01x04 - Rift in the Universe

[bunniefuu]

Our galaxy - humankind

colonized space so long ago

that no one remembers which
came first - civilization

or the corporations.

But a centuries-old conflict
between the Grotto corporation

and our mortal enemy
- the mega corporation

known as Helion -

has led to endless wars
and broken planets,

making life for most on Grotto
planets, known as homeworlds,

a living hell
of indentured servitude.

And I was no different.

My only way out was to join
Grotto's army - the Reapers.

The Resource Exploration And
Procurement Engineer Regiment.

Also known as
the Salvage Marines.

Where the hazard pay is high

but the survival rate is low.

She died saving me.

I would sacrifice myself...
for any one of you.

I'd do the same.

Without hesitation.

Without hesitation.

I'm calling to discuss

that new piece of machinery you
got running down your spine.

Because I wouldn't want
your "poor family"

burdened with an insurmountable
debt now, would I?

I need you to send in
a member of Tango Platoon

to detonate the charges
manually.

Yeah, copy that.
Ain't gonna happen!

Everybody
will be k*lled down here!

Are you refusing
a direct order?!

Yes, I am.

Command, activate
Protocol 1138,

and send a cor-sec trooper
immediately to detonate

those charges!

All his debts will be expunged,
as well as his families.

Everyone!
Get back to it!

Back away from the pylons,
right now!

Back away!

Tak.

Thank you for
joining me, Hyst.

Of course, boss.

Just Aiken.
It's not boss anymore.

My time in the Reapers
has reached its

logical conclusion.

I've satisfied all
of my obligations and

those of my family's house.

The House of Indron.

We are Oligarchs
but we still must serve.

What did you want to
see me about, sir?

I need to speak to you
about your actions

down in Deepspire.

I know I disobeyed
a direct order but

Tak and Jada, they--

It's precisely
because of those actions

that I'm recommending
you for promotion.

You went straight back
into the line of fire

to save your squad.

Er... I...

I can't imagine any better
reason for commendation

or for promotion.
Congratulations,

Reaper.

Or, should I say...

Boss Hyst.

Thank you, Sir

Your unit's lucky
to have you.

"Squad Hyst"...

It's got
a good ring to it!

I won't let
you guys down.

We know.

Aiken was right -
we're lucky to have you.

Listen, eh... when you guys
are done, why don't you

stop by my office?

Got a new assignment for you,
and I wanna talk about

your new wage.

Congratulations,
Sam.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Congratulations,
Boss Hyst.

Hi!

Oh my goodness!

Guess who's home!

What?

I'm just making sure
you're all here, and

nothing's missing.

I was lucky
this time.

Not everybody was.

-How's Tak?

He's alive

He...

I don't think
he's gonna come down

this time.

Wait...
He's not coming

down at all?!

Don't think
he'll ever be

the same, Sura.

I think you
should hold your son

for the first time!

Aw... Oh!

Oh, you're
so beautiful!

Oh, I'm sorry, yeah!
I know, it's scary.

It's been
a LONG time!

It has!

I can't believe
it's been a year!

Oh, it's been
a long year!

Aw! I'm sorry
about that.

I'm sorry about
that all.

But it's...
it's for a better life.

I know.

And it's just
for another year.

Oh yeah,

I know.

I need to talk to you
about that.

I know...
when I signed up,

we both agreed

that I'd only
do a standard tour

and not a day longer.

Please don't
say what I think

you're going to say.

Wha-- what is this?

It's an invoice
for my cybernetic spine.

Healthcare plan
from Grotto

doesn't cover it.

And maybe
if we had a union,

it would be different but

we don't so
we're stuck with it.

Why didn't you
tell me?

I'm telling
you now.

Say, tell me, Sam,

how many people
from your platoon

are still alive,

from the 15 you started with?

Nine.
Nine.

So many dead.

And that doesn't include
your spine, Tak's face,

Jada's lung.

Who knows what
other replacements

the others have had!

There's a reason
that there aren't

that many retired Reapers.

You'll just
get in deeper.

At my current rate,
I can pay off your

life bond and Orion's,

and both your
expatriation fees.

You guys can leave
Baen 6

and start a new life
out of the Grotto.

How? From what I've seen,
it's gonna take years

to pay that off with
your current salary.

Well, first off...
I got promoted.

Really?

I'm gonna be commanding
my own squad.

Standard 15%
pay raise.

Hey! That's a start!
But... it's still

not enough.

And we have to get
a divorce.

J-just on paper.

So my debt is mine,
and they can't dump it

on you or Orion.

A divorce?

What about
your death benefit?

Um... they have ways of making
you forfeit that, and I'm not

willing to take that chance.

I almost did
something really stupid

on this last tour...

that could have
jeopardized it.

I tried
to go off-mission

to save my friends.

Jada.

Not just Jada.

We don't have to
talk about it.

We all get lonely,
Sam.

Nothing happened.

As long as
that's not the reason

you want the divorce.

You'd tell me,
right?

Of course.
And it's not. I promise.

I love you

I love you.

You realize
where we are, right?

Of course.
How could I forget?

Okay.

Perfect!

Can't wait
to put that one

with the original.

The first time
I saw you!

Hopefully not the last.

Oh!
Don't joke around!

Still sleeping!

So cute!

I heard some
good news today.

Hmm?

Several more
combat deployments

with bonus hazard pay

came in this
morning, just like

the Vorhold campaign.

And what's the
bad news?

They cut
my leave short.

But if these pan out,
we can be together,

for good.

Then I can join
you and Orion

on the space station.

"Space station?"

What space station?
What are you

talking about?

The one at the
edge of the system,

Pier 13, where...
I just leased you

a place?

What?
I don't understand!

Um, this isn't your
standard venture.

It was privately funded by one
of the major Grotto Houses.

It came with
a huge signing bonus.

I was able to pay off
your expat fees.

I should be upset you took
this job without telling me.

It's so dangerous, they're
willing to pay you so much!

Do I even wanna know?

Move to the station.

When the money comes in
from one of these missions,

take Orion,
go to Longstride.

Get that cabin
we always dreamt about.

I'll find you there.

You better!

Stand by. VTOL approaching.

Jada.

Sam. Or should I say,
Boss Sam.

You most definitely
should not!

Boss Prybar?

I think 'Boss Hyst'
in front of the troops.

You got it,
boss.

I'm sorry!
It's just all

so exciting.

Plus, I've... been going
a little stir crazy up here

the past few weeks.

Yeah.
How is he?

I'm not gonna lie to you, Sam.
He's not the same guy you knew.

But I think a little action
will do him some good.

It's funny...
You start to miss it.

The rush...

the camaraderie.

Yeah. We're a sick lot,
as Tak would say!

Yeah, he would.

But I wouldn't have it
any other way.

See you at briefing.

At ease.
It's just me!

Yeah, but you're
the big man now, boss.

Still the same old grunt
you always knew.

How is he?

This lying in bed
all alone...

You actually
Ben Takeda?

I'm not sure, Sam.

You tell me.

Tak, I'm sorry.
I don't...

know what to say.

You remember
when we signed up?

When...

..you didn't have
anything with you.

You said...

"Just as long as
I still got you

to kick around!"

That was a
long time ago, Sam.

It's only about
a year ago.

Yeah.

Look at me now.

The information
you are about to receive

is highly classified

so let me remind you

that ANY breach

of the non-disclosure agreement
that you have signed

will be dealt with severely.

Now, with that being said...

it is my great honour
to present to you

the Anointed Actuary himself,

Kelkis Morturi.

Grotto salutes you.
Thank your for being here.

I'm talking today
about the Ellisian Line.

People, this is a
point in space

where the laws of physics
literally break down

and become somewhat fluid.

This, in terms of exploration,
has been a disaster -

it has made things difficult,
sometimes ultimately futile.

It's not been good.
There's been a puzzlement.

Now, I want
to draw your attention

to the astrophysicist
Dorian Ellis.

Now Dorian,
in the time he lived,

he claimed
he caught a glimpse...

of a planet on the other side
of the Ellisian Line.

And he became so obsessed
with this phenomenon,

he devoted his whole life to
the study of that phenomenon -

needless to say he was
manipulating reality

in the process.

He claimed that
an ancient civilization

had created this planet,

had cultivated it.

Well, sadly,
h-he never saw the planet again.

Tragic.

As to why I'm standing here
right now -

because Dorian's
elusive planet...

'UK-1326,'
it has reappeared.

It's back.

And you, marines...

you're gonna make history.

Go and look for
some good hunting.

Have at it.
Good hunting.

Thank you.

Grotto salutes you.

Now... between the strong
electromagnetic fields,

and an unusual
electrical interference

which we have yet to explain,

the atmospheric conditions

are not particularly well suited
to a reconnaissance probe.

These are some of the images
we managed to capture.

An ancient derelict city,
with no apparent signs of life

exists on the surface.

Or that is
what we believe.

We sent in
a legion of prisoner troops -

sent in to determine the value
of this unprecedented salvage.

Not one of them
returned.

This is the only footage
we managed to recover.

Now these creatures...

may have been built,

quite literally perhaps
for their... stealth

and lightning fast-attack,

rather than
a protracted as*ault.

As such...

we believe Reapers
will fare far better.

You might not know
all the Reapers on

either side of you

but you're here

because of your
superb service records

and proven loyalty.

This necropolis

might well be
the greatest salvage in history!

We arrive

at UK-1326
in less than two weeks.

So be prepared
to make history, Reapers.

Dismissed.

Do they really
expect us to buy into

that "loyalty" bullshit?

The fact our hazard pay
and bonuses combined

still don't equal
the cost of hiring elites

shows you EXACTLY where we are
on the pay scale.

"When w*r is stripped
of its ideology,

all that remains
is the simple reality

that it is nothing more,
and nothing less,

than the violent
redistribution of wealth.

Anyone that says different is
just trying to lower your rate."

Boss?

Sorry.
It's just...

something someone
said to me once.

Everyone on both
sides is only in it

for the money.

Treat them like they treat us.
It's the closest to equality

you'll ever get.

-But are we ACTUALLY at w*r.
-When aren't we, Bianca?

Is that
the same Prybar?

Same Prybar,

just realising
his potential.

I can't believe

you got me doing this.

Sneaking around the tug,
looking over my shoulder.

Hey.

You realise
how much trouble

this could stir up?

Stirring things up
is the point, buddy.

We gotta watch each
other's backs.

We both know
Grotto isn't going to.

We volunteered
for this!

Everyone signed a release,
you and me included.

No, no. I'm talking
about Vorhold.

We're being
pushed into something

we didn't sign up for.

Maybe that's why Aiken left
after just one tour of duty.

Look, I get it.

I really do.

And there's not one of us
that came out of those tunnels

the same person.
Alright?

What you're talking about
is establishing a labor union.

That's too much.

That is the only way of
forcing Grotto

to listen to us.

To take us seriously.

Who else
is involved?

I don't know.
Listen, listen.

A lot of us
are in this.

if we keep it decentralized,
and one of us talks,

we'll all get lined up
on the bulkhead and shot.

Look,
we've got a plan.

It's a good plan.

But if YOU'RE not in it,
I'M not in it, okay?

I need you,
brother.

Alright.
I'm with YOU.

Let's go eat!
Meal plan?

Meal plan!

We may have a developing issue
with the rank and file.

The rumors of a unionisation
may well be true.

Hey...

these negotiations with Helion
are at a standstill.

And we don't need
a goddam trade w*r.

So get your house in order!

Don't worry.
I will.

Come on!

What's with all this
sneaking around, reaper?

Look, every time Grotto
finds a valuable resource,

our lives become
even less valuable

than they already are.

What's new, kid?

I - myself and others -
we want to change that.

Okay, cowboy,
how you gonna do that?

You know who my family is.
You know we have money.

Yeah.
I mean real money.

What's your point?

My point...
is using my resources,

I may have found a way
to get some real, tangible

leverage on Grotto.

Okay. Let's hear it.
Let's hear this masterplan.

It's encrypted
body camera.

-What are we gonna do with that?
-It's simple.

We convince one of the bosses
to replace their camera

with the encrypted one.

Then, next time
Tyrol or Grotto

orders us to do something
non-salvage related,

they cost us
needless lives,

we'll have the
audio and video files

to prove it!

Alright.
What do we do

with those files?

We hack them into
the Grotto Homeworld,

live broadcast.

How are we
gonna do that?

I told you - money.
A lot of money.

So after these
live feeds go out

and they're broadcast,

then what?

We use them.

It forces Grotto
to listen to us,

to take us seriously,

to give us
a proper union.

Slummin' it with
the Salvage Marines

wasn't enough for you!

You wanna risk the noose
with unionising?

It doesn't matter!
It doesn't matter

where I come from.

It doesn't matter
what I have.

What matters
is what I'm doing.

I'm doing what's right.

I'm doing
what's good.

Fair enough.

Okay.

Say I'm on board,
what do you need me to do?

You're the only one that
can convince Boss Prybar

to wear that camera.

Talk to him.

Well... I...
I could try.

Don't try.
Do this.

Okay.
Be careful.

The legionnaires
served their purpose,

and they served it well.

We have
the intel we need

for the invasion.

So that's all they were -
cannon fodder?

According to the Grotto,
that's all we all are.

And you're alright
with this?

No, I'm not.

But like the
legionnaires, we knew

what we signed up for.

Or did you forget that
during the little pep talk

you gave the tango platoon?

It's not my job
to believe everything

I tell my subordinates.

There's hope
for you yet, Sam.

Now get your
head on straight.

We're planetside
in three hours.

And given our
experience at Vorhold,

I would say that we're...

uniquely qualified
to succeed.

This is the job.

Sure.

They've analyzed the footage,
and modified the invasion plan

after the legion's
failed engagement.

So what are
our chances?

Boss.
sh**t straight

with us.

I think Marsters
is right -

only Tango Platoon made it
past the Basin Gate

on Vorhold.

That's why we stand
the best chance

at seizing
the central pyramid

and defending it.

Mutants, g*n Spiders,
Stalkers, Bone Worms...

this never ends,
does it?

Nothing Tango
can't handle.

I'm not gonna lie
to you.

Reapers will die today
so let's do our best

to keep Tango Platoon
off that ledger

as much as possible.

Dismissed!

Good to have you back,
brother.

Boss?

You don't have to call me that.
And I dismissed you guys.

Okay, Prybar!

It's just... I haven't really
had a chance to talk to you

since you've been back.

I've been busy.

I missed you.

I missed you too.

Hey honey.
I was just about

to call you.

I didn't want to miss you
before your mission.

Hello,
Mrs Hyst.

Hello, Jada.

Well, I'll leave
you two alone.

I need to go
gear up anyways.

Good luck today.

How are you?

As well
as can be expected.

How's our boy?

He reminds me so much
of his father!

Tango approaching surface now.

I am detecting some unusual
magnetic activity.

My instruments seem to be
off calibration.

Uh...
might come in a little rough.

Warning:
electromagnetic atmosphere

may cause communication
interference and malfunction.

Mission objective:
locate and seize control

of energy source
within central pyramid.

Beware: g*n Spider, Droid
and unknown hostiles.

Where possible,
remain in platoon unit.

Squad Hyst,
cut left.

We go right,
sweep in clear.

Copy that.
Move out.

Tactical, everybody. Tactical.

Keep eyes out.

Keep lookin' out.

They could be anywhere.

Yeah... don't recognise
any of those symbols.

We're not
on Baen 6 anymore.

On me!
Keep your eyes open!

Don't go into the light,

Carol Anne.

Marsters? Status report.
What do you see there?

Status report, Marsters?

Funny you should ask.

Why is that?

Some kind of fog,

less than a metre
of visibility.

Well, is there
any movement in the fog?

No can't see squat,
can't hear squat.

Scanners are useless

Look, Reaper, we don't know
much about this planet

so please stay sharp
down there.

So now you care about
us lowly Reapers? That's sweet!

Of course
I care for you.

I mean, I'm not just
a cold-hearted b*stard, am I?

Yeah, you could have
fooled us on Vorhold.

Look, I do what's best
for Grotto,

and Grotto does
what's best for the people.

This is the job.
Right, guys?

Oh, it's always a job,
Marsters.

Keep me informed
of your position.

And please...

be careful.

Yeah, sure. Will do. Tango out.

Yeah, that guy doesn't give
a squat about us.

Not in the least.

Party on, dudes.

Alright, Reapers, stay frosty!

Check your back shadows

and your dead corners!

This is definitely
creepy.

Plus, my jaw is
tingling.

Yeah, it's not
the photo they sent us

in the brochure.

"Brave new worlds",
"Life of adventures",

they said.

So did you,
Sam.

Boss Marsters?
This is Hyst.

Come in.

Boss Hyst, come in!

Co-- Do you--

I repeat, do you...
..Reaper?

Boss Marsters,
I did not copy.

There must be something
interfering with the com.

Maybe it's the fog.

See the static
in the air?

Yeah, I see it.

Beware of..

I repeat... beware of large...
..spiders

Boss Marsters?
I did not copy

your order!

Did he just say
spiders?

-Marsters? Marsters?

Boss Marsters,
do you copy?

Squad Hyst? Ulanti?
Anyone?

Damn it!

Something is blocking
our transmissions.

I don't care how you do it
but you better break through

that interference.

Does anyone
have a visual?

Hyst? Ulanti? Anyone?

I can't see sh*t!
Keep your eyes peeled.

Marsters, get back here!

You see that?
They're picking us off

one by one, Sam.

Get to the tunnel!
Really?

This place is...
just all kinds of wrong,

Sam! It ain't right.

Aim for the joint

to the legs!

Tango, Tango.
If you're copying

and you come in contact
with one of these... spiders,

..aim for
the joint of the legs.

It'll take 'em down.

Copy that, Hyst.

I really hope they figure
that sh*t out, Sam.

Let's keep moving.

Copy to that.

There's one there!

Now they got g*ns too?!

You take out the g*n!
I'll take out

the joints!

This is ridiculous!

Where are my cam feeds?

Can we at least have
a deep thermo scan?

So I can see if anyone
is still ALIVE down there!

What the hell is
that, Sam?

I have no idea.

It's, eh...
kind of huge.

Yeah.

Comms still down?

Yep.
So, eh...

..no back-up, huh?

No.

We got too old
for this.

I've been cashing
the Grotto cheques.

Fair is fair, I mean.

So we're going in.

I did promise you
I'd watch your back

out there.

Alright.

Careful, Sam.

Sam?

What are you...
What are you doing, Sam?

He might know where
the prison troops are.

Don't, don't do that. Sam!

Sam!
Sam, don't touch him!

No, no, no, no, no,

No, sam!

You son of a b*tch!

Mission Control,
contact the other Tugs

and ask for reinforcements.

I don't like this planet!

sh**t at the eyes!

Go down,
you dirty son of a b*tch!