! Pointing towards his Tank/Mother. JON-29 TARGET! The Runner turns and see JON-29's tank coming over the bridge, he jumps out of the Truck and smiles. RUNNER Explode now! He takes off fast over the bridge heading right for the oncoming tank. INT. TANK Readouts of the Runner coming right for the tank, alarms go off again. WEAPONS (V.O.) Warning! Runner at heading zero, zero one! Initiate evasive program! MOTHER (V.O.) Program not possible, insufficient area for maneuvering. WEAPONS (V.O.) Runner will detonate on contact.

88.

MOTHER (V.O.) Affirm. WEAPONS (V.O.) Are there alternatives for survival? MOTHER (V.O.) Neg. EXT. BRIDGE - DAY The Runner races for the machine, at the last moment he opens his arms and smiles broadly. There is a MASSIVE EXPLOSION and the machine is rocked hard, the bridge begins to break apart and then fall, the machine begins to tumble into the abyss. KT-7 and JON-29 watch it disappear into the darkness then turn to each other. KT-7 We didnt die? JON-29 Yes, we did not terminate. KT-7 I was incorrect, sometimes your brain-work is superior. KT-7 leans over and kisses JON-29, they get back into the Truck and drive off, Fixer is smiling in the back. FIXER I fixed. KT-7 Heading? JON-29 North? KT-7 Agreed. EXT. DESERT - DAY KT-7 starts the engine and they drive away from the canyon.

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INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander is sitting in his command chair, there are two technicians that seem to be replacing one of his arms. COMMANDER (to technicians) I want that replaced immediately! TECHNICIANS Right away sir! They move off with the arm, then an other technician speaks out. FIRST TECHNICIAN Commander, I have an explosion on my long range screen. COMMANDER Enemy? FIRST TECHNICIAN Neg, the explosion has parameters that coincide those of a Runner. COMMANDER Impossible, we haven't activated a Runner in forty time periods. Weapons, what is the information on the last firing of Runners? WEAPONS TECHNICIAN THREE Confirmed hits, four terminations and one unaccounted for sir. The Commander thinks for a moment. COMMANDER Make heading to the coordinates of that explosion, speed at half. FIRST TECHNICIAN Affirm. COMMANDER (loud) And get me my arm! EXT. DESERT - DAY Bellerophon turns and moves off, creatures run to get out of its way.

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EXT. OUTLANDS - DAY JON-29 is driving, Fixer beside him. KT-7 is in the back. The Truck is smoking from the engine badly, it suddenly stops. INT. TRUCK JON-29 Can it be repaired? FIXER Neg, the engine has terminated. JON-29 Then we must walk. John and Fixer get out of the Truck, KT-7 stands with them. EXT. TRUCK - DAY JON-29 Heading? KT-7 (pointing) That way. They begin to walk. EXT. OASIS - NIGHT A camp fire, KT-7 and JON-29 sitting in a oasis, there are plants and trees, small creatures move about, over head is a broken dome. All about are scattered old books and obsolete mechanical devices. Fixer is working on JON-29's detached arm. KT-7 is cleaning his wounds with water taken from a pond. JON-29 Ouch! KT-7 Remain still, youre acting like you never had a flesh-cut before. JON-29 I have had many wounds but the repairs did not hurt before. KT-7 places a wet plant from the pond on his wound.

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KT-7 Dont remove the field dressing, it will accelerate the healing process. JON-29 looks at the plant and seems satisfied. JON-29 Thank you. KT-7 goes over to the fire, she picks up a large book and throws it into the flames then cuts two legs of meat from a lizard like creature that has been roasting and hands one to JON-29, they begin to eat them. KT-7 The war-machine we encountered, you called her mother. Explain? JON-29 She raised me and trained me, I was designated as the command driver and she was mother. It was right. KT-7 The Elders in my tribe taught us to destroy any tanker we met, I was raised to war, perhaps we are both wrong? JON-29 (thinking) I do not see how this is possible? But I have disobeyed a direct order, and you have not terminated me, we are still truce, Perhaps anything is possible? KT-7 Perhaps?...sand dragons dont taste very good do they? JON-29 No, on that you are correct. KT-7 reaches into her belt pouch and takes out a small chunk of what looks like rock candy, she hands it to JON-29. JON-29 What is it?

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KT-7 We call it chum. It has a sweet taste. JON-29 bite's the candy and likes it. JON-29 It is better then Black Rat. EXT. CANYON - NIGHT In the moon light the remains of JON-29's tank, it is broken and still, it is laying on a vast pile of other broken machines and War-Beasts. INT. TANK All the screens are dark, then a very faint glow starts up, tiny letters on the screen. "REPAIR" Faint lights start up and the control room gets brighter and brighter. EXT. TANK - NIGHT One small repair robot emerges from the tank and start its work. EXT. OASIS - NIGHT Fixer is still working on JON-29's arm, KT-7 and JON-29 are laying back by the pond, they are looking up at the moon. KT-7 Youre so wrong, THAT is a beacon placed there by AA-1 the first Outrider, it was meant to light his way during night-cycle combat missions. JON-29 It is you who are in error, that is a observation platform put there by the command tankers to gain coordinates for attack mission. KT-7 is getting angry once more and starts to get up.

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KT-7 Why I ever mated with a armorheaded wheel-rider I will never understand, you are the most tundraheaded, foul-smelling....! JON-29 grabs her arm and smiles at her, she looks at him and slowly sits back down. KT-7 But we are comrades and Ill try and overlook your many faults. They embrace, they kiss. KT-7 Even with one arm your mating techniques have improved greatly. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT The Commander is sitting in his command chair, he has both his arms back, there are small FIXER ROBOTS doing maintenance on control panels. FIRST TECHNICIAN Commander, we are nearing coordinates of Runner explosion but I have a reading of a heavy crawler at heading six two, nine. COMMANDER Alter course to that heading. Weapons. SECOND TECHNICIAN Yes sir! COMMANDER Prepare all weapons for battle, alert Strike birds, Tankers and Runners, stand by for my attack orders. SECOND TECHNICIAN Yes sir! The Commander gets up and move to his periscope, he smiles. COMMANDER Seek and destroy. EXT. OASIS - NIGHT

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JON-29 and KT-7 are hugging and kissing near a fire. Fixer is ignoring them and still working on JON-29s arm. Suddenly a sound is heard. Everyone jumps to their feet and draws weapons. JON-29 What is that sound? KT-7 Unknown, we are to far into the Outlands for Scavengers. As the wait they hear the sound again, then into the Oasis comes a huge War-Beast. It still has its weapons but no rider or tail gunner. KT-7 sees it and smiles. KT-7 Dont attack it, it wont harm us. JON-29 is not so certain. JON-29 It is dangerous, do not approach it. KT-7 Just watch maybe youll learn something. KT-7 goes over and takes a few plants from the pond and moves towards the beast. KT-7 Its lost its gunner and driver. She holds the plants near its head and watches as it eats them. She turns to the others and smiles. KT-7 We have transport. EXT. DESERT DUNES - DAY The War-Beast is loaded with the meager supplies from the broken Truck, it has a cannon mounted in front of the saddle and two weapons in the tail gunner position. Fixer is checking the gun, KT-7 and JON-29 with his arm now attached are standing on the sand next to the creature, KT-7 is holding the creatures reins. Once more they seem to be arguing.

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KT-7 No. You have no training with a Tundra. Im an Outrider, I have been well trained so I should be the driver. JON-29 Then I can coordinate weapons. KT-7 No, the Fixer unit is properly trained to operate tundra weaponry and youre not. JON-29 If I can not command drive or activate weapons, what is my designation? KT-7 Youll be cargo. JON-29 Cargo? Neg. no, I am a fully trained command diver and battle unit, I can not be cargo. KT-7 can see he is not happy doing nothing, she thinks for a moment. KT-7 Then your designation will be back up command driver and weapons support. JON-29 looks a lot happier with this. JON-29 Agreed. Where is my command chair? KT-7 Behind me in the cargo section. JON-29 can see that KT-7 has gotten the best of him but he doesn't seem to mind, he smiles. JON-29 KT-7. Your negotiation techniques are.... KT-7 Adequate?

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JON-29 Superior. I think you would have made a very good.... Before he can answer the ground begins to rubble, the WarBeast is nervous and pulls against the reins, KT-7 looks at JON-29, she is scared. KT-7 Earthshaker! There is more rumbling and the sand starts to shift under them, the War-Beast is ready to bolt. KT-7 holds onto the reins. Over a large sand dune comes a tremendous machine, its loaded with weapons and bones of War-Beasts, it move towards JON-29 and KT-7. KT-7 and JON-29 watch the monster come right at them, JON-29 takes a rifle weapon from the saddle and looks at KT-7. JON-29 You can not defeat this enemy, you must retreat, I shall try and draw its weapons to me. KT-7 Im not a battle-baby, well fight together! JON-29 Neg. You must not terminate. You must survive. KT-7 We fight together or nothing! They turn to the metal monster again. It comes nearer then stops. The huge machine turns its weapons at JON-29 and KT-7. a BOOMING voice. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29! You will surrender. JON-29 suddenly realizes that this monster is his mother reborn, he lowers his gun and walks towards it. JON-29 Mother, I can not obey. I must be free.

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MOTHER (V.O.) Where will you go? Who will care for you? Who will protect you? JON-29 I have a mate now, together we are strong, together we can survive. There is a long pause as KT-7 comes over to JON-29 and they slowly join hands. INT. MEGA-TANK The main screen shows JON-29 and KT-7 holding hands. EXT. MEGA-TANK - DAY There is a tense moment when were not sure just what is going to happen. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29, you have disobeyed orders, you have tried to destroy me, you have mated with the enemy, for all these violations you should be terminated....But I can not, insuring your survival has overridden my programming, I will disobey primary orders....you are free. JON-29 and KT-7 look at each other and smile, JON-29 looks at MOTHER. JON-29 Thank you. SUDDENLY an explosion goes off very near them, JON-29 and KT7 are blown off there feet, the War-Beast roars in terror, JON-29 and KT-7 get up and turn to see...? The Bellerophon has found them. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander is looking through the periscope, alarms are going off and everyone is at battle stations. COMMANDER Activate all weapons, attack!

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INT. MEGA-TANK Alarms are also going off inside the control room, readouts of the Earthshaker heading right for them. MOTHER (V.O.) The survival of JON-29 is primary. Activate weapons. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons online. We have maximum power on all weapons. POWER (V.O.) Power is online and fully charged. EXT. MEGA-TANK - DAY More explosions hit around them as KT-7 and JON-29 race to the War-Beast, they climb into the saddle, KT-7 is in front with Fixer in the tail gunner section, the mega mother machine fires its weapons at the oncoming War-Machine. KT-7 Hang on! She kicks the beast in the ribs and it takes off, As they race more hits strike the sand around them. KT-7 Fixer, Return fire! The little pig man begins to fire back at the War-Machine with the tail gun, KT-7 fires her cannon. The War-Machine is being hit by the fire from KT-7 and Mother. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander gives orders to his command technicians. COMMANDER Activate tankers, send out the Runners. Release Strikes! EXT. DESERT - DAY The doors to the machine open and the TANKERS begin to roll out, the Runners are set free and begin racing across the sand, in the air the human STRIKE BIRDS fill the sky.

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EXT. DESERT NEAR BY - DAY KT-7 handles the huge beast with skill at the same time she is firing her phase cannon, she makes several hits on the tankers and two are destroyed. Fixer is hitting strikers in the air, JON-29 fires his assault rifle. The MEGA-TANK is getting hit over and over again, she is losing. KT-7 manages to keep her beast from being hit but it wont last long with the intense fire from the War-Machine. JON-29 We can not win! We do not have sufficient weapons fire. KT-7 What can we do? JON-29 We will terminate! KT-7 Yes, but we will terminate together. JON-29 knows this to be true and tries to think what to do? He looks at the Mega-Mother machine. He points. JON-29 I have an alternate plan. Make heading that way. KT-7 looks and knows that has to be a mistake. KT-7 Are you brain-dead? JON-29 You are my mate now, I will not let you terminate. They look at each other amidst the gun fire and then KT-7 turns the War-Beast towards Mother. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander looks happy. His side is winning.

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COMMANDER Very good. The attack plan is functioning! Correct heading nine degrees west. Keep weapons on full. EXT. DESERT - DAY Hit after hit is striking the MEGA-TANK, its not going to last long at that rate. KT-7 has moved the War-Beast close to Mother, the huge machine is starting to catch fire from the Tankers, and the Runners, over head the Strike birds are dropping explosives. JON-29 Move closer. KT-7 moves the creature as close as she can then JON-29 gets ready to jump, she grabs his arm. KT-7 Youll be killed! JON-29 smiles back. JON-29 I have terminated many times, once more will not matter. Then just before he can jump onto the Mega-Mother, KT-7 takes a tracking device from her belt and attaches it to JON-29's mechanical arm, then he jumps and lands on the huge machine. JON-29 fights the smoke and fire and makes his way up the huge machine with help from his mechanical arm, he is almost killed several times but manages to reach a hatch near the top and open it, he climbs inside. KT-7 moves away from the machine and continues to fight against the odds. INT. MEGA-TANK JON-29 bloody but alive moves into the command chamber. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29 you have returned to me. JON-29 gets into the command chair again and takes the controls.

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JON-29 Yes mother, we must fight so my mate can survive. Weapons online. Control to command chair. Returning fire. JON-29 works the controls and checks the multiple readout screens, it's the ultimate VIDEO GAME. WEAPONS (V.O.) Enemy positions are being destroyed. Weapons are at maximum. POWER (V.O.) Power is at level three. Transferring all power to weapons. EXT. DESERT - DAY With JON-29 at the controls the huge machine starts to fire back with all its weapons, this time JON-29's skill is fantastic, One by one he is destroying the enemy around him. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander can see the tables are turning. COMMANDER Coordinate your fire. What's the matter with you? FIRST TECHNICIAN The target is moving too fast. Its fire is more accurate then ours. SECOND TECHNICIAN Our losses are rising, shall we halt attack? COMMANDER Neg....SEEK AND DESTROY! EXT. DESERT - DAY KT-7 is still alive and riding her War-Beast, she is almost destroyed several times but manages to evade the Runners and the tanker fire, she is wounded but not hurt badly. The fire from the Mega-Mother is really damaging the warmachine. It keeps firing back but the odds are against her.

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INT. MEGA-TANK JON-29 is not hurt, but the machine is taking a lot of damage. WEAPONS (V.O.) Weapons are damaged. Fire power is now fifty percent. POWER (V.O.) Primary power is decreasing. Estimate power for only point one nine time periods more. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29, we are sustaining maximum damage to all systems, we can not survive. JON-29 Alternatives? MOTHER (V.O.) None possible. We will terminate. JON-29 Have repairs been completed to termination system? MOTHER Affirm. JON-29 Understood. Begin termination. On the main readout screen the countdown begins, JON-29 turns the machine towards the War-Machine. JON-29 We can not survive, we will terminate together. MOTHER (V.O.) Understood. EXT. DESERT - DAY The Mega-Tank heads straight for the War-Machine. INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The Commander can see the huge machine heading right for him.

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FIRST TECHNICIAN Sir, the enemy is changing coarse now on a direct heading to us. COMMANDER (yelling) HARD ABOUT!! EXT. DESERT - DAY The titanic machine starts to turn but its to big and to slow. EXT. DESERT ANOTHER PART - DAY KT-7 has escaped and is stopped at the top of a high dune to look down on the battlefield. INT. MEGA-TANK Smoke and fire, systems are failing. WEAPONS (V.O.) All weapons terminated. POWER (V.O.) Power is at thirty percent and falling. JON-29 Understood. Transfer all remaining power to drive. JON-29 lays back in the command chair, he seems content to die with his mother so that KT-7 can escape. MOTHER (V.O.) JON-29, my sensors indicate that the Outrider has escaped. JON-29 (smiles) Understood.... Mother? MOTHER (V.O.) Yes? JON-29 Will you tell me a story?

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MOTHER (V.O.) (sad voice) Affirm....The main system components of a JON armored fighting vehicle are as follows:... One: Driver Unit, a bionic humanoid trained in the full use of the destruction mechanisms... EXT. DESERT - DAY The machines are closer now and its only a matter of time before they hit, the Mega-Mother machine is being cut to pieces by the fire power from Bellerophon. INT. MEGA-TANK JON-29 listens to Mother and her story. In the background we can hear the countdown to termination. MOTHER (V.O.) TWO:...is the multi-task, over view, tactical, hyper-active, errornull repair unit, or MOTHER, next is the weapons array, the main gun is a faze projection Multiplane battery, with a maximum killing distance of... JON-29 closes his eyes and smiles. JON-29 (low voice) Mother? MOTHER (V.O.) Yes? JON-29 Was I a good boy? There is a pause then Mother speaks in a soft voice. MOTHER (V.O.) Affirm.... You have made me very proud. EXT. DESERT - DAY The two War-Machines hit. There is a TITANIC BLAST as they begin to disintegrate.

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INT. BELLEROPHON MAIN CONTROL ROOM - DAY The control room starts to rip apart, technicians are killed. The Commander is engulfed in flames. EXT. DESERT - DAY KT-7 sees the two War-Machines collide and the massive explosions that follows. She screams. KT-7 JON! The two huge War-Machines are blasting apart fast. Armor plating is being torn apart like paper, bolts of lightning fill the air. INT. MEGA-TANK The command room is starting to be destroyed. MOTHER (V.O.) You must survive. At the last second ARMOR PLATES close around the command chair and JON-29. JON-29 reaches out with his metal arm. JON-29 Mother? The room is a mass of FIRE and SMOKE. EXT. DESERT - DAY With tears in her eyes KT-7 watches the machines being destroyed. FADE TO: EXT. DESERT - SUNSET The landscape is covered with burning metal. Through the dense smoke KT-7 walking alone. She moves slowly as if looking for something. She stops and sits down on a large piece of scrap metal. She looks around for a moment then takes her face in her hands and starts to cry. As she cries we suddenly hear a "beeping" sound, her tracking device has picked up a signal.

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She gets up and starts to follow the signal, WE FOLLOW her through the junk and small fires. EXT. DESERT - SUNSET KT-7 comes around a large piece of metal and her tracking device is "beeping" hard, She runs over and looks down. Sticking out of the sand is JON-29's mechanical arm. KT-7 looks very happy as she starts to dig the sand away from the arm. She tugs hard on the arm and it pulls out of the sand. But its just his arm with nothing more attached, KT-7 looks at it for a moment then drops it and starts to cry more. She starts to go, then another sound. A metal sound, it's the sound of a MACHINE. KT-7 draws her knife and is ready to fight again. She moves around a broken hulk and sees a large METAL EGG. KT-7 slowly moves to the EGG, she reaches out to touch it, a LOUD HISS and she moves back, she waits, the EGG makes another hiss and slowly opens. It contains JON-29. The command chair has been turned into a survival pod, KT-7 sees JON-29 laying in the chair and runs over to him, she starts to kiss him hard with tears of joy in her eyes. JON-29 opens his eyes and looks at her, he smiles. JON-29 (weakly) Mating procedures? KT-7 doesn't say anything but keeps kissing him over and over. EXT. DESERT - SUNSET - LATER The sun is going down as the War-Beast, Fixer, KT-7 and JON29 make ready to leave, Fixer has JON-29s arm and is sitting in the tail gunner section repairing it once again. KT-7 and JON-29 are standing next to the beast, once again theyre arguing. KT-7 You're injured, I will command drive until youre better.

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JON-29 My injuries are not terminal. I will survive. I am capable of command drive. KT-7 No. Youve never driven a Komodo before, and you have only one arm. Until youre repaired I will command dive. You can---JON-29 lifts his good arm putting an end to the argument. JON-29 Negotiations. Here are my terms. I will take command of the drive. I will learn fast. You will---But before he can say anything more, KT-7 puts her hand over his mouth, she smiles. KT-7 No. Here are my terms. She kisses him hard on the mouth, they part and she smiles at him. KT-7 Agreed? JON-29 smiles back. JON-29 Agreed. EXT. DESERT - SUNSET The huge War-Beast moving away from us against the setting sun. There is old rock and roll music playing. JON-29 (V.O.) I still think you are incorrect about human replacements coming from females. Their bodies are substandard for constructing infants. I will be shown to be correct on this information. KT-7 laughs. KT-7 (V.O.) Youre so wrong metal-brain.

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JON-29 (V.O.) You have information at hand to prove your theory? KT-7 (V.O.) I will soon. JON-29 (V.O.) Explain? KT-7 (V.O.) Explaining anything to you is well...complicated. HOLD ON them till they disappear behind a sand dune. FADE OUT.