03x02 - A Skinner, Darkley

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "Killjoys" - Aneela, she's your daughter?

- Yes.

Why do I look like her?

I don't know.

[dramatic music]

Cloaked Hullen ships.

Hiding here?

Not hiding, waiting.

That arm belongs to a missing friend of mine.

So either the arm comes with me or you both do.

Hackmods come to Rat City to get away from The Factory.

So whatever Clara came for, she didn't find it.

No Basics in, no Basics out.

Mod him.

I am the greatest man who ever lived.

[g*nsh*t]

He's not a no-face.

He's a two-face.

Ollie?

[brooding music]

First you're gonna fix her.

Then you're gonna tell me why you set us up.

And then I'm gonna k*ll you.

I don't know what you're talking about.

[g*n fires]

Wait.

All I ever did was ask about her missing friend, like I promised.

Everything you know about me, do you really think I'd betray a hackmod?

[g*n cocks]

[tense music]

No.

Go.

Help her.

[gentle music]

[grunts]

Talk to me.

If there's repo in town, I have to warn people.

Yeah?

[suspenseful music]

You warn them some weird sh*t's going on in Rat City.

[electronic music]

[moaning]

It's a feeling Irrepressible It's a hunger Insatiable [panting]

What's wrong?

[dark music]

Your face.

[electrical sputtering]

Don't look at me like that.

I said don't look at me!

[glass shatters]

[rock music]

Ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh So how was your holocall with Johnny last night?

[sighs]

Didn't happen.

Sent a message instead.

There's no one here.

Are we sure we have the right coordinates?

Turin's intel said a contact named Molly would be here waiting for us.

We give her the code number, she gives us the locater data about the Hullen hives.

Hey, Dutch.

[brooding music]

Oh, come on.

- That's Molly?

- We need Johnny for this sh*t.

[electrical beeps and whirs]

We can enter a code.

[buttons clicking]

[low warble]

Maybe you gotta be faster.

[buttons clicking rapidly]

[low warble]

[sighs]

sh*t tits.

Maybe the zeroes are O's?

Error.

Repeated improper code entry.

[machine sound intensifying]

Lockout in ten, nine, eight, seven [intense music]

So you blew it up?

Little bit.

If you want to get technical.

Plus side, no one else is getting that data.

You need a new brain.

You need a new face.

Not what I meant.

Look, if we can b*at the Hullen into submission, my money's on you two.

But it's gonna take more than soldiers to win this w*r.

We need our own scientists, code crackers, engineers.

We need nerds.

We've got a nerd.

Johnny's on an emo walkabout.

Meanwhile, we still don't know why the Hullen left a secret squad of ships here, how to get inside them, or where to find Aneela.

You two gonna solve all that with your shitty cologne and sexual tension?

I smell great.

Make a Warrant.

Pick some nerds.

Take 'em for a spin, see if they're field ready.

If you like 'em, we tell them what's really going on in the RAC.

Come on, let's go traumatize some lab rats.

[soft dramatic music]

Yeah, this time, try not to explode them.

[seedy electronic music]

- [electricity sparks]

- [soft grunt]

- She'll pull through.

- Yeah?

Why isn't she waking up?

Fight probably triggered sleep mode.

It's like a hackmod k*ll switch.

We all have one.

Why?

The whole point of making hackmods is to sell forced labor with superhuman skills, right?

So?

So, how marketable do you think we'd be if we could use our tech against our buyers?

[soft chuckle]

No wonder you hate us Basics.

Some of you are worse than others.

I get that.

Didn't always.

People in this bar, we're all runaways.

Most of us got taken by repo, had our tech stolen, and we're still the lucky ones.

No one's here because we think Rat City's some kind of utopia, but it's ours.

Which is why you and your girl need to leave, soon as she's able.

Don't track your dirt in my door.

[door opens]

She's waking up.

Approaching Leith.

36 hours ago, a secure research facility went dark.

Hopefully it's just a downed commstack.

We need you to fix it.

Piece of cake.

Barely seems worth our time.

- [device tases]

- Ow.

We'll be out of comm range down there.

These chips will be your communicators - and trackers once inside.

- [device tases]

Do not lose them.

What kind of g*ns do we get?

None.

You get none g*ns.

We do the bang-bang; you do the tech.

[device zaps]

Once you restore external communications, we can all go home.

[light dramatic music]

Oh, when do you decide which one of us replaces Agent Jaqobis?

No one replaces John Jaqobis.

Thank you, Dutch.

Arriving at research facility.

Look, do well down there, Turin will clear you for special field work.

Screw up?

Back to lab life.

This is your sh*t to get to the field like real Killjoys.

Don't waste it.

Strap in for landing.

[music intensifies]

How do you feel?

Like I got mule-kicked by a jumper.

Or whatever the hells that guy was.

They're called Skinners.

Some new kind of illegal skin morphing tech.

Can make you look like anyone you want, for a price.

Who's behind it?

[brooding music]

Look, I get you're trying to protect your people, but so am I.

This green sh*t?

It's all over the zone where I come from.

And if the people who use it are here, they got worse plans for you than any Basic ever could.

Havigan, please.

[pensive music]

A jumper I was repairing did some courier work for them.

Said if I wanted in, that was the place.

"Livio Surgical Spa: where reconstruction meets rejuvenation.

" I guess "We make skin suits" wasn't catchy enough.

Well, if they've got black-market productions going on, they're not just gonna let us waltz in there to the good stuff.

Well, lucky for us, I know how to dance.

[lively electronic music]

Welcome to Livio.

How may we serve you?

Not sure yet.

Felling stale.

Could use a little refresher, a little zoosh.

Well, it will be hard to improve upon your current perfection, but we do like a challenge.

Mm, I enjoy a firm grip.

Same.

Ugh, gross.

Your scanner gloves are pretty sweet, though.

ID captured, and we're in.

Buy me some time, pretty boy.

Will do.

[brooding music]

RAC agents.

Anybody home?

Thermal reads say nothing bigger than a mouse on this floor.

Think we should be okay.

Depends on the mouse.

There should be crew here.

[sneezes]

Somebody fired the maid.

I thought you said the last communication was only 36 hours ago?

- I did.

- Why so dusty?

Focus, everyone.

First objective: find us the power room, and reboot sh*t.

[brooding electronic music]

You had 48 hours to complete this job.

It's now been 56.

[soft eerie music]

I had an issue, Niko.

I see that.

An allergic reaction.

Did anybody see you?

- No.

- Hm.

Maybe.

The doorman on my way out.

Six years working for them, they never learned my name.

I just I just wanted to know what it was like.

To be her.

To be wanted.

I have other people to protect.

You really should have thought of that before taking a last joyride.

[suspenseful music]

[blade whips]

[eerie music]

You knew the rules.

[gasps]

[soft gasp]

[soft eerie music]

Clean her up.

My next client is waiting.

[soft dramatic music]

John.

I'm in the research level, and sh*t is weird.

Like, creepy uncle spaceman weird.

- [mist spraying]

- [gasps]

Oh.

Oh, great.

Slime shower.

Ugh.

[dark dramatic music]

Johnny?

You copy?

Johnny!

I know what you're thinking.

It's almost a crime to take my money when I'm already working with all of this.

Mm, definitely.

[pensive electronic music]

We could man-up that jawline.

Say again?

Smooth the asymmetry.

Not much we can do about the ear placement.

My ears are adorable and can hear you.

[sighs]

[whistles low]

[soft laugh]

I'm not gonna lie, I would make sweet, sweet love to him and he would like it.

[laughs]

I am a sexy wolfman.

We can start your treatment in a week.

Mm-mm, no-no, I was thinking something more radical.

I was hoping that I could try someone else's look on for a night or two, see how it fits.

If you have any freaky little science tricks that can make that happen, I'm into it.

[eerie electronic music]

We got a body.

What the hells happened here?

Why is there no dust in here?

That's your takeaway?

Really?

Maybe focus on Corpsey McGuts over here.

The blast radius would fill the room with frag, but most of it's in him.

He was right on top of this when it blew.

Either he was fixing it or Or he's the one who blew it up.

Damn it.

Where the hells is Zeph?

I'll find her.

Just get the power back.

[gagging]

[squelching]

Hey.

Hey, I have a gross suggestion.

We could [grunts]

Fish parts out of this guy's guts Don't do it, rookie.

Try to piece this system back together again.

[vomits]

Just get the power back on.

And a mop, maybe.

[soft suspenseful music]

Yoki?

What is your stupid Basic doing with Niko?

Uh, looking for Clara, your missing friend, unlike you, you shitty bitch.

You're going to ruin everything.

I can't keep protecting you.

What?

Me?

I never asked you to, you psychobox.

Listen to me.

Niko scans and IDs every client.

Once she figures out who and what your boy is, he is toast, and so am I if she links him to me.

Please, forget him.

Just run.

No, I'm not leaving.

You might be a worthless friend, but I'm not.

- [alarm sounds]

- [gasps]

Red door, end of the hall, is a shortcut.

If you go straight there, you can still make it out.

[alarm warbling]

Routine system check.

- Pardon me a moment?

- Of course.

[alarm warbling continues]

Hey, is that you?

Get out now.

sh*t.

[suspenseful music]

[electrical surge]

[soft laugh]

[soft suspenseful music]

- [alarm blaring]

- Contagion detected.

Quarantine protocol is now in effect.

Power Room B contaminated.

Quick question.

Are we in Power Room B?

Begin purging in Power Room B.

Door!

Move, now!

- Go!

- Five, four Move, move, move!

Three, two, one.

[flames whoosh]

What did you do?

The exits are all sealed.

Guys!

I figured it out.

It's not dust, it's ash, human ash [dramatic electronic music]

Yeah.

Got that.

Okay, that was gross.

That was so gross.

There were all of these skinned bodies, just hanging there, like a big prosciutto party without the melon.

Anything else?

They were spraying the bodies with all of that green sh*t that you're looking for.

Well, plasma, it has healing properties.

Maybe they're keeping the bodies fresh?

Or regrowing the skin?

No, no idea, but I know who does.

Clara's friend works for the skinners.

So I say we go punch her in the face until answers come out.

- Wait, Yoki was at the clinic?

- Yeah, she helped me escape.

Okay, we gotta flip her somehow.

We gotta figure out what this has to do with Clara.

Oh.

I almost forgot.

I brought you a parting gift for that.

When I was trapped in the beef locker, I just wanted out, so I sliced some evidence and ran.

[soft music]

You brought me hands?

You brought me hands.

Don't get too excited.

Not a lot of skin left on some.

But can they still be ID'd?

I'm already on it.

You better get some sleep.

This is gonna take a while.

[breathes deep]

Let the dark science-ing commence.

Nerd.

And what triggered the quarantine?

Well, this is a Comm-3 facility.

Disease nerds.

One of their designer pathogens must have got out of the lab, triggered the emergency sterilization system.

- So shut it down.

- [device beeps]

Don't have clearance.

Can't request it with the commstack offline.

That's why the engineer blew up the generator.

Cutting off power was the only way to stop the sterilization.

Okay, let me get this straight.

Power on, we could burn.

Power off, we're all trapped.

Well, both those options can kiss my ass.

Obviously, Turin knows we're here.

I say we sit tight, wait for an evac.

I can hear you thinking that's stupid.

[soft suspenseful music]

The pathogen must have still been in the room when we first got in.

We're already infected.

All of us.

Infected with what?

I don't know yet.

I mean, it shouldn't even be possible this fast, but based on body temp and white blood count, at current doubling rate, we'll have around two hours before our own viral loads are high enough for the system to detect us as a thr*at.

And then the fire can turn on us?

We'll be dead before Turin even knows we're missing.

- Yep.

- No.

- No?

- I don't accept those terms.

Uh, science doesn't really work like that.

Make it.

Figure out an override and get us home.

What about the mission?

We were sent to restart the commstack.

Missions adapt.

Here's a new one: survive.

Okay.

Input prints and genetic scan.

Processed through all available RAC databases.

And boomshakalaka.

Let's see what these poor bastards have in common.

All three have criminal records for human trafficking, hackmod trading Stop.

- Repeat the second one.

- Hackmod trading.

Outstanding warrants for John Moosh, Torink, and Abel Connaver, leader of the Connaver g*ng.

Yeah.

I know who she was.

[soft music]

They're k*lling hackmod owners.

How do you know?

Because I recognize one, Able Connaver.

She owned you and Yoki for six years.

[laughs]

Are you high?

Because I've never had an owner.

I escaped straight from The Factory.

What do you remember about that?

- [sighs]

- [blows raspberry]

Waking up with parts of me missing in a surgical room.

And then I don't know.

I blacked out, I guess.

[soft dramatic music]

There were flashes of a transport ship.

Me waking up with Alice.

And then finding you.

What year is it?

No.

Don't do that.

What year?

10-5-6.

You're missing six years.

Look, whatever game it is that you're playing, it I really don't appreciate this sh*t Clara had a mod on her chest that can't be removed.

It was one of a kind, built from parts of a ship that crashed on a moon called Arkyn.

I've never even heard of that moon.

Exactly, so you definitely shouldn't have that mod in your chest, right?

Unless you're her.

[pensive string music]

We can settle this right now.

[soft tense music]

Clara, I'm so sorry Do not call me that.

You have her arm.

You have no memory.

Her best friend is protecting you.

[soft brooding music]

They skinned me?

Somebody skinned me?

Whose face is this?

Get it off.

Whoa-whoa-whoa!

Hey, hey.

Listen to me, listen, we don't know if that will hurt you.

I don't care.

I do, okay?

I promise that we will find out who did this, and we will fix it.

So just just stay with me, okay?

Now, you programmed Alice to bring us together because you trusted me to figure this out.

[soft music]

So trust me now.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Why can't I remember you?

I don't know.

But you said that Yoki helped you escape the clinic.

So she wants to help you.

And now I'm gonna make her.

[soft dramatic music]

There's an exit door in the shipping bay.

We should be able to hack the locks.

- Good.

- And bad.

The only way to get there is through here, Service Corridor Seven.

Currently being doused in corrosive decon mist.

It targets anything organic.

You know, like, uh, people.

Yeah, thanks for dumbing that down.

- What's this at the end?

- The control panel.

If one person could make it to the panel, they could shut down the mist in that section manually.

Everyone else could safely follow.

How's someone supposed to get there without melting?

Yeah [metal door creaks open]

You trust us?

No, I don't.

[dramatic electronic music]

D'av?

If this fails and I die horribly, promise you'll eat all of them?

Way ahead of you, Dutch.

I figured I can survive on nerd till winter.

- [metal clanks]

- [beeping]

Entering now.

[suspenseful music]

You're sure this suit will protect me, yes?

It's what the math says.

The math also says you only have a few minutes until the suit corrodes.

Just get to the panel as fast as you can, Dutch.

Hm.

- [soft grunt]

- [metal clanks]

Whoa.

Pulse ox falling, 94.

Yep, I think there's a micro-tear in her suit.

Oxygen's leaching.

You said there'd be a blue wire.

- sh*t.

Um - "Um"?

Any lower than 80 and she'll start passing out.

If you can't do this, tell me now and I will pull her out.

We'll find another way.

There's no other way.

Guys?

No, no, we can do this.

Okay, you need to find the processor, remove it, and then reverse-wire the flow to the ODBC source admin.

What?

In English, jackass.

And you can't reroute it that way, it'll just loop the signal.

Well, if you have a better methodology A chimp would have a better methodology.

[g*n fires]

Talk her home.

Now.

Dutch, do you see a a small chip in there somewhere?

Look for something shiny, square, the size of your thumbnail.

Yes.

Okay, pop it out.

Now, your gloves aren't lined, so you're gonna feel a bit of a shock.

Do not let go, okay?

I know you can do this.

[grunts]

We're gonna need a conductor.

Dutch, do you have a hairpin?

[dramatic music]

- Yes.

- What's it made of?

Gold.

Good.

Okay, now, I need you to trust us.

When you're ready, take a big breath, and pull off your helmet.

- What?

- Pull off your helmet.

Grab the pin, and s*ab it in the hole.

It'll short the whole system.

Got that?

Pull, grab, s*ab.

79.

She's nearly hypoxic.

We're gonna lose her.

You don't know her.

She'll do it.

[coughs]

Pull, grab, s*ab.

Okay, okay.

- [suit hisses]

- [soft grunt]

[tense dramatic music]

[electricity surges]

Gas cleanse stopped.

Yes.

[soft laugh]

Yes.

Vacuum purge commencing.

[coughs]

[dramatic music]

[sighs]

Dutch, give us a sign.

[sighs]

[sighs]

You're not sweating.

Thanks.

Dutch, we're coming at you.

[exhales]

[upbeat electronic music]

You weren't supposed to come back.

Sorry to screw up your evil plan.

I'm rude like that.

Tell her.

Tell her.

When you first came here, as Clara, I told you everything and you freaked out.

You started causing trouble.

And so Niko told me that I had to make you disappear.

So you did, just not the way that she meant.

Why don't I remember?

Jammer.

Blocking all your memories since the day we met at The Factory.

You know what life is like for hackmods.

We're either running or we're owned, but we are never equal; we are never them.

So, wha what is this?

Some sort of poetic identity theft?

You literally take the skin off your owners' backs, you impersonate them, and you steal their money?

This isn't about money.

Hackmods are starting a colony at the end of the J.

This buys us cryotransit, and enough to start a good life.

Niko takes the rest to keep funding the fight.

Oh, I'm sure.

I don't care what you think, Basic.

I'm done.

I got my papers.

I'm free.

I was gonna send for you once I found a place for us, but we can go now.

I'm not going anywhere with you.

Just take back what you did to me.

I don't know how.

Oh, don't fake cry for me.

What's happening?

She's not crying.

[beeping]

[shockwave pulses]

Clara?

Clara?

Clara, wake up.

[door opens]

[g*ns cock]

sh*t.

I'm the pro, so tight I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro Oops.

Nice try.

Bring the Killjoy.

He needs a touch-up.

I'm the pro, so tight I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro I'm the pro, I'm the pro so tight I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro I'm the pro, I'm the pro so tight [grunting]

[soft brooding music]

What is that?

What are you doing?

Shh.

You won't want me to slip.

Newsflash, lady: I don't want any of this.

I'm not a hackmod owner, and I'm broke as sh*t, so what do you want from me?

Simple.

We could use a Killjoy skin.

That is so deeply gross to hear in words.

Look, I'm sorry that someone took your damn leg, but you don't get to take a life in return.

Oh, I disagree.

You think this little toy makes you understand us, Basic?

My owner was the founder of this place.

I was a scientist.

I ran into some financial difficulties with the wrong people back on my planet.

Buying my debt meant buying me.

Why hack a scientist?

Control.

He took my leg so that I couldn't run and replaced my eye with a camera.

[camera aperture clicks]

So he could record all my research.

Quite clever, actually.

He was the first one I skinned.

I'm just gonna put the word "therapy" out there for you, just as a general tip.

[dramatic music]

Looks like you've given yourself an upgrade on the leg.

Oh, I've earned it.

Are you feeling comfy?

Not even a little bit.

Great.

Then let's begin.

- [beeping]

- This might pinch a bit.

- [intense warbling]

- [pained groaning]

[breathing heavily]

[beeping]

[gasps]

Whoa, whoa.

Take it easy.

It's just rebooting.

Where's John?

I think she took him.

I didn't know that they were gonna follow me, I swear.

We need to take that bitch down.

You know what the skinning is about, right?

- Or do you just not care?

- I care.

But I'm not standing in the way of hackmods getting free.

She's not k*lling innocent people.

What about my friend?

If you want someone to blame, blame The Factory for starting all this.

Why?

They made us mods, not monsters.

That part's on you.

[soft dramatic music]

So you've never had any diseases?

- Nope.

- Hormonal deficiencies?

Still no.

Do you have any strange rashes in your moist area Whoa-kay.

Offside.

Look, I'm not super clear on geek mating rituals, but whatever this is, I'm not into it.

Super not.

[sighs]

"Moist areas.

" Hey.

When we get back, we are calling my slack-ass brother and ordering his ass home.

Look, have you ever thought that maybe John just doesn't want to come home?

Well, then we're screwed.

Because if this shitshow taught me anything, there's only one Johnny.

- [intense beeping]

- [pained yelping]

[dramatic music]

[machine powers down]

That was phase one.

Loosens the skin up a bit.

Are you ready for phase two?

What does any of this have to do with the Hullen?

Who?

The bastards that need the green sh*t to thrive.

Oh, you mean my secret little ingredient?

They will do worse than skin you if they find out you're jacking around with their plasma.

- Mm.

- How did you find it?

It was here when they brought me.

Their R&D was investigating its healing properties.

I was hoping I would grow back my leg.

But no luck.

When I spray this on freshly skinned dermis, it keeps it alive and supple between the hosts.

I really couldn't do it without it.

I've sent jumpers all around the J looking for this stuff, smuggling it back home.

And do you know what I've noticed?

That you have a narcissistic personality disorder?

That whenever there's green juice, there's always Killjoys guarding it.

Why is that?

Sorry, these lips are technically still mine.

And I don't feel like using them to kiss your ass before dying.

Once we have your skin, and I have one of my people wearing it, I'll get all the answers and all the green that I need.

[alarm warbles]

Go!

Don't move.

[dramatic electronic music]

I'm kidding.

I know you can't move.

Preparing paralytic agent.

[beeps]

[breathing rapidly]

[alarm warbling]

Wait.

I'm lost.

Okay?

Or is this where you get your asses kicked?

- [f*ring]

- [men wailing]

Hmm, guess so.

Contamination detected in dock area.

Eenie, meanie, miney, nerd.

Where the hells is Zeph now?

- [beep]

- Damn it.

On it.

Wait once the doors open, the locks will reset.

We can't keep them open that long.

We do not leave crew behind.

If I'm not back in time, you need to leave.

[sighs]

Contamination detected in Communications Room.

Countdown to quarantine purge.

Okay, fake fire doesn't burn.

[pounding on glass]

[door rattles]

[grunts]

Zeph!

Stand down!

What the hells are you doing?

I'm doing my job and completing the real mission by restarting the commstack, sir!

[g*n fires]

You're talking crazy.

You're gonna get us both k*lled!

That's not what the science says!

Science says we're all infected with something!

It's messing with your head!

- Maybe.

- Decontamination in Too late now, Zephyr.

Commit.

Five, four You're right, you're right, okay.

- Three - Zeph.

Two, one.

Commstack online.

[flames whoosh]

[soft music]

[dramatic whoosh]

Yes.

Wakey wakey.

Well, that was a waste of expensive tech.

[soft dramatic music]

It wasn't real?

So all of that was just a VR training simulation?

That chip on you?

Wireless sim-jack.

- Linked us all into the gameplay.

- Nice tech.

We're a little low on agents right now.

We can't risk losing newbies in the field before they're proven ready.

So I won, right?

We put you through three tests.

You failed.

Wait, what?

No, I didn't.

The first was spatial.

Could you figure out how to rebuild the generator under pressure?

Next came communication.

Could you talk a layman like Dutch through the corridor Yeah, and third was staying on task and completing the mission, which is what I did.

Third was getting everyone out alive.

Your refusal to adapt and obey put your whole team at risk.

Go back to the lab, agent.

You're done here.

But this isn't fair.

I knew they wouldn't die because I knew it was a sim!

sh*t ain't fair.

Lesson number four.

That one's free.

[entrance clanks open]

[soft music]

Now, you other two, welcome to the revolution.

[soft laugh]

[soft dramatic music]

[humming]

Sorry I'm late.

I believe we have an appointment?

You must be Ollie.

Or is it Clara?

It's "Bitch, you have got to be joking "if you think that you're gonna take me with that little sh*t-stick.

" Hm.

Let's find out.

[dramatic electronic music]

I'm the pro, I'm the pro [rapid f*ring]

I'm the pro, so tight Calibrating paralytic injection.

Motion detected.

Please stop moving.

- I don't want to!

- Please stop moving.

[machine warbles]

Recalibrating.

[machines whirs]

Recalibrating.

Think, you handsome genius.

Think!

Recalibrating.

My mod.

[laughs]

My sweet, sweet courtesy mod.

Okay, please-please-please-please.

- Recalibrating.

- Come on, work for Papa.

[strains]

- Recalibrating.

- [laser crackles]

Ah.

[laser burns]

[grunts]

[grunts]

Yes.

[laughs]

Joke's on you, Niko, 'cause Johnny ain't no basic bitch.

[grunts]

[electronic blast fires]

Clara.

[footsteps approaching]

[g*n cocks]

Do it.

[eerie electronic music]

Do you know why you can't?

I didn't say that I can't.

Because we both want the same thing.

Skin suits?

Sorry.

Not into it.

At least I'm not ashamed of what I am.

I am not ashamed of my mods.

Not your mods, being modded.

Knowing that someone did this to you and you couldn't stop them Shut up.

I love my body.

I would never go back to just flesh and bones.

But that doesn't mean we should forgive them.

If you really want to help our kind, prove it.

Let me go.

Hey.

You okay?

Basic, stay out of it.

This is not your call.

Oh, I know.

That's why I called them.

[cymbal shimmers]

[dramatic rock music]

Repo's on its way, Niko.

You better move.

We're family.

We're supposed to protect each other.

We are.

[g*n cocks]

From you.

[rock music]

I feel alone Thanks for seeing me.

How did you know it was a sim?

Whoever designed it's obviously a gadget-head.

They were so busy whacking off to the tech details, they overlooked the bio cues.

Such as?

Okay, fine.

First, all five of us were infected with the same viral load at the same time.

That's not how pathogens work, man.

They infect at differential rates, based on body mass, health, hydration Okay, I get it.

So he goofed on factoring our sweater sizes.

Also, D'avin didn't sweat.

Pardon?

He's obviously into you.

And you could have d*ed in that hall, but his heart rate never rose.

Which, once I excluded adrenal malfunction, meant only one thing.

He knew you weren't in actual danger.

And the whole thing was a test.

That was a massively stupid risk to take.

Yep, kind of.

But I was right, wasn't it?

Look, right now, Turin's back there, telling the boy-geeks that there's a w*r coming.

Bigger than anything seen in the Quad.

Holy sh*t.

Who's starting it?

I am.

The thing we're fighting, it's organic.

And we're never gonna b*at it until we understand its biology, so Turin may not want you on his team, but I need you.

[soft laugh]

Think you could follow real-life orders?

I think I'd follow you anywhere.

- [laughs]

- Sorry.

Too honest.

Welcome to Team Awesome Force.

- [soft laugh]

- Weirdo.

[upbeat electronic music]

Yoki helped me find it.

I think Niko'd appreciate donating it to the cause.

- [whistles low]

- Ooh.

Did you really call repo on her?

Do you really want to know?

I'll take care of that.

Drinks are on Ollie.

You know, Niko might have been nuts, but she was a hell of a tracker.

Sent couriers all over the J, charting green plasma sources.

Fills in the rest of the spots of my map.

Well, at least something good came out of this detour.

You asked me why I hadn't gone home yet.

And I think I've been waiting for you to have what I have.

What do you have that I don't have, John Jaqobis?

A reason to stop running.

[soft scoff]

I mean, the Quad's kind of shitty, and eventually some green-snot aliens are probably gonna take it over, but it's home.

It needs me.

And I want that for you.

Yeah, the fact that we're all hackmods here doesn't make it home.

No.

No, but the fact that they came to save your ass, it's a hell of a start.

[indistinct chatter]

[laughter]

[laughter]

Just tell me you don't want to stay.

[sighs]

[gentle ambient music]

Good luck with your w*r.

And if you need some hackmod backup We will.

Then call me.

- Pinky swear?

- [laughs]

Pinky swear.

[gentle electronic music]

[door hisses open]

Whoa!

Whoa.

Johnny.

I nearly sh*t you.

It wouldn't be the first time.

[exhales]

Look, I know I've got a lot of Shut up, I don't care.

[exhales]

I'm sorry.

[laughter]

And what about you, Luce?

Do you miss me?

If ships could cry, I would have rusted, John.

Aw.

See?

Now, she cares.

[soft laugh]

Well, we've been busy, hunting Hullen, trying to figure out who abandoned these Black Root ships.

Oh, yeah, and Banyon, new head bitch in charge.

We're gonna have to get you past her.

Well, I've been a busy boy too.

Brought the rest of the plasma map.

[soft music]

[electrical warble]

[electrical whirring]

Johnny, it's everywhere.

How the hells are we gonna fight them?

One step at a time.

Like always.

To Aneela.

May the bitch never see us coming.

[dramatic music]

[glasses clink]

[dramatic ambient music]

All of us come From somewhere else Nobody knows If there's a hell Power still lies in the mystery Of things that we cannot see That sunset or thumbprint or soul You can't duplicate Oh, good.

You're awake.

[exhales]

Welcome to my ship.

Now come, tell me everything.

We all bleed The same color We all bleed the same color