Summary[]
Andrea has stolen a Halycon suit and headed to a nearby ghost town. But when you go and get her you discover the town is far from dead...
Cast[]
- Sketchy Galore
- Andrea
- Dromas
- Marlowe
- Dogs!
Mission Requirements[]
Collect all of the required items to unlock this mission!
- Completed Season 1, Mission 6
- 15KM Distance Badge
Rewards[]
Narrative Items[]
Potential Rewards[]
- Plastic Straws
- Floppy Disk NFT - Common, Uncommon, or Rare
Transcript[]
Scene 1: Ghost Town[]
INT. TUNNELS
EXT. Daytime. The town of GRIFFIN MILL, or at least what’s left of it. Dusty. Arid. You know that thing in westerns when a tumbleweed rolls across the screen? The audio equivalent of that.
SKETCHY: (Deeply pissed.)
Okay, so here’s what we know; overnight Andrea stole a Halcyon Suit and a bunch of demolition supplies and headed here. Welcome to Griffin Mill, Dustcap. This was a major town when I was a kid. They had a good water source. Crops. GREAT chicory coffee. It was…nice. Good. What you’d hope for. Now (deep sigh and regret) Bones in the desert.
(Tries to shake off the bad mood.)
Sorry, I grew up in a place like this. It…tests me.
FX: Exciting science noise as a monocular display deploys out of the headset.
Got you a new toy! The headset has a targeting monocle and I can overlay locations and people on it so ’you’ve got real time intel. Let me walk you through the town and what I think she’s here to do; Town centre ahead. Fields to the left. What’s left of them…Railway running through the center, houses to the right. I think she’s here to scavenge and that’s where we’re going to start. I hope I’m right. Get moving Du-
Yelling and the sound of a gunning engine. ANDREA is being chased by DROMAS and MARLOWE. Behind it, too many legs, too heavy, moving too fast.
SKETCHY:
Ahhhhh DUST.
FX: Headset changes frequency.
SKETCHY: Andrea, meet us by the bridge. Go, Dustcap!
Scene 2: Old Town Road[]
EXT. Daytime. Outside. Light winds. Pirate engine.
DROMAS:
RUN, PREY! RUUUUN! MARLOWE, SPEED UP! SHE’S GETTING AWAY!
ANDREA: (Pensive. Trying to hide it. Failing. (Talking through headset)
Hi Dustcap! Get to the end of the bridge and get ready to catch me.
SKETCHY: (FX: Electronic key noise of speakers activating. Sketchy is on speaker the entire episode.)
Catch-what?
FX: Andrea runs out onto the bridge. ANDREA:
Brace yourself! Might get a little bumpy.
SKETCHY:
Dustcap, she took mining charges with her. She’s had the
ANDREA:
NOW!
FX: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM FX: SCREECHING TIRES
FX: ANDREA is hauled up from the valley the bridge crosses.
FX: The pirate’s dune buggy wipes out. Doesn’t explode but the crumple noises should make car owners wince.
DROMAS (In the distance)
THIS IS BUT A REPRIEVE!
ANDREA:
YOUR DAD’S A REPRIEVE!
(Changes tone instantly)
Hi Dustcap, nice seeing you again.
SKETCHY:
What the Hell are you doing here?
ANDREA:
Rescue mission (You can hear her smile). That’s what I do now. Rescuing.
SKETCHY: (Already knows the answer. Edges up to it.) Rescuing who?
FX: The most adorable big dog noises possible. Non cybernetic.
ANDREA:
Artemis. She and her litter have been living here for the last week, since that last big dust storm came through. Isn’t she the cutest? YES YOU ARE.
SKETCHY:
You risked all this for a dog?!
ANDREA: No. I risked it for 20 dogs.
SKETCHY:
WHY?
ANDREA: (MURDEROUS. Voice shaking.)
Pallas’ Tears. The train pirates. That…thing that was chasing me? They call it a loom, Sketchy. Like they’re making them BETTER. And all they do is take these lovely, kind creatures and make them into GUNS. GUNS for an arrogant criminal IDIOT.
SKETCHY: (Calm. Resolved. Open. Kind.)
I remember talking to a Mr N about them. He said they used to be mobile sickbays.
ANDREA: (Still shaky but getting it under control.) Not any more.
FX: Running footsteps. And behind them something AWFUL. Imagine an ant the size of an SUV. It sounds like that.
DROMAS: She’s CLOSE. I can sense her. MARLOWE: The dogs can too.
FX: Barking, distant, behind a barrier, like the dogs are in the belly of an SUV sized ant robot.
DROMAS: They don’t matter. Not yet. MARLOWE: Dromas?
DROMAS: …Yes.
MARLOWE:
Why do we need to augment the dogs? I mean they’re…dogs. Dogs are good.
DROMAS: You learned that. In the school cars. MARLOWE: I did yeah.
DROMAS: (STEPS CLOSE TO HIM)
I was raised out here. I learned the packs wait for the smallest to fall asleep. I learned I was the small one. I was the RUNT. I survived? By learning. CONTROL.
(STEPS AWAY FROM HIM)
We’re going to bring her in and when we do she’s going to tell us where she’s keeping the dogs and we will make them BETTER. ONWARD.
FX: They move off. So does the Loom. If we’re feeling fancy, have the Loom stop before DROMAS and MARLOWE fade out, suggesting its waiting.
ANDREA:
(Takes a breath)
SKETCHY:
Andrea, it’s okay. We’re going to help. So here’s the plan, we’re going to make for the town center, get some high ground and
FX: The wall comes down. THE LOOM is right there.
SKETCHY:
GO!
Scene 3: Been Caught Stealing[]
FX: Rubble. Crashes. Robot sounds. Something BIG and heavy with too many wheels or legs.
SKETCHY:
JEEZ that thing’s fast! Break left, down main street! Next two piles of rubble? Get behind them, hang a right, then a lef-DOWN!
FX: Crashing.
DROMAS:
RUN, FOOLS! RUN LEST MY HOUNDS BRING YOU TO GROUND!
SKETCHY:
Okay, Okay, we need to bring this thing down and the best way to do that, my old mom always said was to find…(keyboard noises) a tool (keyboard noises) that fits (keyboard noises) your HAND! (EMPHATIC ACTION CARRIAGE RETURN!) Brilliant! Head for the tracks! We’re going to make a point!
ANDREA:
Was that a joke?!
FX: The Loom smashes through a wall. ANDREA yells in pain.
SKETCHY:
Technically! Two blocks straight down, and Dustcap, you remember those needlegloves? Still got ‘em? GOOD! You’re going to need them.
ANDREA:
We can’t hurt it!
SKETCHY:
It wants to hurt you!
ANDREA:
We need to rescue the dogs!
FX: The Loom body checks ANDREA.
SKETCHY:
Damn it! ANDREA!
ANDREA:
I am not going to be able to keep up! TAKE THIS. You’ll know when to use it.
FX: Throws something to the Dustcap.
(Takes a deep breath)
I surrender.
DROMAS: Good.
FX: Backhands her. ANDREA drops.
MARLOWE:
Dromas, come on. She’s hurt.
DROMAS:
GET! UP!
ANDREA (Pained):
You’re right. You’re not a runt.
DROMAS:
See?
ANDREA:
Runts know when they’re being played. Now!
Scene 4: Letting The Dogs Out[]
FX: Chase noises. The Loom pounding through town. Clicking noises.
ANDREA (OVER HEADSET)
Runts know when they’re being played. Now!
SKETCHY:
You heard the lady!
FX: Clicking intensifies
FX: Muffled woofs and thuds from inside The Loom.
SKETCHY:
Dustcap break left now, you’re on the tracks, so get ready with those gloves and we’re going to swi
FX: The Loom lurches with a clank, rolls forwards and gets back to its feet.
DROMAS:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
ANDREA:
The dogs want out, Dromas. So much for your PACK. (SPITS the last word)
SKETCHY:
I see what she’s doing. Okay, you’re coming up on the old train platforms yeah! Break left, head up them and slow down.
FX: Dustcap does these things. The Loom pursues.
SKETCHY:
Gloves on? Cool. When I say now, I want you to turn and jump onto the Loom, JAM the clicker up against it and hold on, okay?
DROMAS:
Why do you resist the inevitable?
ANDREA:
Because of people like you.
SKETCHY:
Dustcap, now!
FX: Dustcap jumps, the clicker suddenly echoing through the entire body of the Loom. The Loom comes to a crashing halt, the sound of dogs inside it getting louder. Suddenly with a FISSSSHHHH of escaping pressure, the Loom open and the dogs all pile out. ALL of them yelling and barking at DROMAS and MARLOWE.
DROMAS: (Terrified)
YOU WANT TO DIE, YOU CAN DIE RIGHT N
FX: MARLOWE LANDS THE MOST SATISFYING PUNCH IN HUMAN HISTORY
MARLOWE:
GOD that felt good.
Scene 5: Dogtown[]
FX: The sound of a joyous tidal wave of dogs with lots of feelings and NO COORDINATION WHATSOEVER, falling out onto Andrea.
ANDREA literally cannot speak. Actual cry laughing she’s so relieved.
SKETCHY:
Y’know, I never normally do this because well, my job is awesome but I am honestly jealous of you right now, Dustcap. Look at them! Look at these goodest of boys! Who’s a great dog? Who’s a great dog? You ALL are! Now. Where were we?
DROMAS tries to stand up.
Dustcap, stand over them. Look imposing. YOU. YOU get what none of you deserve, and what my friends here gave your dogs today. A second chance. You can leave, run back to Pallas’ Tears and beg forgiveness. Or you can join us in Coyote Skull.
DROMAS:
Your pack is NOTHING!
SKETCHY:
MY pack? Just kicked your ass with a clicker.
MARLOWE:
I’m in.
DROMAS:
TRAITOR!
SKETCHY:
I was hoping you’d say that.
MARLOWE:
Dromas? Come on. We can’t go back.
You know what she’ll do.
DROMAS:
Marlowe! She’ll punish us as befits our crime, no more, no less! That’s fair!
MARLOWE:
That’s abuse.
SKETCHY:
Offer still stands, Marlowe. Unlike you.
DROMAS:
I don’t…know…how. (Finds his voice. It is very small.) I don’t know how to not do this.
SKETCHY:
None of us do. We make it up as we go along and take it from me, buddy, the longer you talk, the easier it gets.
FX: A dog comes up to MARLOWE and licks him.
ANDREA:
The dogs like you. Earn that.
SKETCHY:
You good?
ANDREA:
I’m AMAZING. Had no idea the clicker would work but they LOVE it.
SKETCHY:
You did good.
ANDREA:
WE did good. Thanks Sketchy, and thanks to you, Dustcap. That was a Hell of a move!
DROMAS:
(Coughs) How do we do this?
SKETCHY:
Both of you?
MARLOWE:
If you’ll have us.
SKETCHY:
We have a thing for strays. You’re in, welcome home. Oh, there is one thing?
DROMAS:
What?
SKETCHY:
Could you get the doggybot up and running? Dustcap’s had a hard day. I figure the least you could do is give them a lift home…