Category: Episodes

Warning! Priority Transmission from the Oasis!

The vidscreen on the back wall flashes an ominous warning symbol over a bright red background, bathing Sedoy’s apartment in an eerie artificial glow.

Sedoy leans against her kitchen table and studies the screen.

She wipes a small chunk of partially digested kibble off of her lips, and swallows several times in an unsuccessful attempt to clear the taste of vomit from her mouth.

The screen flashes again, and when it comes back, the text beneath the warning symbol has been replaced by two simple words:

“Stand By.”

A black cloaked figure stands in the middle of the intersection, directly in front of the sleek automated vehicle containing Sedoy.

The traffic indicator in front of her car turns green, and the vehicles on the opposite side of the road begin to move. The cloaked figure, however, remains motionless – their expression and appearance concealed by a long dark hood.

There’s an awkward pause as the left rear window of the automated vehicle rolls down slowly. Sedoy’s head comes into view, leaning out the window with confused expression on her face.

She studies this strange character for a moment, but before she can make sense of what she’s looking at, a small explosion pops the front end of her car several feet into the air. She slams her head against the top of the window frame, and as the car violently crashes back down to the street, her jaw smashes into the door.

With a crunch, ISO flips over the front of the handlebars of his new motorbike, as he’s flung unceremoniously into the air.

Time seems to slow to a crawl as he tumbles head over heels towards a row of abandoned nomad motorbikes. He feels his grapple arm snap as it slams into the roof of an old, rusted sedan.

ISO barely has enough time mid-flight to process the loss of his enhanced arm before he crashes clumsily into the row of rusty motor bikes – which in-turn then collapse on top of him forming a tangled heap of handlebars, wheels, and one extremely unlucky Media.

A large, black SUV waits in the shadow of Oasis Apartment Building 72-BCB. Inside the empty vehicle, a lone computer display bolted to the center front console reads ‘Waiting for Passenger – Sedoy. 136 passengers in queue’.

After a moment, the door flies open with an impatient swing, and a few moments later, Sedoy slides into the SUV.

[Welcome Sedoy. You are [3 and a half] hours late. Is everything okay?]
“Is that right? What time is it?”
[It is currently 11:32 AM.]
“I am half-hour early, what are you talking about? Dumb car.”

The door shuts automatically, and with a soft hum the electric motor comes to life as the luxury vehicle speeds away through the harsh desert sun. 

The sleeping form of Reed lies sprawled on the ground, empty bottle in one hand and several more scattered about the floor next to him. As the sun rises outside his window, a square of light slowly crawls across his bed, onto the floor, and finally onto the upper chest of the sleeping nomad. He opens his eyes and blinks slowly.

As he tries lift his hand to shade his vision from the harsh sunlight emanating from his window, Reed’s attention is drawn to one of the small pile of bottles.

His heavy pistol has been posed amongst the glass and synth-plastic containers, as if the remains of his drunken bender were used as props for an album cover of an edgy indie punk band. For reasons that currently escape Reed’s alcohol-soaked brain, the words ‘Mars Sazerac’ are scrawled across the barrel.

He blinks.

He blinks again.

His brow furrows as he reaches slowly towards the familiar firearm, which he grasps and weighs it in his hands.

Reed looks through his bedroom doorway, and towards his front door, slightly ajar.

Perhaps Mavis remembers what happened.

Rows of UltraBrite LEDs mounted on the ceiling of the Meat Grinder come to life suddenly, bathing the club in a disorienting burst of harsh artificial light.

The club erupts with jeers and booing, as the drunken patrons head towards the exits and begin stumbling out onto the street and into the cool night air of the Oasis.

Outside on the corner, several small arguments and skirmishes break out as the crowd from the Rock Show decide on the next venue upon which to inflict their unstructured adolescent rage.

This is Episode 11 – Bombs and Burning Buildings.

Iso and Reed exit their rooms, give each other a quick nod, and quietly decend the stairs outside their apartment building. The two figures walk away from the lone tower into the rapidly setting sun towards the so called ‘Nomad’s Paradise’.

Meanwhile, back in the apartment complex, Mavis and Sedoy prepare themselves for their first Oasis Rock show…

And the meeting with their mysterious new superstar client.

This is Episode 10 – The Rock Show.

In the basement server room of the Trickle Down Hydroponics station, one of the guards peers over Sedoy’s shoulder with interest as she roots around inside the central control server. The guard shifts his foot slightly, causing the nearby pressure sensitive LED tile to light up.

Sedoy whips her head around and glares at him.

Suddenly she turns back and, closing her eyes, reaches deep into the server grasping for something.

After a moment of digging, her eyes fly open, and with a sharp gesture she yanks a hunk of wires and circuit boards out from the dark metal frame, holding it triumphantly above her head.

This is Episode 9 – What Is Your Problem?

Reed stands alone in his bathroom, shoulders hunched over the sink. The water hisses quietly into the metal basin as he studies his reflection.

He scoops water into his hands and splashes it on his face, rubbing away the patches of dried blood with the slow, practiced demeanor of someone who has done this many times before.

He inspects his face again, nods to himself, and sighs.

Only one more thing to do before he can finally sleep.

This is Episode 8 – The Daily Grind.