A Knight of Shreds and Patches

The Line in the Sand

Episode Summary

The Patina receives their remaining payment and bids the Advantia farewell.

Episode Notes

The Patina receives their remaining payment and bids the Advantia farewell.

Cast:
- Alli Nesbit & Kira Nesbit as Renn & Ciphera. Alli and Kira can be found on their show RPG for You and Me, a duet actual play podcast. Their website rpgforyouandme.com has tons of art from the show, character bios, custom setting rules, and more! You can also find Alli and Kira on Sounds Like Crowes: Terminus and The Night Shift podcast, not to mention Alli now helms Dark Matter Magazine podcast. You can chat with Alli on twitter @youseethehat and @rpgforyouandme, but Kira is accessible through the show's Patron exclusive discord, found at patreon.com/rpgforyouandme
- Marathon Messenger is played by Penn Van Batavia. She's an indie TTRPG designer who just launched a new game, Wasmannian, a solo RPG about bees, wasps, and otherness in a binary world. You can find Penn on Twitter at @acquiredchaste
- Cassidy Shard is played by Sydney Whittington. She also edits the show. Find her on Twitter at @sydney_whitt
- Emma Blackwood is played by Cameron Robertson. Find her on Twitter at @midnightmusic13 and on Instagram at @reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast. 
- Birdie Foundling is played by Kit Adames. Find her on Twitter at @venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor and writer on Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast. 
- Our GM and narrator is Nick Robertson. Find him on Twitter at @alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron, which you can support at Patreon.com/TabletopSquadron. Nick can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.

Music & Sound Credits:
- This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com
- old radio Channel search sound effect by Garuda1982. Link & License
- Motorcycle ride by roman_cgr. Link & License
- Hypocritopotamus by Doctor Turtle. Link & License
- Love After Midnight (ID 701) by Lobo Loco. Link & License
- Memories in Love (ID 1144) by Lobo Loco. Link & License.

Art Credits:
- The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @rashedjrs.

Find Us Online:
- Our Website
- Twitter
- Join our Patreon
- Join our Discord

Episode Transcription

A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript
Season 2 Episode 27: The Line in the Sand
Transcript by Cameron Robertson

Intro:
[hurdy gurdy music begins]

Nick: Welcome, listeners, to A Knight of Shreds and Patches. An immersive actual play podcast. This episode features the talents of –

Penn: Penn Van Batavia as Marathon Messenger.

Kit: Kit Adames as Birdie Foundling.

Cameron: Cameron Robertson as Emma Blackwood.

Sydney: Sydney Whittington as Cassidy Shard.

Alli: Alli Nesbit as Renn Dare.

Kira: Kira Nesbit as Ciphera Vex.

Nick: Nick Robertson as GM and Narrator.

Sydney: Hello listeners, this is your editor, Sydney, with today’s messages:

We’re excited to announce that Penn, our resident trans tabletop role playing game designer, has released a new game, SLICE IT OUT! SLICE IT OUT is a dark, queer, two-player TTRPG about the harm pointed toward community members who are different. The game uses a unique rip-and-cut mechanic to explore how individuals cut out parts of themselves to fit in. SLICE IT OUT can be found at https://pennharper.itch.io/. In faer words, “Come, let me take you on a journey of self-destruction. I want to tear you apart until IT is no more.”

And if you’re not in a place where that’s your game, but you are in a place of wanting to throw some support our way, consider leaving us an iTunes review, which helps us find new listeners, or even backing our Patreon, which gives you access to bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.

And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into Season 2, Episode 27: The Line in the Sand. And so...

“Join us, for now our tale to yours attaches
To carry hope: a Knight of Shreds and Patches.”

[hurdy gurdy music ends]

[electronic beeping]
[robotic powerup noise begins]
Distorted Robotic Voice: Power restored. Systems online. Reconfiguring audio connection.
[robotic powerup noise fades to radio frequency static]

[over radio]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Last time on a Knight of Shreds and Patches, the Patina had a rather heated conversation with the Advantia. They didn't think Emma knew enough to check out the thing, we didn't think they should interrupt her, and Marathon thought we should all maybe slow down.

So, of course, just in time, the arm monster made of all the parts I didn't grab showed up and attacked. We fought it off long enough for Emma to hit the kill switch,
which, you know, convenient how she was already elbow deep in it to do that. A few more kind words were exchanged, some first aid was administered, and we found the scanny thing for the cipher, which Emma hand-delivered to Ciphera.

Mission accomplished.

Now for the most mercenary of tasks - to get paid.

[radio static]

Episode Start:

Nick: The first thing we see is the town of Glaishelf from above. Seabirds pass between the point of view and the small town below. The town is nestled into a isolated lagoon that then passes out into the Glaishelf Sea, currently devoid of ice but still looking chilly in the stiff breeze. Much of the town has architecture shaped and inspired by the flow of water around it. There are occasional ripples in the sea nearby where large carp like fish push above the surface to eye people passing on the streets. A bright line has been painted down the center street of the town of Glaishelf and from the view high above we can see that the populations have kept themselves separated into two different groups. It has been almost two days since the events in the Erie Data Transformation Incorporated facility. Both Renn and Ciphera and the Patina have made their way back to Glaishelf. Over this course of time, what has everyone been up to while recovering from the exploration of the facility?

Kit: Birdie found her way back to Gretchen, who was probably out on her porch as she normally was, and just sat by her and talked to her for a while because she reminded her of home and successfully returned with a new sweater for Marathon after her previous outfit had been somewhat ruined by her new pet.

Kira: Ciphera has been spending her time reviewing the information that they were able to pull from the facility, possibly spending more time cross referencing with everything that they have available to them, including all the data that they didn't have in the facility itself. And I think she's been spending time scoping out the town just to see how the contentious situation has been developing, keeping an eye on the Patina, staying on the periphery of interactions unless people are seeking her out, or resupplying.

Alli: I don't think Renn has been seen outside of the trailers since the respective groups got back to town. But the door has been propped open and there have been a lot of electrical sparks reflecting from inside which is kind of weird with the panels on the outside.

Penn: We see Marathon on the side of town that's a little more industrial. It's a little bit greasier and more rundown in the alleyways in between, in the liminal spaces. And she's got a fresh change of clothes, a nice green cable knit sweater, and she's doing pull ups off of some industrial bars sticking out of one of these buildings. And we can see a little lump with a matching green sweater on her shoulder as she's doing these pull ups talking to her jolly jogger as it just opens and closes its mouth without much thought

Kit (as Sports): [brainless jolly jogger noises]

Penn: repeatedly.

Cameron: Emma, once they got back to town, briefly took a quick walk to go and update Meyer on a brief summary of what we found in the facility - not providing a lot of info to make it sound like he should go there, but providing the agreed upon information about what the weird square is. And then with that errand complete she has spent the rest of the time in the back of the rig inventorying all of her new toys and is just camping back there.

Sydney: Cassidy after getting back to town, in an attempt to rebalance all of her heightened emotions, has taken the motorcycle and her climbing bag and driven out of town following the river looking for cliffs. And we get a shot of the Patina's motorcycle and her bag leaned up against each other at the top of a cliff with Cassidy down at the bottom climbing up looking like she is getting out her problems by physical activity.

Nick: And the next thing we see is a meeting at a pre agreed time and place. Marathon and Birdie approach the line that divides Glaishelf into two separate factions. And from the other side approaching this boundary line we see Renn and Ciphera and they're carrying two packages wrapped in butcher paper and bound in twine.

Penn: Marathon is at least approaching with her hands behind her back in this green sweater that fits her form pretty nicely and she's got this shaggy red mullet growing out at this point, so it makes a good contrast and she's approaching with her hands behind her back, almost like the energy of someone who doesn't usually go to business meetings trying to be very businessy. And this jolly jogger is waddling alongside her.

Kit: Birdie is trailing a little bit behind. She feels a little bit silly about the argument that took place a few days ago and is still a little residually bashful about the whole conflict that happened and is just kicking this rock along that she found and keeping her eyes on the ground for a moment.

Kira: Ciphera's standing a little bit in front of Renn, not necessarily in like a protective stance, but she's holding her portion of the parcels. And I think as the two approach them, she's set the bag on the ground, and she's standing there with folded arms, surveying the area around them, but she doesn't seem overly angry or hostile. And she nods to both of them as they approach. The metallic fingers that are cinched to her left hand and attached over the back are rolling lightly on her arm, so there's just this continuous sound of whirring servos as the fingers twiddle. It seems like Ciphera only has two or three sets of clothing, or maybe she has multiple sets that look identical, but she's still wearing a faded pair of brown culottes. She has a crop top that's a torn white definitely been through the wringer more than two or three or four or five or six times. Her hair is bound in a braid with the feathers interwoven as it has been, and the fin that serves as her left ear is constantly repositioning itself as new sounds ping in the distance.

Alli: Renn is trailing behind Ciphera with a package and looking like she hasn't really slept in about probably two days. She's got those bags going, she's a little hunched over - she's kind of shrimping. She forgot she's still holding her mug of coffee from camp, so even though they're in the middle of town, she's just sipping blearily, but she waves.

Penn (as Marathon): Renn. Ciphera.

Kira (as Ciphera): Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't think I've introduced you to our new associate.

Penn: Marathon gestures very professionally down to the jolly jogger that comes up to her shins in its green little sweater.

Penn (as Marathon): This is uh, Sports. So say hi, Sports.

Kit (as Sports): [fish noises meaning hi apparently]

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you.

Alli (as Renn): [dies of cuteness overload]

Penn (as Marathon): They will be joining us for this meeting.

Alli (as Renn): [still suffering from overload] Stars shards. That's so sweet.

Penn (as Marathon): I know. Right? I know. Okay. Serious, serious time. [clears throat a few times]

Alli (as Renn): [cuteness crying]

Kira (as Ciphera): I think we can accommodate another member. Did you replace Cassidy or -?

Penn (as Marathon): Nope. [awkward] Anyway, so all business. All professional talk. Um. [clears throat]

Alli (as Renn): Is that why you're standing so upright? You can slouch. It's fine. It's a weekend, right? Is it the weekend? Sorry, I hyperfocus and I kind of forget what day it is when I'm working on stuff, but good news. It's done.

Penn (as Marathon): Wow, this is exciting.

Kit (as Birdie): Well, thank you very much.

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you. Yes. We appreciate it.

Penn: Marathon looks back at Birdie and sees her form is a little more slouched and is like,

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, yeah, yeah, relaxed.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we're good. No worries.

Alli (as Renn): I know we were meeting up here and all but we probably don't want to do the test runs on the middle of an already very contentious street, but a field would do just fine.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I mean, we could go down to the beach. That's pretty close, right?

Alli (as Renn): Oh, yeah, that'd work great.

Nick: The group heads to the edge of the lagoon down the street in a single direction. There's a moment of pause as the four of them and one jolly jogger pick which side of the boundary to walk on together before heading away from the canary side of town and towards the more traditional fishing side of town and walk to the edge of the lagoon where there is a pebble beach strewn with occasional driftwood and debris ,wide enough to stay away from the water and still have flat ground to work with.

Alli: Renn crunches out into the open expanse of pebbles and occasional seagulls making that terrible noise they love to make and hands one package each to her associates.

Penn (as Marathon): Oh, you you wrapped them?

Alli (as Renn): [said very much like 'duh'] Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): That's really sweet of you.

Alli (as Renn): That's just polite. It sounds good when you crinkle it too.

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]

[paper crinkling]

Penn (as Marathon): [MORE PAPER CRINKLES] Oh my god. This this is very satisfying. Okay, I gotta - you, you shouldn't have done this.

Alli (as Renn): Psh.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah Marathon you can go first.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, okay.

[paper crinkling loudly]

Penn: A Marathon opens it with the glee of a five year old at a Christmas gathering.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay. [athletic opening present noises?]

Penn: What does it look like under the butcher paper?

Alli: So Renn got Marathon's old skates, so Marathon unwraps mostly similar looking skates with additional ankle reinforcements, but the blade has this coating right along the edge that glows just a slight blue, even in the day. That's really the only change [laugh] on this one.

Penn (as Marathon): It's it's my skates! They are nice! They're nice again! Thank you!

Alli (as Renn): Yeah, they've been - they're, they're gonna be nicer when you try them on though.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, cool. Um, is there somewhere I should put them on -? No, but but Birdie - well, well, I mean, I can't skate right here I guess, I'll wait for some ice or something, but Birdie do you want to -?

Alli (as Renn): Oh, no, you for sure can actually.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I thought that was the whole thing.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I guess I guess so. I assumed there would be like big, bulky, techy things. No? Just some lights?

Alli (as Renn): Oh no well, what you got to do is you got to make technology slimmer at every opportunity, or at least that's what I've read in the ancient texts.

Penn (as Marathon): Hmm. Okay, let me yeah, just let me let me lace up.

Penn: Marathon finds a piece of driftwood and sits down and Sports jumps on top of the driftwood alongside her just opening and closing their mouth as she excitedly slips off her boots and slips on her skates.

Alli: Renn points at something on the outside of the ankle supports and says

Alli (as Renn): There's a button right there, you can press that.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay.

Alli (as Renn): It should depress and stay until you want it to turn off.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, okay. Let me let me just [long exhale] okay. Feel the hype. Feel the hype.

Penn: And Marathon closes her eyes and then reaches down to press the button on the skates.

Alli: When the button is pressed, there is this sudden feeling of just ever so slight buoyancy, almost like you're standing up in a kayak that you really shouldn't be standing in.

Penn (as Marathon): Whoa!

Alli: And Renn starts walking circles around Marathon just pointing out features of these skates and is like

Alli (as Renn): So something the Earth does constantly -

Penn (as Marathon): [unbalanced Marathon noise]

Alli (as Renn): - put out its own little magnetic field, so really what these are doing,

Penn (as Marathon): Whoah.

Alli (as Renn): - when they're turned on is just repulsing themselves ever so slightly to make you able to glide.

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling in excitement] Oh my god I can glide on these rocks! Oh my gosh, I'm skating around!

Penn: Marathon starts sliding a little bit forward. As Renn is describing them, Marathon has taken this step forward and almost instantly is gliding across to the other side of this beach over the rocks. This face of pure excitement as she gets the rush of skating again.

Penn (as Marathon): [shouting in exaltation] Oh my god. It's like it's just - Oh! Whoo! AHHH!

Penn: And she skates all the way back to Renn and is grabbing her by the shoulders as these unstable skates are still moving.

Penn (as Marathon): [talking so freaking fast] Oh my god. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I don't even - what the what what science? I don't even care. It's magic. It's magic. Oh, you Advantia people, you wizards. Oh my god.

Penn (as Marathon): And she starts skating off again towards the lake, skates a little bit over the shore.

Penn (as Marathon): [joyful yelling] Oh my god over the shore too!?

Penn: And as soon as Marathon has stopped to turn around, showing off that she's on the shore, her skates start to sink a little bit into the water and

Penn (as Marathon): Wohah! [bad balance noises]

Alli (as Renn): [yelling to be heard] Keep up momentum!

Penn: Falls back into the water before launching back up, flipping her hair back and just skating forward again.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, that's all right. This is so [happy shout] I don't even know, I can't even I my swear words would not do justice. Thank you so much Renn, this is the best gift that I have ever been given. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I mean,

Alli (as Renn): I'm glad you like them.

Penn (as Marathon): reward.

Alli (as Renn): You earned them.

Penn (as Marathon): [sputters] Thanks.

Alli (as Renn): I would have made something for Sports to fund I knew about him.

Penn (as Marathon): That's alright, he can ride with me.

Alli (as Renn): She says definitely not holding sports currently. Definitely not.

Penn: As Renn is holding Sports Marathon just continues,

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling in distance] Oh my gosh. Oh, Mary. Ah you're back. Mary.

Penn: She's yelling all these things off in the distance skating around.

Kit (as Birdie): You guys might have just created a monster.

Alli (as Renn): [soft laugh] Nah she's gonna do great.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, no. I know she's gonna have fun. I know she's gonna have a lot~ of fun.

Alli (as Renn): Eh she said terrain was a problem.

Kira (as Ciphera): I think the world could use a little more fun.

Kit (as Birdie): I'm happy she's she's having fun and she's happy.

Kira (as Ciphera): Mhm.

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling] Birdie! Birdie! I'm gonna give you a ride on these next.

Kit (as Birdie): [excited concern] Yeah!

Alli (as Renn): They do accommodate for that kind of extra weight. That's no problem.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah. Yeah, if you ever find yourself on Sasnak, you know, I could bet my one of my family members would want to ask you a couple questions. Anyways uh, I'll open mine. [excitement building] Okay, I'm gonna open mine. I'm gonna open mine.

Kit: She has while Marathon has been doing this, loosened the ties from the bows that they were in till just being single ties like how a kid does on Christmas when they know that their turn is next. And she just is like,

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, well, okay.

Kit: And she's pulling off the ties and she tries to very gingerly unwrap the butcher paper from the staff.

Alli: So what you have is, it looks like a little more techno sealed mason jar filled with a glittery silver liquid.

Kit (as Birdie): Ooh~.

Alli (as Renn): I would not shake that too aggressively.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh. Okay so this is, this is uh, oo, okay. Okay.

Kit: And she's just pulling it trying to watch the liquid move inside of it and is turning it upside down and right side up very slowly.

Alli: It definitely lava lamp glorbes a little bit.

Kit (as Birdie): So, so okay, how does it work? [excited giggling]

Alli (as Renn): Alright, so, I know you said you're having problems with your explosives deploying when you want them to, right?

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah.

Alli (as Renn): Like it like cooking a grenade, except you wish you could leave them there a little longer?

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Alli (as Renn): All right. So basically, this is a little bit of -well it's salvaged tech uh, Phera do you remember where we found this?

Kira (as Ciphera): Which part? Like, which piece?

Alli (as Renn): The liquid?

Kira (as Ciphera): Oh, I thought you synthesized it.

Alli (as Renn): Well if you're that impressed by me, we could say I synthesized it.

Kira (as Ciphera): I mean, you synthesized that.

Alli (as Renn): That's true. She's having great time.

Kira: Points to Marathon in the background.

Alli: In a wide shot. [laughing]

Kira: In the wide shot.

Penn (as Marathon): [still excited yelling] Oh my god! Birdie, just let me know when and I'm gonna scoop you up.

Kit (as Birdie): Not I can't shake this! Not right now. [slight panic breathing] We can't explode.

Alli (as Renn): So if you keep making your devices just the way you're making them, but you make them with a real short fuse and you dip your fuse in this before you toss it.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Alli (as Renn): This is sort of like quantum entangled liquids, so when you heat up this part, the other parts going to heat up too. And like it'll run out eventually, but you got years and years worth of this if you use it sparingly and smart.

Kit: Birdie's jaw is just slack and she's looking at this jar that she has and she's like,

Kit (as Birdie): You mean, like this is just - this is so cool.

Alli (as Renn): It's kind of like when two little atoms kiss, and then it's bonded forever.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Alli (as Renn): It's real sweet when you think of it like that.

Kit (as Birdie): No, I love that!

Kit: Like her free hand is just flapping and shaking a little bit because she doesn't want to shake the jar. If Renn is standing somewhat close to her, she'll just use her free arm to hug Renn and be like

Kit (as Birdie): This is the coolest thing ever! Thank you so much. I'm gonna I'm gonna use this so much. Obviously not around you. But I will be using this only for good.

Alli (as Renn): Only for good. [laugh] And I appreciate the distance thing.

Kit (as Birdie): Yes, yes, definitely. Definitely, definitely.

Alli (as Renn): All you'll need to do to heat it up, there's a switch and a dial - you crank that dial all the way it says it stops at 10 but you can turn it to 12. You want it at 12 actually.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Yeah. yeah. Mhm.

Alli (as Renn): But yeah, just be careful and

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Alli (as Renn): - do not spill this.

Kit (as Birdie): Very, very careful. No spilling. Got it. I will I will make sure if that in my brain. Thank you.

Alli (as Renn): You're welcome.

Kira: This whole time Ciphera has been pretty passive just because this is not her show and Renn knows the thing about the stuff so Ciphera takes a backseat, but she watches Marathon having a wonderful time in the background and

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling] Yip! Yip yip yip!

Kira: Sees the delighted expressions on both of their faces as they open their parcels and Ciphera looks happily at Renn, proud to be with someone so talented and maybe feeling a little wistful knowing that her own skill set doesn't really lend itself well to making other people happy. So much as the opposite.

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling] Check it out. I can do tricks!

Alli (as Renn): Do them!

Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]

Alli (as Renn): Do a flip!

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, okay. Okay.

Penn: Marathon starts full speed at a piece of driftwood that's slightly curved.

Kira (as Ciphera): Five bucks she falls.

Alli (as Renn): No, I'll take that bet.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, here we go. Whoa, it's just like the derby. Just like the arena.

Nick: All right, you got a roll.

Penn: So this is a Coordination or a Athletics.

Nick: I think it's Coordination to do a cool flip on your antigrav skates you're not used to, yeah. I think it's hard difficulty.

Penn: Okay. I've got three purples, two yellows and one green.

[dice rolling]

Penn: A success and a advantage.

Nick: Nice. So describe your sick flip.

Penn: So Marathon as she's charging, we see her in slow motion. Things are moving pretty quickly and then once Marathon hits this piece of driftwood, things move in slow motion. As she starts flipping into the air, she goes into a tuck as she begins to roll and then at the height of her flip extends into a full streamline position before returning back into a pike as she prepares to land onto the rocks and then we see time move back to normal as she lands and then kind of slides to a stop sideways.

Penn (as Marathon): [triumphant yelling] HELL YEAH! That's right! Mary's back!

Kit (as Birdie): Woowoo!

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Alli (as Renn): That was amazing.

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you especially to Miss Renn over here.

Alli (as Renn): Pshah.

Penn (as Marathon): Hey uh Sports you want to take a ride?

Kit (as Sports): [affirmative fish noise]

Alli (as Renn): Oh Renn will hand deliver Sports because she was definitely still holding them.

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Alli: And when she returns to Ciphera's side she slyly holds out one hand for that fiver.

Kira: Ciphera reaches into her pocket and pulls out several small crumpled pieces of yellow green paper that just crumble together as she gets a whole fistful of them and peels them apart. And they have portraits on th- like pictures of men's faces. And she holds the most crumpled nasty looking one out to Renn and says,

Kira (as Ciphera): You've earned yourself a small portrait, I suppose.

Alli (as Renn): Thank you for the bet bucks.

Kira (as Ciphera): I'm gonna get that back.

Alli (as Renn): Maybe.

Kira (as Ciphera): You're not going to believe how many jelly beans I can fit in my mouth.

Alli (as Renn): Oh my god how many? 42? 23? No, that's not enough.

Kira (as Ciphera): To be determined.

Alli (as Renn): How big are the beans?

Kira (as Ciphera): I'll let you pick them.

Alli (as Renn): All right.

Penn (as Marathon): Birdie, let's take a ride!

Nick: So the four of you and Sports the jolly jogger, spend some time on the beach with your new gadgets, relaxing in some of the tension relief of this exchange going well, before separating back to finish up the tasks that you have before both of your groups are able to leave Glaishelf and go about your way. We see Birdie and Marathon walking down the beach and back towards where the rig has been parked.

Penn (as Marathon): Oh my god, that was - this is such - that was so cool. That's um, I'm still glowing. I'm still glowing. Oof.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I'm really glad that you had a lot of fun with that.

Kit: She's just like, lava lamping like turning over this jar just to watch it make its little shapes. And she sort of hesitates and is like,

Kit (as Birdie): You know, Marathon? I'm, I just, you know, can I ask you something?

Penn (as Marathon): Oh, yeah, shoot.

Kit (as Birdie): Um.

Penn (as Marathon): What's up Birdie?

Kit (as Birdie): You know, I just, I don't - you know when like, sometimes we're like messing around and I like I say stuff and you, yeah I just I joke around with you a lot and I think you take it seriously a lot of the times that I really just want to make sure that you know that I think that you're a really great friend and I - I really genuinely appreciate you.

Penn (as Marathon): Oh, thanks Birdie is this - is about your flashlight? Cause I can get you a new one.

Kit (as Birdie): [laughing] No Marathon. I just mean like, in general, like sometimes I like I'm just joking around and, you know, I don't ever mean it seriously when I like I rib you and stuff like that. Like I just, it's just, you know?

Penn (as Marathon): I see. Okay.

Kit (as Birdie): I dunno.

Penn (as Marathon): No, I I I appreciate you saying that. I don't know. I don't. I'm not. It's hard, for me I think a little bit I've not totally understood the concept of ribbing outside of like, I dunno.

Kit (as Birdie): It's like trash talk, you know? Like, it's like, it's all for fun and games.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Penn (as Marathon): It's like trash talk. Okay, yeah. Okay.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Penn (as Marathon): I get that.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, it's like fun fun banter stuff. And, you know, I just after everything I just, I just I hope that you know that I think a lot of you like I think that your

Penn (as Marathon): Oh, thank you. I think a lot of you, Birdie.

Kit (as Birdie): Aww. Well, shucks.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't know, I really have, especially the last couple days it's been pretty tense with everybody, I've appreciated, you know, just being able to hang out with you in passing and stuff. It's, I don't know, it's just feel -. I really like our friendship. That's all. Yeah. And I appreciate you saying that and I um, I'm not apologizing, I'm just, I'm new to the whole - I've not had friends like this before. I've had different sorts of friends. And they it was it was just, it was different. It was it was worse. Yeah, it was worse, but it was different, so um.

Kit (as Birdie): Well.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't know. I'm rambling. I just appreciate I appreciate you.

Kit (as Birdie): No you're - it's okay.

Penn (as Marathon): Thanks for your trash talk now that

Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]

Penn (as Marathon): Not that I was dwelling on it, but I appreciate that it was out of love.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, you know, I and you deserve to have good friendships because you're a good person Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): [uncomfortable gasp followed by other uncomfortable noises] Thank you. Thank you. That's uncomfortable to hear. But

Kit (as Birdie): [laughing] Why is it uncomfortable to hear?

Penn (as Marathon): [awkwardly changing topics] I dunno, you want to go on another ride on the skates?

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] If you're uncomfortable being called a good person, we don't have to talk about it.

Penn (as Marathon): Yay. Okay, thank you. I appreciate that. We could talk about it another time. Bum bom - but if you didn't want to go for another ride, I don't know, I'm, so I'm just excited to just skate around on these things a little bit more, you know?

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, you go um, you have fun. I'm going to kind of try and maybe rally uh, I don't know, Cassidy wrangle?

Penn (as Marathon): Ooh. Yeah, Cassidy wrangle.

Kit (as Birdie): Cause I think that we should try and leave things off with Ciphera and Renn on a good note, you know?

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. I mean, yeah, I'm probably not the one to oof - if we're looking at it as sides, I kind of took their side, so that's kind of

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, well -

Penn (as Marathon): And I you know, I don't want to apologize to Cassidy or anything because I feel justified more than I did, but, like, at the same time, you know, I don't want it -

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah,

Penn (as Marathon): I feel like we can have those differing - yeah. You're the person to go. That's all I'm saying. [laughing]

Kit (as Birdie): You stood your ground. And that's good. That's good. Proud of you.

Penn (as Marathon): Hey, thanks. You uh, trash- trash talkin' you. Your -

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] Did you trash talk like this when you were in ice derby?

Penn (as Marathon): No, it was way worse. Birdie I don't think - I don't.

Kit (as Birdie): Okay.

Penn (as Marathon): I think friend trash talking probably couldn't match that level - you don't want to hear it.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. Mhm mhm mhm.

Penn (as Marathon): Mhm.

Kit (as Birdie): Well, I appreciate you trying to protect my feelings.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't think you appreciate it truly as much as I could - I was vicious Birdie. I was vicious. Okay.

Kit (as Birdie): Okay.

Penn (as Marathon): Sports! Come on!

Kit (as Birdie): Okay.

Penn (as Marathon): Come on little doggie.

Kit (as Sports): [fish noise]

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you. Thank you. Come on up. Okay, well, good luck Cassidy wrangling. And or Emma - Emma soothing.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah. Emma soot- [break off in soft laugh] Mhm.

Penn (as Marathon): But Birdie?

Kit (as Birdie): Yes?

Penn (as Marathon): Um, thanks for being my best friend.

Penn: And Marathon states away very quickly. Zoom.

Kit (as Birdie): [yelling and fading] Glad to be your best - yeah okay. Yeah okay.

Kit: Birdie is just gonna laughter herself falls, sort of just scratching the back of her neck and walking towards the rig. [laughing]

Nick: So, as Birdie approaches the rig, what does she see? Emma what are you working on? And has Cassidy returned yet?

Cameron: Emma is hunched over sitting on a crate in the back of the rig. She appears to have finished sorting through all of the new stuff that was acquired and the tables are once again clean and well organized. But the cockpit of the Knight has been opened and several of the panels from the controls have been removed and are lying across the Knight's lap as well as one in Emma's lap that she's actively working on unscrewing wires from it and removing broken bits so that she can get the Knight in a place where she can begin both fixing it and potentially upgrading it with the new material that she collected. Coming upon her, the pose she's in this she looks like she's been in that pose for a very long time and probably it has not gotten up in a very long time. [laughing] Is very focused.

Kit (as Birdie): Uh, hey, Emma.

Cameron: Emma is still just working.

Kit (as Birdie): [amplified] Um, Emma?

Kit: Birdie's just cupping her hands around her mouth.

Cameron (as Emma): Mm?

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, okay.

Cameron: Emma, looks up and in a move slightly too fast and then raises the hand up and rubs her neck and finishes sitting all the way up. Looks over to you and blinks at the bright light coming in behind you.

Kit (as Birdie): Sorry, sorry.

Cameron (as Emma): Hi. [more focused] Hi.

Kit (as Birdie): Hey, uh,

Cameron (as Emma): Hello.

Kit (as Birdie): I know you're working.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, no. No problem.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I got the stuff - Marathon and I both got our stuff from Renn.

Cameron (as Emma): [confused] Oh.

Kit (as Birdie): And yeah,

Cameron (as Emma): What time is it?

Kit (as Birdie): It's uh,

Cameron (as Emma): I thought that was happening this afternoon.

Kit (as Birdie): It is this afternoon Emma.

Cameron (as Emma): [quiet surprise] Oh.

Kit (as Birdie): Why don't you drink some some water and have has some some lunch?

Cameron (as Emma): Uhh [laugh] yeah, that'd probably be a good idea. I guess I got um, a little distracted. [laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I mean, that's fair. You're work- you're working hard. Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): Uh, yeah. Water'd be good.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Cameron (as Emma): Now that I'm paying attention, it's rather warm in here.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I'll leave the door cracked,

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): to let some air in.

Kit: And Birdie's gonna grab some sort of canteen of water that's pretty near to her and bring it to Emma so she doesn't have to get up. [laugh]

Cameron: Emma takes it smiling appreciatively and starts drinking water.

Sydney: Off in the distance and closing, you hear the sound of the red motorcycle, which is not on its mount on the side of the rig.

Kit (as Birdie): Ah, did Cassidy go out?

Cameron (as Emma): Yes. I do remember that happening this morning. Yeah, she left pretty early. She was gonna go climb.

Kit (as Birdie): Okay, well,

Cameron (as Emma): She she gets like that if she has to be underground for too long, so

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I mean, I'm glad that she left some steam out and then maybe, got some therapeutic climbing.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): It probably did wonders for her mood.

Kit (as Birdie): That's good. That's really good. Because I was going to talk to you guys about something possibly.

Sydney: You hear the motorcycle pull up outside and stop.

Cameron (as Emma): [yawning] Yeah, okay.

Sydney: And Cassidy walks in with her motorcycle helmet tucked under an arm looking really sweaty.

Cameron (as Emma): All right, Cassidy don't climb up. I'm climbing down.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Noted.

Cameron (as Emma): I need to walk a little bit.

Sydney (as Cassidy): But Emma, climbing is so fun.

Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah and I climbed up here earlier and now I'm climbing back down.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay, so you understand?

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, it's it was invigorating, but I can't feel my foot [laughing] so I need to go walk around a little bit.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay, fair fair.

Sydney: Cassidy drops down with a pile of clanks the pack of her climbing gear and starts putting things back in their storage places.

Cameron: Emma slowly stands up and kind of shuffle walks over to the edge of the rig. Not quite straightening her back all the way yet, and then makes probably the incorrect decision to jump down from the truck and then sways and catches herself against the truck and then start shaking out her left foot trying to wake it up.

Kit: Birdie was just watching the two of them gauging when she could potentially suggest the idea of going to talk to Renn and Ciphera before they leave and then started going to possibly catch or steady Emma. She probably wouldn't be much help, but she'd be something to break the fall, so she was just edging towards her, but she backs off when she sees that Emma has it now it is like,

Kit (as Birdie): Well um, I hope your climb went well, Cassidy.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh, it was great. I did ooh, six or seven different routes. And then I had a sandwich I made for lunch. And then I did another couple and then I came back because it started being hot.

Cameron (as Emma): Ooh a sandwich sounds good.

Sydney (as Cassidy): You want me to make you one?

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, if you wouldn't mind that'd be fantastic. [tired and hungry laugh]

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, of course.

Cameron (as Emma): I did not realize how late in the day it had gotten until Birdie came

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): - and got me.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Are you good with fish?

Cameron (as Emma): Uh sure. On a sandwich?

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): Okay, then yeah, sure. Whatever.

Sydney: Cassidy goes and makes smoked salmon, tomato, onion, capers, cream cheese.

Kit (as Birdie): So um, I just wanted to possibly ask you guys your opinion on something that we could possibly do before we left and before the uh Advantia people leave.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, you are a member of the Patina, so you are welcome [laughing] to talk to us without having a bunch of qualifiers.

Kit (as Birdie): No, I know. No I know. It's just like it's I know that it's like it was kind of a whole ordeal and I didn't want to like resurface anything. But I think that if we want to keep that, especially if we want to keep that sort of thing that we negotiated of having a favor that the Advantia owes us and having Renn and Ciphera be really uniquely qualified allies for us to possibly have, maybe we should go and just try and have an amicable send off before they go?

Kit: And she's making the teeth bearing smile that's very awkward.

Sydney: Cassidy has the corner of her mouth tucked in making the face of 'ermm'.

Cameron: Emma just took a large bite of her sandwich. It is not so much to buy time. It's to just eat.

Sydney: Cassidy sighs.

Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh]

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, it's just an idea. You know, I think that they're good people. Argumentative but good people.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Argumentative and differing views on technology from us, I suppose.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): They wouldn't let us have the Knight for sure.

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]

Cameron (as Emma): Kind of weird views on technology.

Sydney (as Cassidy): They're surprisingly scared of it.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, they're talking about how is the most magical thing going into a trove like this. [coughs] There's cream cheese in my throat. One second. [clears throat]

Cameron: Emma takes a sip of the water again.

Sydney (as Cassidy): The fish - honestly, they do a good job with the smoked fish here. Would make sense because there's a giant cannery factory, but also I have a lot of fish for the road. So

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah it's very good. I just - [laughing] I'm struggling to focus on more than one thing at the moment.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Fair.

Cameron (as Emma): I spent all my focus for the day, apparently.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, well, you haven't eaten since breakfast?

Cameron (as Emma): [overlapping] Uh~.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Did you eat breakfast?

Cameron (as Emma): Um.

Sydney (as Cassidy): All right. You're yeah. You keep eating your sandwich.

Cameron (as Emma): No, I don't think I did. I - I remember you leaving.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I left

Cameron (as Emma): [overlapping] I don't remember eating.

Sydney (as Cassidy): [overlapping] pretty close to sunrise.

Cameron (as Emma): Uh yeah not then.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Maybe you heard the motorcycle?

Cameron (as Emma): Oh, yeah. I remember you leaving because I was awake. Uh.

Sydney (as Cassidy): [surprised] Oh, you-

Cameron (as Emma): Anyway, that's That's not important. Um.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Ohh.

Cameron (as Emma): [laugh] We're not going to talk about my sleeping and eating habits at the moment. It's fine.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay. Take care of yourself Emma.

Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): So yeah, talking about how it's a wonderful treasure trove and it's just the most magical experience going in it. And then they were terrified of every single thing of technology in that building.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): And that, that was really weird.

Kit (as Birdie): Weird views can come from, like trauma, you know, I mean, I know with like the Advantia, they're all like, kind of uh,woowoo about technology. They they're like, simultaneously in this life fearing sort of balance with absolute awe. I don't know, I think that it's kind of an unhealthy sort of view, but, you know, I get it. I could see why, you know, as someone who kind of got screwed over by technology, it's uh, and you know, explosives and stuff like that, people react in different ways. Like now I'm just um, really good with explosives.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well and I mean, honestly, I didn't even specifically try to provoke them, but the room was getting filled with foam and I knew we wanted to take a look at that thing. So I grabbed it. And then it turns out, they took issue with me grabbing it, and then I took issue with them taking issue.

Cameron (as Emma): Why was the room filling with foam?

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh, I think they set off the security system because they something something - uh there was some kind of, I guess, AI being downloaded that theoretically Renn tried to stop, but I guess it didn't if it possessed a pile of limbs.

Cameron (as Emma): Uh~. Okay.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. I don't know, Advantia things.

Cameron (as Emma): Okay, sorry. I got distracted by foam, you can continue. [laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): No it's, I just, it's just how, how it ended and I really think that that favor will help us. You know?

Cameron (as Emma): [sigh]

Sydney: Cassidy shrugs.

Cameron (as Emma): I agree.

Kit (as Birdie): Okay.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, I guess we did the work to get it, right?

Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): We're gonna be marked in the Advantia's books as “does not respect authority,” but you know, Susan met us. [laugh] I do not think there is anything new that she would have learned.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, that's not surprising.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. [sigh] God, those skates that Renn gave Marathon are something else…

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh did you guys get - I saw your, I guess. glowy tube thing?

Kit (as Birdie): My gloop? Yeah.

Sydney: Yeah. So what does it do?

Kit (as Birdie): So basically, from what I understand, I dip my little explosive in the jar, and that's like, a remote detonator sort of thing. So if I heat up the corresponding stuff, gloop, I'm just gonna call it gloop. Then it detonates the thing so I can I can technically have, I now have access to less dangerous explosives

Cameron (as Emma): Nice.

Kit (as Birdie): for us to to go off.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): And apparently this is like years worth of this stuff.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Wow.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): Sweet.

Kit (as Birdie): It's

Cameron (as Emma): All right.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): I mean, I think that Marathon skates are something else.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, they are because you're not holding them.

Kit (as Birdie): Uh huh. Uh huh. Ha hehe.

Cameron (as Emma): [long groan/sigh]

Sydney: Cassidy has a big bad joke smile.

Cameron: Emma takes another bite of sandwich.

Kit: Birdie is trying very hard not to laugh, but she's failing a little bit.

Kit (as Birdie): So I just - [laugh] I'm just, she, I dunno. She made anti gravity boots is basically what it is. My, I mean, I'm

Sydney (as Cassidy): Like Marathon's flying around or -?

Kit (as Birdie): No, like, like, it's like, if she had, I don't know, she's basically able to, you know, like when you have the two magnets, and they're on the same side, so they push off of one another.

Cameron (as Emma): [science: engage] Mhm.

Kit (as Birdie): She's one magnet and the earth is the other magnet. And so she's kind of just able to, like bounce off of any terrain and functionally skate on this.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Interesting.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Seems useful and also fast.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah. I mean, she's, she was like on water and stuff like that. It's really useful and slightly terrifying. I don't know.

Cameron (as Emma): [laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): One of my guardians tried to do that when I was younger, and it went really terribly.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well [Modem impression] Advantia magic.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I know I've always thought that Marathon just moved too slow.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Cameron (as Emma): And that was really something that we needed to work on.

Kit (as Birdie): Mm hmm.

Cameron: So, as the conversation wraps up with Emma having agreed to go be the peacemaker, and talk to Renn, she finishes her sandwich first and finishes the container of water that she was drinking under the watchful eye of Cassidy and Birdie. And then she makes her way over to Renn and Ciphera's trailer and peeks around to see if anyone's here.

Alli: Renn has actually set up a little hammock that's attached to the back of the trailer on one side, but the other side is a little freestanding T basically that got jammed into the ground real hard, and she's just vibing. She's hanging out. Got a little sunglasses over her regular glasses - she does not appear to have prescription sunglasses. Got a nice icy glass of water and her prosthetic leg is kind of just planted on the ground swinging her back and forth a little bit. Servo is trundling, exploring, doing his little thing.

Nick: Servo is rooting around in the mud looking for something. You've never actually seen him find anything but he likes to dig little trenches in dirt when he doesn't have anything else to do.

Cameron: Emma, after poking around the front of the trailer and not finding anyone, she peaks around the side and sees Renn in her hammock, takes a fortifying breath and walks over and when she's probably about 8 to 10 feet from the hammock calls out.

Cameron (as Emma): Hey, Renn~. You awake?

Alli: Renn posts up just a little bit, and her sunglasses fall a bit off of her regular glasses.

Alli (as Renn): I am up somehow, despite working on those projects for about two days straight without realizing it.

Cameron (as Emma): Same. I uh, Cassidy and Birdie just made me eat a sandwich and drink water, but I don't think I slept [laugh] last night either.

Alli (as Renn): Well, that's good you got yourself taken care of.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I think I've reached the point if I tried to go to sleep now, I wouldn't be able to. I've come back around the other side.

Alli (as Renn): Yeah, that's kind of how I get too. I figure by sundown I'll be out, but till then I just don't know what to do with myself. Phera said something about snooping around a lighthouse and I was like, I don't want to walk up all those stairs, so I stayed here. [laugh]

Cameron (as Emma): Hammock seems like a much better idea to me.

Alli (as Renn): So what's up?

Cameron (as Emma): [sighing] I just wanted to come and check in. Honestly Birdie sent me. [laughing]

Alli (as Renn): Oh, something wrong with her thing?

Cameron (as Emma): [sigh] No, no, she's she's very excited and was telling Cassidy and I haw it worked, but [sigh] she had concerns about the amount of tension that we had when we left the facility.

Alli (as Renn): I'd say it's tenser than my normal day would be.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, that's kinda how I'd define it too.

Alli (as Renn): I suppose that's putting it lightly on both ends.

Cameron (as Emma): Mhm. Yeah, so I've I've wanted to come and talk to you about it specifically being the engineer, as more interested in your perspective on it, I think.

Alli (as Renn): I mean, didn't really seem like my perspectives were worth much the other day, but I'm willing to share it, if you got time. Not trying to sound preachy, I just have concerns.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I think we've established neither of us is sleeping anytime soon, so I'd say we got time.

Alli (as Renn): You want another sandwich?

Cameron (as Emma): Uh. No thanks, not right now.

Alli (as Renn): Thank goodness. I did not want to stand up.

Cameron (as Emma): [laugh]

Alli (as Renn): So how's the stuff lookin that you brought back? [sigh]

Cameron (as Emma): Uh good. I've got it all organized. I think the - a lot of the smaller pieces look to be what I need to repair the Knight from its epic fall in Iota.

Alli (as Renn): Yeah sounds like Cassidy fell quite a ways.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. Uh [laugh] It's, it's definitely seen better days. It's in not, not the best shape. I'm not sure it would turn on right now. But I think all of the pieces that I took I think are going to be able to get it fixed at least to the point where it's up and moving again. I'm gonna need more larger pieces to fix up the armor from all of those dents but

Alli (as Renn): Ah.

Cameron (as Emma): I can at least get the internals working.

Alli (as Renn): Internal systems are always going to be a little more important than the external ones, especially if you can just find some galvanized steel lying around, you don't need specific parts.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah it doesn't need to be as pretty or as specific.

Alli (as Renn): But it is nice when it's pretty.

Cameron (as Emma): Yes, but also a lot harder to get it there when it's that large.

Alli (as Renn): I'm - I'm concerned um, with what we found while our groups were separated that we didn't really get to talk about and that's why I've been a lot more on edge. While we got separated, we found this little control room where the body of that thing came from and I was in the middle of inspecting it, hadn't quite cleared it yet, it was looking a bit sketchy when some of the systems turned back on. And the facility was trying to download an AI from the moon.

Cameron (as Emma): Uh.

Alli (as Renn): And that was enough to make me a bit sketched out. Cuz I don't know if this ever even came up, but um I was sort of trapped in what I would call myself a Death House, an AI Death House where it systematically locked off me from all my companions, and killed all of them but me.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah no, that that hadn't come up.

Alli (as Renn): Um. I was trying my best to keep it cool as I've been developing a program to try and nip programs like that in the bud, you know, before it becomes a problem, because rampant AI is dangerous if it falls into the hands of people who think they can control it, or if they want to, or maybe, I don't know, it's like, if a spider had human level intelligence, right? Do you think a spider would want to do human things or spider things? Because I don't fucking know. And I sure as hell don't want to find out when a spider eats my face.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I would assume you would probably end up somewhere in the middle of those.

Alli (as Renn): Maybe.

Cameron (as Emma): Cause there are things that spiders do better than humans and vice versa.

Alli (as Renn): That's true. They're very good at building webs,

Cameron (as Emma): So if you had both at your disposal.

Alli (as Renn): - to choke you to death on. Um but point being, we had to leave the room in a bit of a hurry, some security systems got triggered - I'm not sure if it was the AI in death throes or what was going on, because we just didn't have the time to look into it. But Cassidy grabbed the bits and we very much so expressed that we hoped she wouldn't do that. Especially in a more, what's the word I'm looking for? I know I use that plague sort of analogy in the heat of the moment very grandiose like, but if I could return to it for a second, there was a big, big sick that happened in ancient times, who really knows when and people always thought it was the rats that brought it, but it was actually the little things livin' on the rats that brought it and the pieces of machinery that were salvaged are, you know it's hardware, but that could be the rat with a little thing left on it. And that is very scary to me. I've done a lot of learning about this. And I don't think I would have been as scared if I hadn't and I - sometimes I wish I didn't know about it, but that is where we are. And I'm sure that everything's been checked over and things did get very heated in the moment. And then we were all attacked. And that certainly didn't help. But I'm kind of running on fumes right now. So maybe being a little more candid than I should be. I don't know. But I want to hear your thoughts. Because this is a dialogue.

Cameron (as Emma): Yep. I - I understand the concerns with the AI. I had asked Ciphera about it because I noticed you were freaked out about it when we mentioned the Knight being briefly taken over before I got that killed off. And I'd asked about it and Ciphera didn't say anything about it beyond that you'd had a run in with some and a you weren't too fond, but the Murder House that would explain that freak out pretty reasonably, I think.

Alli (as Renn): I thought so.

Cameron (as Emma): But I guess the thing I don't understand is, this is this is what y'all do, right? You go in search out these troves of ancient tech and data and whatever else happens to be there. And when y'all were talking about it initially were describing how like how magical it is and how you never know what you're going to find and it's it's your your unearthing history and it's this big grandiose adventure. And then once we actually got there, and I'd say got through the first door into the facility itself, it it kind of seemed like that went out the window, and everything was suspect, and nothing was - like everything was danger, nothing was, let's look at it and see what it could be repurposed for, or used for.

Alli (as Renn): I can understand that.

Cameron (as Emma): And I and I think that that's the, that's always been my thing. I, I want to understand how things work and I want to be able to take them apart and figure it out and put them back together or depending on what it is not put it back together, but use those parts to build other things and continue to give, I don't know give the give the hardware new life. But the the attitudes inside, it just seemed very contrary to everything you'd said that you loved about your job, before we went in.

Alli (as Renn): Well Phera has always been a bit more of a trove delver than me since my incident. Um. There is great beauty to be found in repurposing and breathing that new life and the things that I do, I love doing that, but it is so necessary in our line of work to be cautious, or you might not walk back out of those troves. Especially just with the two of us operating usually on a smaller scale, we have to be so careful, because I can't lose her too.

Cameron (as Emma): I think she probably feels the same way, judging from how she immediately went to your defense when the arm-being came into the room. But I guess the - like the reason I was able to disable it was because I was taking it apart and I found the kill switch. If we hadn't touched it at all, if Cassidy hadn't taken the torso and brought it with her, it, the whole thing would have probably still come in, because something in the security system woke up. And I don't know, it had some remote control, energy wireless thing happening, but I don't think that you leaving it in that room would have altered it coming to track y'all down after you left, but because we were looking into it, and I was figuring it out, I was able to turn it off.

Alli (as Renn): It kind of got lost between the shouting and the worries in the room. Um. I just wanted to look over the stuff with you, maybe show you where things went or different applications for the vetted and softwareless free items was my hope. You know, everybody got very loud very fast.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, I I will say I know that personally, I don't do well with being yelled at. Uh,

Alli (as Renn): I don't think anybody does.

Cameron (as Emma): No. But I grew up with a lot of cousins and I was the youngest and there are a set of twins in particular that were girls about eight years older than me that when Ciphera was yelling at us, I was having flashbacks and that probably did make me more obstinate than I would usually be, but I would have had no problem if you came over and started looking at it with me.

Alli (as Renn): I mean, Cassidy kinda put herself physically between folks, and I'm not like [laugh] physically fit enough to get through that wall of woman, so I'm just the glasses, you know? I'm the books. I'm not, I'm not very physically able, especially after my explosive circumstances.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, I [hindsight laugh] this is easy to say now looking back at it, but I think Cassidy would have let you pass. Of course that doesn't mean anything.

Alli (as Renn): I do - that is not my read on Cassidy. No ma'am.

Cameron (as Emma): Welp - Okay, so Cassidy has an issue with Ciphera. I don't think Cassidy has any strong opinions on you. I think if Ciphera had tried to pass you,

Alli (as Renn): Seems like she does.

Cameron (as Emma): It's just because you're with Ciphera.

Alli (as Renn): It's because we're Advantia.

Cameron (as Emma): Cassidy has the the obstinate thing more so and I think probably the biggest thing that put her, raised her hackles up and got her given back just as much as she was getting from Ciphera, was just the being yelled at to stop on stuff. Like I think if it had been a conversation, I don't I don't know what happened before y'all came in the room, like it's

Alli (as Renn): A lot.

Cameron (as Emma): She - yeah, she she brought it, she wanted me to look at it, so I was gonna look at it. So I think y'all, it was charged when y'all came in the room.

Alli (as Renn): We didn't have a very fun time.

Cameron (as Emma): So I don't know how successful that would have been de-escalating that in the moment, but

Alli (as Renn): However, we all made it out. I'm never going back to that hellscape. Um. Probably going to tag it for additional eyes, but other than that, I'm happy to be well out of there.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah I [pause noise] I guess I just don't understand how y'all have drawn the line for what technology is cool and what isn't? Cause like Ciphera took that tablet that has the scanning technology in it. Who knows what else is in that thing. She was totally fine bringing that out. No concerns there.

Alli (as Renn): That's because I'm actively looking into it because I'm trained to do that as my profession and vocation.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah and I was actively looking into the hardware and I'm also professional and trained to do that.

Alli (as Renn): By the Advantia.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah, but I mean, haven't had the best relationships with Advantia, not gonna lie. And I know Cassidy hasn't, but just because I'm not Advantia does not mean that I don't understand how machines work.

Alli (as Renn): It's - my issues aren't with machines. It's the programming in them. The line in the sand isn't so much a line as two little letters: AI.

Cameron (as Emma): Okay, well, we killed it. And I'm not the one that downloaded an AI from the moon.

Alli: I think Renn sees that this conversation isn't going anywhere on her end. With great, tired effort, Renn gets out of the hammock and it makes that squeaky hinge noise as it goes back and forth in the breeze. And she she puts one hand on Emma's shoulder and says,

Alli (as Renn): Listen, I can see that we both got positions and we're probably not going to be swayed. But if you would like to spend an afternoon, evening hanging out with me, I can show you some of my processes I go through for AI detection and quarantining procedures. If you do happen to find anything out there that seems a bit more dangerous than something beaming down from the moon. I would really like that, actually.

Cameron (as Emma): [laughing] Is there something more dangerous than something being beamed down from the moon?

Alli (as Renn): [laughing] It's the damnedest thing! Who knows?

Alli: She says, looking with great consternation at the sky.

Cameron: Emma looks up where you can't see the moon right now, but it's up there. We both know.

Alli (as Renn): [quiet] Yeah. Loves to hang out.

Cameron (as Emma): [sigh] Yeah, I would like that.

Alli (as Renn): Yeah, come on. I'll show you my setup.

Alli: She leads Emma into her little workshop area in the trailer.

Nick: As Emma enters the trailer with Renn, under her invitation to learn together, we move on to Marathon having skated quite a distance on her new gadgets gifted by Renn, as she gets close to the lighthouse that sits on the edge of town. The lighthouse is a sturdy steel and glass building that juts sharply into the gray sky overhead.

Kira: Is the lighthouse, one that is open to people to just like walk up?

Nick: The Lighthouse has an observation deck. It's not very big. It's a widow's walk type thing, but the public is allowed up there. The lighthouse keepers an old dude who mostly hangs out at the bottom so

Kira: So Ciphera would either be up on the widow's walk or if the widow's walk is near the top of the lighthouse and there was a higher ledge she might have even gone one a little higher. She's wearing her poncho, so I think the poncho is rippling a bit in the back, and she's seated in such a way that she has her segmented staff - it's in more of an L shape right now with the bend of the L acting as an anchor for wherever she's sitting. So she just has it there to secure herself more.

Penn: The evening has started drifting towards dusk and Marathon's expended a lot of her excitement and energy traipsing around on these skates and she comes to a stop at the lighthouse as a place to stop and check out because it seems like a cool landmark that she wanted to go to anyway and she peers up to the top to where the widow's walk is and sees this poncho blowing in the wind and gives a little smirk, and bends slightly down, presses a button on her new boots and the blades fold up into the soles of her shoes and she slowly lowers to the ground and has to restudy herself before starting to climb up the glass steps towards the top of the lighthouse of this widow's walk. And then as she arrives at the top, Marathon pokes through the doorway to the open air and gives a slight knock under Ciphera who was hanging out on this ledge.

Penn (as Marathon): Hey how's it - you got another another climber here huh?

Kira: Ciphera gives us small start and it says

Kira (as Ciphera): Oh! Well if it isn't Marathon Messenger.

Penn (as Marathon): He-hey that's, that's me. Yeah.

Penn: Marathon gives finger guns.

Penn (as Marathon): Yes. So you guys are heading out tonight? Tomorrow?

Kira (as Ciphera): I don't know. Something like that. I'll have to check with Renn. See if she needs anything else around here.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.

Kira (as Ciphera): What about you?

Penn (as Marathon): Ah, we are at the whims of miss leader Cassidy. So, I think, well, no, I, sorry my pardon, I, I assume Birdie and Emma have an equal say.

Kira (as Ciphera): That's fair.

Kira: Ciphera moves forward, and allows herself to start sliding down to join the same ledge that Marathon is on. So she holds her staff and the third segment that's anchored in place starts to slowly stretch magnetically away from the rest of the stuff, but it's still tethered tightly enough that it just slowly lowers Ciphera down and then snaps back as she drops to safety and straightens up.

Penn (as Marathon): You're so rad.

Kira (as Ciphera): [laugh] You're pretty rad yourself. I saw you on those skates earlier. You were really cutting through the scenary.

Penn (as Marathon): Mm. Mm. These are so rad. Oh my gosh, like, like it feels like -

Penn: And we can see now in the slight glow of the remaining daylight that Marathon's eyes go a little wild again, and her hair is already this wild mess from rushing through the wind.

Penn (as Marathon): It's just exhilarating to be to be gliding again. [happy exhale]

Kira (as Ciphera): Yeah, I imagine you probably miss it, huh?

Penn (as Marathon): More than anything. Yeah.

Kira (as Ciphera): Well.

Penn (as Marathon): Epic gift!

Kira (as Ciphera): Now you can skate wherever you go. Look at that.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I appreciate it. Um. I uh, wanted to um just like apologize for everything that kind of went down between all of us. I don't mean to start anything, I just want to - my condolences that things went the way they did.

Kira: She nods and she leans on the railing looking out over the water again as the cool breeze whips against both of them, sending Ciphera's and braid and poncho spiraling back.

Kira (as Ciphera): Thank you. I don't think that you specifically have anything to apologize for. I appreciate that you tried to speak with a voice of reason. Things ended the way they did. Can't go back and change it. Damage has been done if there is damage to be done. What's your next move Marathon? Are you going with them?

Penn (as Marathon): I don't know if I have - I don't know if I want to take any other choice. So yeah, I guess so. Now I don't know it's it's it's kind of scary, obviously and like I'm still not super comfortable with playing a part in death of other people - um kind of alluded to that I guess in a conversation we had a while back but but you know what I would rather the these are the friends are making and at the same time it's not something I can't handle. So

Kira (as Ciphera): Sure. What do you want Marathon? What are you moving towards? What's your goal? What do you hope for?

Penn (as Marathon): Um, well right now I'm just working with the Patina to get to this, this treasure that's in - we're following like a signal I got a while back, so I guess that's the next goal. Then Marathon plus treasure equals I'll figure it out.

Kira (as Ciphera): [laugh] Ah you're a treasure hunter, huh?

Penn (as Marathon): I am now.

Kira (as Ciphera): Guess I can relate to that. Well, if you're not sure what you're doing and you're just moving forward, you could always come work with us.

Penn (as Marathon): [flustered laugh]

Kira (as Ciphera): Open invitation.

Penn (as Marathon): Wow. I don't -

Penn: Marathon rubs the back of her neck.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't know if I'm necessarily intelligently inclined, tech wise for that sort of work.

Kira (as Ciphera): It's it's not about - Marathon, I think you're plenty intelligent. You think I'm good with tech? I don't know a socket wrench from a screwdriver most of the time. That's what Renn handles. I handle other stuff and you have a lot of skills. You can talk to people.

Penn (as Marathon): That's true.

Kira (as Ciphera): Find things out.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.

Kira (as Ciphera): follow leads.

Penn (as Marathon): Mm. [flustered sigh] I just [exhale and lip flub] I need I I'm I'm comfortable I'm comfortable with with the relationships I'm currently building you know, and I can take a risk. I'm just still getting used to this death thing. That's all. That's all. That's my only hang up. But otherwise, I think you know Ciphera you and Renn have been so cool to meet and I'm so glad to call your friends. Lets do the handshake real quick. With the Tree All Trip Up.

Kira (as Ciphera): You got it.

[handshake noises]

Kira: Yeah, she'll dive in and they'll do the handshake happily. As they're doing the handshake Ciphera says,

Kira (as Ciphera): Yeah, I'm not trying to twist your arm or - I mean, we're twisting arms right now - there, okay.

[successful handshake laugh]

Kira (as Ciphera): Yeah, I'm not trying to make you do anything that you don't want to do, I just in didn't sound like you were looking for options, so it's there if you need it, but [deep inhale an d sigh] just be careful Mare. I don't know. You said you're not one of them. You're traveling with them right now. But they have their own agenda too. Everybody does, of course, but

Penn (as Marathon): [sniff] Yeah, I just Just hope our agendas can align, you know?

Kira (as Ciphera): Sure.

Penn (as Marathon): So like, I haven't felt the way I feel about people or the way they've made me feel - I just, I haven't felt that since I was a kid with like, kid friends I guess.

Kira (as Ciphera): Mm.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't know.

Kira (as Ciphera): Finding a place to belong?

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I guess so. I don't know. [laugh] Is that weird that my place to belong is with a traveling group of violent mercenaries. [laughing]

Kira (as Ciphera): No weirder than belonging to a group that secrets away technology or rides around on mechanical monstrosities. [sigh] The world's a strange place. We do you can, you do what you have to do to get by.

Penn (as Marathon): Mm.

Kira (as Ciphera): I'm not one to judge. Just um, I appreciate that you spoke up the other day.

Penn (as Marathon): Sure. Yeah. Of course. I don't know. [laugh] Yeah, I'm trying, I don't know. Kind of landed - I think it landed me in hot water. But

Kira (as Ciphera): Marathon I think they need you. I know they need you if only as a voice of reason when things are spiraling out of control and that's, that's valuable. You were willing to stand up and risk displeasure of these new people who it sounds like you're building a life with and that's, um, that takes courage. It's not something you should overlook, I guess. Just you said Cassidy is the leader. It's clear that she cares about the Patina. And I guess at the end of the day, when you're dealing with life and death that's what you want most of all, and I respect that and I understand bucking authority. Not that I see myself as an authority, but you know, we hired you guys, so we're sort of - I was under the impression that the understanding would be things would be differed to us to make those judgments before

Penn (as Marathon): Sure.

Kira (as Ciphera): things were claimed wholesale. I mean,

Penn (as Marathon): We don't have to get into it.

Kira (as Ciphera): Yeah, of course. It's it's past it's done.

Penn (as Marathon): Mm.

Kira (as Ciphera): Just it's it surprised me that the leader of the group was the one most obstinate, and who most went out of their way to break the good faith of what was happening in my eyes.

Penn (as Marathon): Well, let me tell you, as a former leader who was obstinate and went out of my way to break things, that is not uncommon, unfortunately.

Kira (as Ciphera): Sure. So it's clear that she cares about you guys if nothing else. Just be careful. Guard your heart, guard your body, whatever.

Penn (as Marathon): Guard my heart? [shudder noise] You sound like my Nana!

Kira (as Ciphera): [laugh] I don't think I'm that old. [sigh] I don't know. We tried to talk to her. We tried to talk to Cassidy when we were

Penn (as Marathon): Huh yeah! [obviously trying to make this line of conversation stop]

Kira (as Ciphera): going into town for supplies, but she was having none of it. She's been extremely cold to us, so I don't I don't know.

Penn (as Marathon): [sigh of failure at stopping the topic] That's all right. It's It's It's Advantia. It's Advantia.

Kira (as Ciphera): It's Advantia. I don't mean to harp, but just be careful.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.

Kira (as Ciphera): And look out for each other like you are. Here.

Kira: And Ciphera reaches up into her hair braid and pulls a couple of the feathers out - it's a red one and a blue and white one and a black one.

Penn (as Marathon): Aw.

Kira: And she holds them out.

Penn (as Marathon): You don't? Yeah, thank- [voice break] Thank you. I really appreciate that actually.

Kira (as Ciphera): Yeah, it's small, but I don't know, when you when you live on the road when you're traveling. I think it's the small things that help you remember, or help you remember people.

Penn (as Marathon): [sappy noise]

Kira (as Ciphera): So even though this has been a little difficult and a little contentious, I hope you'll think better of us as time goes on.

Penn (as Marathon): Oh, for sure. I'm gonna miss you my, my, my super fan.

Penn: And Marathon holds out for a hug.

Kira (as Ciphera): Dirt don't remember that way.

Penn (as Marathon): [laughing] No, I was -

Kira: She goes in for the hug happily.

Penn (as Marathon): [laughing] I was just jokin'. I was just jokin'.

Kira (as Ciphera): I know.

Penn (as Marathon): Thanks for being a friend.

Kira (as Ciphera): Yeah, of course. [sigh] So you guys gotta get a mobile radio set up or something. Do some broadcasting on the road. That's got to exist, right?

Penn (as Marathon): Hmm. [sigh] I think so. Um. Sorry - you know, I just want apologize. I was trying something new call- I like, Birdie was telling me about ribbing. I think I was able to do before and I'm trying to like just master the boundary, but I hope that was not too far with the superfan joke.

Kira (as Ciphera): You're fine. Don't worry about it.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. Okay. But no, definitely radio on the road. Great idea. Maybe.

Kira (as Ciphera): [laugh]

Penn (as Marathon): Does not sound like a Cassidy, Emma, or Birdie approved plan, but I can try.

Kira (as Ciphera): Well, they can make decisions so can you right?

Penn (as Marathon): [laugh]

Kira (as Ciphera): You were [sigh] you were talking about death. You know, taking life. That's um, I think that's something that good people should never get used to. It's it's always really complicated.

Penn (as Marathon): Well, we're not always good people. That's

Kira (as Ciphera): No. [sigh]

Penn (as Marathon): That's, that's that. Yep.

Kira (as Ciphera): I'm trying to be better.

Penn (as Marathon): Oof sorry-

Kira (as Ciphera): There's things that we -

Penn (as Marathon): No sorry, I - it's hard for me to talk seriously sometimes. Yes. Yeah.

Kira (as Ciphera): Hmm. I've noticed. I think it's better when things aren't serious all the time. Gets too heavy. The world is heavy. We need that levity. It's why you should start the radio. Anyway.

Penn (as Marathon): Do you want to ride back to camp?

Penn: Marathon gives a little eyebrow waggle.

Kira (as Ciphera): I think I do. I think I would like that.

Penn (as Marathon): Hell yeah.

Kira (as Ciphera): Don't drop me in the water.

Penn (as Marathon): No, no, don't worry. I've gotten pretty good at this.

Kira (as Ciphera): I'll be your jockey. I have the stick and everything.

Penn (as Marathon): Here Sports! Come on out from back there.

Kit (as Sports): [happy fish noise]

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, there you go. You want to hold Sports?

Kira (as Ciphera): Holy scrap. Where was that thing hiding?

Penn (as Marathon): Behind the glass doorway. Not hiding too much, but they're pretty sneaky this little guy. This little doggie. Here you hold 'em. You hold 'em. He's not slimy with the sweater.

Kira (as Ciphera): [groan] Okay.

Penn (as Marathon): Bridal or piggyback?

Kira (as Ciphera): What's bridal?

Penn (as Marathon): Okay! Bridal it is!

Kira (as Ciphera): No wait. What am I agreeing to?

Penn: [laughing] And Marathon scoops up Ciphera into the bridal carry.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay, down the stairs?

Penn: And as she gets down the stairs she clicks the button with one of her toes on her other boot. pops out the skates and zooms off back towards the camp.

Kit (as Sports): [exhilarated fish noise]

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah~!

Kira: Ciphera does her best to not whack Marathon on the butt with the stick to make her go faster.

Nick: We see as Marathon begins to skate back towards their respective camps, carrying Ciphera in front of her and Ciphera is also carrying Sports in a very similar pose. The sun is beginning to set and after the groups have split up for the evening, Renn and Ciphera prepare to depart Glaishself and head to their next mission. What is the last thing that we see of these two?

Kira: Renn and Ciphera are loaded up on Servo who is tethered to their trailer, everything packaged together as they angle themselves to begin traveling back on the winding roads to their next destination. We see them trundling past where the Patina is currently situated. We get a shot where they pause for a moment and Servo comes to a halt, the momentum bobbing them up and down, and they look over and raise their hands and farewell.

Alli: Renn is seated on the big old saddle behind Ciphera this time but they obviously have a belt strap between the two of them so she does not fall off when she invariably does fall asleep. But she blearily blinks over the Patina as they're to a halt and shakes her awake just a little bit.

Nick: Renn and Cipherah, you can see that these four mercenaries that you had been working with are gathered around a fire eating their dinner as you prepare to leave.

Sydney: Cassidy raises a fork with food on it in the direction of the Advantia before continuing eating.

Kira: Ciphera, we can see there's a quirk at the corner of her mouth but she holds her hand up in a little three fingers salute and slices the air from her forehead and

Cameron: Emma from where she is kind of slumped over eating her dinner, seeming to fade at about the same pace that Renn is, looks up when the noise of Servo stopping catches her attention and makes eye contact with Renn and waves her hand and it could be a swipe right? Or it could just be like a very sideways wave.

Alli (as Renn): Renn is so bad at left and right sometimes she forgets which is which anyway.

Cameron: Emma doesn't want to fully commit to it because she's not sure if that was just a weird Modem and Wyatt thing or if that's actually a legitimate Advantia thing.

Kit: Birdie just grins really big when she sees them coming towards them and she's sitting on the opposite side so she's able to see them approach. And she waves really big with both arms and accidentally hits Marathon who she's sitting next to and she's like,

Kit (as Birdie): [shrieking] BYE!

Penn: As Birdie bumps Marathon,

Kit (as Birdie): [normal volume] Sorry!

Penn: She finally looks up from her plate and realizes what's happening almost as the Advantia has passed them and frantically sets her plate down and gets up, waves after them and is chasing after just a little before stopping and continuing to wave.

Kira: [cuteness] Oh.

Alli: Renn does a very sleepy wave

Kira: That's so sweet.

Alli: - with both hands.

Kira: So sweet.

Alli: She's safely buckled into place that she doesn't need hands right now. And she shouts back

Alli (as Renn): [yelling] Marathon I saw you coming to camp. You're not gonna steal my wife that easy!

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling and using hands to project so slightly muffled] Yeah, I haven't even tried my moves yet!

Kit (as Birdie): [under breath] You could always save him for Cassidy. [gasp][slightly louder] Who said that? Who said that?

Cameron (as Emma): [coughing]

Cameron: Emma starts choking on her food.

Kit (as Birdie): Who said that?

Cameron (as Emma): [coughing]

Kit (as Birdie): Emma what are you doing?

Penn (as Marathon): Who said who did say that? Indeed.

[Birdie & Emma laughing]

Nick: Hearing the Patina rib each other, Renn and Ciphera you ride forward on Servo into your next adventure as the sun begins its way down towards the horizon and the end of another day.

Kira (as Ciphera): Hey, Renn?

Alli (as Renn): Yeah?

Kira (as Ciphera): Susan is going to shit when she hears this.

Alli (as Renn): Oh, probably already shat about it. It's fine. I'm gonna go to sleep.

Kira (as Ciphera): Good night.

[hurdy gurdy music swells]

Outro:
Penn (as Marathon): Welcome back to MTR 1153, that was just the end of today’s broadcast and we’ll be right back to the music after this little break. The particulars of the subsequent can be found in the show notes.

This has been A Knight of Shreds and Patches, an actual play podcast using the Genesys game system from Fantasy Flight Games. The show is edited by Sydney Whittington, and features the talents of:

Alli Nesbit & Kira Nesbit as Renn & Ciphera. Alli and Kira can be found on their show RPG for You and Me, a duet actual play podcast. Their website rpgforyouandme.com has tons of art from the show, character bios, custom setting rules, and more! You can also find Alli and Kira on Sounds Like Crowes: Terminus and The Night Shift podcast, not to mention Alli now helms Dark Matter Magazine podcast and Apex Magazine podcast. You can chat with Alli on twitter @ youseethehat and @rpgforyouandme, but Kira is accessible through the show's Patron exclusive discord, found at patreon.com/rpgforyouandme.

Kit Adames as Birdie. Kit can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor for Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast that can be accessed on Spotify and YouTube.

Penn Van Batavia as Marathon. She can be found on Twitter @ acquiredchaste. Penn is an indie TTRPG designer whose most recent work includes Wasmannian, a prompt game about gender and wasps. Check out faer other work at pennharper.itch.io.

Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt. She’s also a contributing editor for the Orpheus Protocol, a cosmic horror espionage actual play podcast..

Cameron Robertson as Emma. Cameron can be found on Twitter @ midnightmusic13 and on Instagram @ reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.

And Nick Robertson as narrator. Nick can be found on Twitter @ alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron, which you can support @ Patreon.com/TabletopSquadron. Nick can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.

This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.

The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @ rashedjrs.

You can follow the Patina on Twitter @ akosap_podcast or visit the website: www.akosap.com. To further support the show, consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/AKoSaP, where we’ll be bringing you weekly content including bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.

Until next time…

…Signing Off