02x04 - Beasts of Burden

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Defiance...

Rafe McCawley's got the right idea about you people.

Hyatt, run!

[Screams]

I've taken your mines.

Give me a reason to take more.

You will deliver my orders exactly as I give them.

Your one and only job is keeping me alive.

Oh?

Why else do you think I got your pasty ass out of prison?

[Grunts]

[Gags]

[Panting]

Hello, my name is Niles Pottinger, and welcome to the Badlands.

We are currently transporting the latest, most advanced mineral extraction equipment from Cedars to the boomtown of Defiance.

It's a small town, big of heart...

Swap sides? My right side is... it's infinitely more camera-friendly.

Maybe, but the terraformed rock over your shoulder, it creates a sense of groundedness, and people like their leaders down to Earth.

Do you know, Captain?

New York is whispering about you.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Seems the viceroy is quite taken with your latest film.

Well, thank you, sir.

Sometimes I'm worried they're a little over the top.

Nonsense.

As a great old Earth philosopher once said: The extreme always seems to make an impression.

Hmm.

[g*nf*re]

Ugh!

[Tires screech]

[g*nshots]

Get down!

[g*nshots]

[Grunts]

[g*nshots]

[Screams]

[Both grunt]

[Whispers] Stay down.

This is it.

[Whispers] They're not here for us.

They're here for the equipment.

[Both grunt]

[Grunts]

Oh, God!

Bink! Raul!

I think they're dead. Oh, God.

Suck it up! Get them on the truck.

Oh, God. [Grunts]

Please.

Look, I haven't seen your face!

I don't know who you are!

Shut up!

On your knees.

I am a high-ranking officer of the Earth Republic.

People owe me favors.

If you spare my life, I will guarantee the investigation into this incident is abandoned immediately.

High-ranking?

Not anymore.

I'm stripping you of your rank.

I said, "strip."

All the way.

All the way.

Get on your knees.

You do not want to do this.

Get on your jekking knees!

You like to hurt people?

Piss all over them?

Well, this is what it feels like.

[Shudders]

The hell are you doing?

We got to go!

[Dramatic music]

♪

I rarely slept in prison.

To help me drift off, I would imagine your face.

I'm glad I left it unmarked.

Back on Casti, had I followed the traditions of my father, I would have carved open your belly like he did his first wife.

But I'm blessed to live in a kwon-yo gyen-do, a new world, where the love for my wife is reason enough to spare her.

I too am blessed to live in a kwon-yo gyen-do, where a man and a woman can stand on equal ground.

I raised profits by 20% while you were away.

We should be partners.

I have earned that right.

Yes.

I'm sure you'd like that.

[Pop music]

♪

Hmm?

[Laughs]

Again? Seriously?

Practice makes perfect.

Oh, I like your work ethic.

Mm.

[Both moaning]

Oh, no.

Mm-hmm?

I have a staff meeting in ten minutes.

I gotta kick you out.

You mean I'm not getting sex because you have to go work in a whorehouse?

Mm, the irony is delicious.

Hey, kiddo.

You didn't answer your hailer.

Yeah, well...

The new mayor wants you.

Anyone ever teach you to knock?

I was raised by him.

It's a good point.

Hmm.

[Chuckles]

[Screams]

[Laughter]

Can you describe the masks these raiders wore?

One wore, like, an oriental mask of some sort, with these... ridiculous antlers.

Another one wore a red mask with shotgun shells sticking out of it like spikes.

It's from a sport they used to play in old Canada, America.

Ice football, or...

Hockey.

I don't bloody know what it is!

All I know is six of my men are dead, and valuable E-Rep equipment has been stolen, and it needs to be found now!

Well, I wouldn't get my hopes up there.

Raiders tend to move at a pretty fast clip after a hit.

They're probably 500 klicks away by now.

Well, then I reckon you better get moving.

Take as many men as you need.

I'll go.

I want to hurt the people who hurt you.

Thank you, Churchill.

That's very kind.

I'll get you extra petrohol.

Crisscrossing the Badlands is a waste of time and materials.

We need leads.

And there was me thinking you were an expert tracker.

See, that's the point...

I don't chase my ass all over the Badlands.

Look, Nolan's right.

You're going to need an army to cover that much ground, and your best bet would be to keep your eye on the black market from here to AngelArc for any sign of the tech.

I don't remember asking you.

You're my advisor on policy, not security.

Know your place.

Well, I'm glad to see they didn't k*ll you.

What are you still doing here?

I'm pretty sure that my camera got a clear sh*t of the leader's face when his mask slipped, but, unfortunately, my hard drive got smashed.

But I think I can fix it.

You know, you've got a bruise there.

We should probably get you to the doctor.

I was only unconscious for a few minutes.

Jessica...

Can you call me Berlin... like everyone else?

I don't like when you get all "Jessica" on me.

Well, at least you should lie down.

I'm fine.

I have work to do.

Did Irisa let you coddle her like this?

No.

Irisa's not the coddling type.

You know, I have eyes.

I see the way that you look at her and the way that she looks at you.

You know, this must be the head wound talking because... [Clears throat] if I had it my way, Irisa and Nolan would be on the first land coach out of town.

I want nothing to do with that girl.

Good.

[Sighs]

Hey, Boss.

We did it.

You dumbass kid! What the hell were you thinking?

Uncle Rafe, are you seeing this stuff?

This is mining equipment, Votan laser tech.

It can slice through rock like butter.

I know what the hell it is!

Those E-rats want to start cutting through the hard deposits.

It's going to cause a collapse.

We could lose hundreds of miners.

The E-Rep hasn't said a word about hitting no hard deposits.

Why else would they need to bring this stuff in then?

Look, the E-Rep does not care about Defiance.

They'd just as soon let us fall into the earth.

You know who these people are.

They k*lled half my family!

All right, Josef, calm down, son!

You're the one who said it!

You said there's gonna come a time where blood has to be spilled!

I didn't tell you to rob an E-Rep convoy, did I?

Who else was in on this?

Raul, Bink, and O'Grady.

Where are they now?

Raul and Bink didn't make it.

Oh.

We buried them in the woods, and then O'Grady took off for Cedars.

We didn't think that the E-Rep would be able to hit back so hard.

Well, what the hell did you expect them to do, offer you a sandwich?

Well, they paid for it.

We took out a bunch of their guys.

Raul and Bink did not die for nothing.

We are saving this town.

We're saving lives.

You brought this crap into my home!

You know how close they watch me!

I thought that you'd be on my side.

Well, you thought wrong!

It seems my being away has been good for you.

It gave you the chance to step out of my shadow and cast one of your own.

After breakfast, we'll head to the fight tent.

You can bring me up to date.

Dad...

I was just covering for you while you were gone.

I thought that, since you're home now, you'd want me to step back, and let me focus on my music business.

Well, that was before I heard about your zem-ba-ko.

Once a man has taken a life, he is forever a zem-bat-so.

You know, Alak, I never envisioned this life for you.

I always imagined you in a legitimate occupation like your music business, where you would prosper and raise a family, a pillar of the community.

But I was mistaken.

For better or for worse, you are a Tarr.

My blood runs through your veins.

There's no escaping that.

Eat up.

I must admit, I do look forward to having someone to talk business with, a man I know I can trust.

You'll see for yourself, the more powerful a man becomes...

Hey, you! Datak Tarr. the fewer his confidants.

How the hell are you walking these streets a free man?

I've been granted parole.

Now, if you'll kindly remove yourself from our paths.

Colonel Marsh was our C.O.

He was a good man.

He did not deserve to be stabbed to death by a dirty Haint.

Funny. He used that same word.

What, "Haint"?

Does the word "Haint" bother you?

That's what you are.

You and that Haint son of yours.

[Spits]

You have every right to be angry, for I have committed a heinous act.

While I don't expect forgiveness, I offer my most sincere apology.

[Grunts]

Back at my office, I was out of sorts.

Hmm, a lot of people are out of sorts.

It's no excuse.

I value your input.

Hmm.

Truly.

That stolen tech must be pretty important.

Or is it something else?

One of the raiders, he... he made me strip down.

It dredged up some old memories I'd spent years trying to forget.

Now these memories are back in the front of my brain, as clear as you are in front of me.

I'm going to tear apart the man who did this to me.

You can count on that.

You want to talk about it?

I do not.

Thank you.

Okay.

During the w*r, my parents sent me away to boarding school, to Devon.

I was 15.

I think they thought it would be safer down there.

So, a Sunday, bitterly cold and... just got to chapel, and we were just settling into our pews when all of a sudden, all of the stained glass windows just shattered.

And the Votans came.

And they locked all the doors, and they kept us in there... no food, no washrooms... for 11 days.

The floor was... covered in piss and broken glass.

My hands, they got all cut up when they held me down, and they...

I'm so sorry.

This world's full of stories like mine.

I know.

That's why it's important to drag them into the light.

Do less damage that way.

b*llet hole-in-one, right through the heart.

So you got yourself paroled from Camp Reverie, huh?

How exactly did you manage that?

Raw sex appeal.

Contusion to the left temple.

Last time I checked, E-Rep wasn't handing out pardons too easily.

Well, if you're worried that I said something about your Irathient godling, the answer is no.

Keep it that way.

Oh, yeah, single g*nsh*t.

Oddly precise for raiders, isn't it?

They usually like to fill their victims full of lead.

Berlin says her camcorder data looks recoverable.

She's getting close.

There's a boot-print on his shoulder.

That looks like Gulanite.

No. No, that's just dirt.

What are you doing? That was Gul...

Not Gulanite.

You just destroyed evidence!

No.

You want to bury this?

So you can protect Rafe McCawley?

Nobody's burying anything, all right?

I'll take care of it.

Don't.

You can't do this.

Watch me.

You did not provoke him enough.

I hocked in his face.

We shoved him to the dirt.

And he made no move towards you?

Well, he begged for our forgiveness with some Casti religious crap.

Fine time for him to learn self-control.

Hey, hey, our scrip.

[Door closes]

So what can you tell me about a so-called raider att*ck out by Montok Pass?

First I've heard of it.

E-Rep caravan.

Doesn't ring a bell?

Nope.

See, that girl, Berlin, she caught one of the guys on video.

And me, I'm certain he's a miner.

Are you now?

Rafe, if you know anything about this, you better come clean with me right now.

Make one move, and I swear you're dead.

[Sighs]

He's my godson. Go easy on him.

Don't see why I should.

Go easy on me?

I'm the one with the g*n...

That's what I'm talking about.

Hands where I can see them, Rafe.

He had nothing to do with this.

Did I ask you to talk?

He lost family to the E-Rep.

It's a legitimate beef.

Where's the equipment?

It's out back in his truck.

Look, Nolan, I'm the one to blame here.

I got the kid all wound up, sh**ting off my mouth.

He's a good kid.

He just got in over his head.

You take out a g*n, you put on a mask, and you rob people...

Things have a tendency of getting ugly, Rafe.

I'm sorry.

This kid k*lled people.

You know, when they took my mines away, I could have appealed, but that wasn't an option.

I was labeled an enemy combatant because I sh*t at E-Rep soldiers to protect Irisa.

I don't know what they wanted her for, I still don't, and I don't care.

But I fought for her because it was the right thing to do.

I figured you'd do the same for me.

Or was I wrong?

Right now, that Captain Rainier is up in the darby building reconstructing a video camera hard drive that clearly, buddy, shows your face.

The second that data's recovered, you are b*rned in this town forever.

You understand?

You get your godson on a land coach and give him enough cash to disappear.

Nolan.

Yeah?

Thanks.

[Clears throat]

Open the cell.

Well, well, well, where did you find this?

Little cave up in Wolf Canyon.

All those years of scavenging, I got pretty good at finding raider stash points.

No doubt.

So if I were you, which I'm not, I'd send some men out to that cave A.S.A.P.

All neat and tidy... except for one thing.

Mm-hmm?

How do you explain the Gulanite dust on my dead soldier?

That was dirt.

That's not what Deputy Lasalle claimed.

Hmm.

Deputy Lasalle.

You gave me the badge, right?

You wanted me to do the job?

Well, if you want to believe him over me, here.

Here's the badge. Give it to Tommy.

Keep it.

But I want this matter resolved.

Come on, kiddo.

Let's go resolve the matter.

In my absence, my son has risen to the occasion.

So I am pleased to announce that we will now be working side by side.

Each of you are my family as well, but you have disappointed me.

You betrayed me.

You ignored the instructions I sent from prison.

Instead, you followed the orders of a woman... my wife.

With all respect, Favi Tarr, we were answering to Alak.

Shh.

Don't lie to me.

What is a man to do when all of his men equally dishonor him?

Does a general slaughter his own troops?

Our Castithan forefathers grappled with this very same problem, and they... they had a wise solution... the one bears the shame of the many.

One soldier, one a*, one grave.

So, Vizu, who shall it be?

What?

Huh?

Should it be Raiga?

Why, he's been with us five years.

Stop.

Or what about Giemo?

Why, he used to babysit you, change your nappies.

Of course, not without complaining.

He was always grumbling about one thing or another.

Well, you could put an end to that right now.

Stondak Tiralo.

Tell Alak what you say about his little radio station, Ston. Hmm?

He thinks your music is for shtako.

I've made a decision.

k*ll me.

I could have stopped mom, but I didn't.

I was weak.

[Charge blade clicks]

That you were...

[Charge blade hums]

But you are my legacy.

[Panting]

Clean this up and open the tent.

Josef, I got your ticket, and you're lucky.

It's the last one.

Josef?

Ah, Jeez, where are you?

Don't turn around.

I just want the camera and the data, and we won't have any problems.

Since you asked nicely.

Aah!

[Cup shatters]

[Grunting]

You weren't supposed to see me.

Amanda's here.

Show her in.

[Clears throat]

Your boy Nolan claims the perpetrators are still at large, whereabouts unknown.

The last part's a lie.

You want me to speak to him? [Laughs]

No, there's no need.

He found the equipment.

In the end, that's all that matters.

[Coughs, sniffs]

I know you don't believe that.

[Clears throat]

Yeah, like the E-Rep really give a damn about my childhood traumas.

Hmm. [Laughs]

When you close your eyes, do you see the V.C. soldiers?

The ones who att*cked you?

Sometimes, yeah. I suppose I do.

I see a bright light, a white, blinding light.

As in God?

[Laughs] No.

No.

No, it's a man, with a powerful flashlight.

What man?

The man who r*ped me.

When?

I was living in New York, working as an entry clerk at E-Rep headquarters.

I was coming home one night. It was late.

I could sense someone behind me.

He blinded me with a bright light, put a hand around my mouth and a g*n in my back and...

[Exhales]

I-I don't know what to say.

[Clears throat]

Well, I didn't tell anyone.

In politics, looking weak, being a victim, it can ruin a career.

So I kept quiet.

I didn't even tell my fiancé.

Poor Connor had no idea.

Connor, as in Connor Lang?

Yes.

Did you know him?

Everyone knew him. Or of him.

[Chuckles] Yeah.

Well, life went back to normal, until I missed my period.

I let Connor believe it was his.

But that thing was growing inside of me, so... I got rid of it.

Connor couldn't understand.

I mean, how could he?

[Laughs] I was lying to him.

So our relationship ended.

I took my sister and we traveled west.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

[Sniffs]

Why are you telling me this?

I didn't want you to think you're alone because you're not.

That's the kindest thing anyone's ever done for me.

Thank you.

Yeah.

[Door opens]

They took Berlin.

I will find her.

I will bring her back safe.

Raiders didn't do this.

Who are you protecting, Nolan?

Is it Rafe?

Is it Rafe McCawley behind this?

No.

I can promise you that.

You didn't find that equipment in a cave, did you?

You got me.

I found it in town, down a spider hole out near Rayoon Gulch.

I just thought if you knew it wasn't actual raiders, you would have had your soldiers going door to door, busting the whole town up.

Somebody was bound to get hurt.

If I had you sent down to Reverie or, better still, sh*t in the head, it'd break Amanda's heart.

And I'm not willing to do that at the moment.

If you lie to me again, Nolan, I will revise that policy.

You done here?

'Cause I have a woman to rescue.

I lied for you, Rafe, to the mayor, to Tommy.

I owe you, Nolan.

You want to pay me back, you figure out where that kid's holed up.

I have a few ideas.

Hurry, and, Rafe, if anything happens to that E-Rep girl, you and me, we got blood on our hands.

I hear you.

So this is where the records get manufactured.

Interesting!

The presses were all rebuilt from salvaged parts.

I got them for practically nothing.

Now we have an output of 2,000 units per week, "Tarr Traxx."

Cute.

I'll be honest with you, son.

When we started today, my intentions were quite different.

You see those canisters?

Where did those come from?

I had them delivered.

I was determined to burn this place to the ground.

Your complicity with your mother earned that at the very least.

Dad...

But you have shown me much.

This business serves as a useful front.

And that little show you put on back at the fight tent, offering your life to save your men... clever boy.

Give me your hand, son.

You've impressed me, Alak, and I'm not easily impressed, but I cannot let your transgressions go unpunished.

[Screams]

Everything I've said is true.

And now that your debt has been discharged, we shall begin again, together.

[Screams]

Best put some ice on that.

He's been home for one day.

Christie...

One day, and he does this to you.

I told you, I'm fine.

I want him to suffer.

Look, this is my fault, okay?

I brought this upon myself.

Alak, you do not deserve this.

You don't understand!

I totally understand.

Your father is a monster.

Stop it, okay?

You don't get it! You're not Castithan!

Do you really believe that?

Alak?

What happened to your hand?

It... it was an accident.

Those were your words, were they not?

I inherited this copy from a prisoner who met an untimely end.

I was curious.

What combination of words would make a man sacrifice his life for his beliefs?

So I began to read, and to my surprise, the holy teachings resonated with me.

Rayetso demands that no misdeed go unpunished.

The fu-da-no at the academy taught us that lesson quite well.

But to scar our son...

You have turned into your father.

My father would have done worse...

Did worse.

But his ministrations made me stronger.

The holy teachings to which he adhered to have been around for thousands of vi-go, for good reason.

They kept order.

They maintained balance.

Words, Datak.

That is all they are.

Ancient words.

As long as I've known you, you've lacked all sense of balance.

Yes.

In the past, I have upset the equilibrium more times than I care to admit.

I regret k*lling Colonel Marsh, but you and our son have misbehaved as well, and now that we've all been humbled before Rayetso, we can all move forward, together, as a family.

You should embrace me now.

"Cutting through the hard deposits "will cause the mines to cave in, and shockwaves will trigger a massive..."

I'm not reading this.

These are lies.

It's all true.

And once people see an E-Rep soldier admit it... they'll rise up.

If what you're saying is actually true, you could have just made a public statement.

Hmm. I tried that.

Wrote on a wall and almost d*ed for it.

You wrote "k*ll the E-Rep."

If you want to sway public opinion, you spread the truth.

Yeah, so says the Queen of Propaganda.

You don't make fans when you k*ll innocent soldiers.

E-Rep soldiers are not innocent.

Private Brandon Grabe had a wife, Annabel, and two kids, Ross and Galen.

Shut up.

Sergeant August Crown sent half his weekly pay home to his mother and three nephews whose mom d*ed at Ridgeback.

I said shut up!

And they're going to have trouble eating because you k*lled their breadwinner.

Private Molly Chang...

Stop talking!

[Grunts]

Bitch! You're playing me?

[Screams]

I was trying to be reasonable!

[Grunts]

Aah!

You screwed yourself.

I'm sorry.

Hey, kid.

[Screams]

[g*nshots]

No!

[Grunts]

Nolan, you okay?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been hit worse.

All right, stay down. I'll get the doc.

Let's go.

You should have gotten on that land coach.

Defiance is my home.

I can't just let them drive me out.

You have to.

Now go on.

Run!

What?

Just go!

Uncle R., you gotta lead these people.

You have to get them to fight.

Just go.

Just... just go!

Thank you.

[g*nsh*t]

[Whimpers]

[Sobs]

[Grunts]

How's that head of yours?

Nothing a couple of sh*ts of willow bark can't fix.

[Laughs]

You know, I don't take what you did lightly.

You took a b*llet for me, and I won't ever forget that.

Oh, anytime, kid.

[Chuckles]

Thank God you're okay.

Thank him.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Well, maybe you want to keep that in mind the next time you're thinking about stabbing me in the back.

[Door opens]

Hey.

[Door slams]

So...

He was warned.

He sh*t the kid himself.

Josef is dead. You got your payback.

It's not enough.

Rafe is not the one who hurt you.

It's a cruel world.

[Door opens]

[Ethereal music]

♪

Hello, my love.

♪

Do not look away.

♪

[Groans]

♪

You should have made me a partner.