ZOIDS ASTRAY ACT 014

 ACT 014: INT. GUSTAV COCKPIT – MORNING

The Gustav rumbles along a dusty, well-worn road. Trailers sway behind it in the soft gold of morning light. Inside the cockpit, Danny strolls over to Tilly, smug grin already loaded.

DANNY (sinking into the co-pilot seat)
Morning.

TILLY (smiling)
Good morning, Daniel.

DANNY (feet on the dash, flipping open his laptop)
Sooo… I noticed we’re taking a detour.
(grinning with teeth)
Where could we be going?

TILLY (blushing)
We’ve got a quick drop-off to make at the reservation—just a small stop.

 
Tilly slaps Danny’s feet off the dash.

DANNY (putting his feet on the floor)
Ohhhhh…
(knowingly)
I did wonder why you were so chipper this morning.

TILLY (turning red)
Oh, be quiet, you silly boy.

DANNY (overdramatic, fluttering lashes)
“Ohhh Joran… rescue me~”

Tilly flails, trying to swat him.

TILLY
Behave…!

EXT. RESERVATION RANCH – MORNING – MAIN COMPOUND

The Gustav rolls to a stop outside a cluster of large, hangar-like buildings. Dust settles. A stony path winds between them. Joran, the reservation lead, walks out to meet them as the cockpit hisses open.

DANNY (whispering)
There he is.

TILLY (still blushing)
Enough.

JORAN (waving)
My Queen! Hey hey, Big D!

DANNY (jumping down)
Hey man! How’s it going?

JORAN (glancing around)
Couldn’t be better. You?

TILLY (joining them, still flush in the cheeks)
We’ve had some trouble... but everyone’s safe.

JORAN (with a wink)
That’s what counts.

NEKU and PAIGE approach from the trailers.

NEKU (nods)
Joran. How are things?

JORAN
Same as always, my lady.
But you—you’ve been through a few.

He reaches out, gently lifting Neku’s new synthetic arm, examining it with quiet care.

NEKU (sombre, then smiling)
Shits happened. But we’re still here.

JORAN
Want to tell me about it?

EXT. RESERVATION RANCH – REPAIR HANGAR

Joran, Neku, Paige, and Inu stand by the hangar doors as the Aqua Fox is slowly lowered into the bay. Danny guides the crane arm via remote.

JORAN
That's heavy stuff. But I’m glad you’re safe.
How’s Nyssa taking it?

INU
Losing the Darkhorn really hit her hard. She’s playing it cool… but she’s not right.

JORAN (concerned)
That’s understandable.

INU
Maybe you could—

Neku looks up sharply.

JORAN (glancing at her, then shaking his head)
No. I don’t think that’d be a good idea. Not after everything.
(beat)
I’m here if she needs me… but it’s her call.

NEKU (gently changing the subject)
Think you can fix the Fox?

JORAN (snaps back to the moment)
Yeah, yeah—it’s good tech. Damage is mostly superficial. No Core or Mem damage. She’ll be all right.

He looks up at the blue Zoid, hands on hips.

JORAN
Gonna take a couple days to knit it all back together though.

NEKU
Days?

JORAN (grinning)
Afraid so. But you’re welcome to stay.
My home is your home.

DANNY (joining them)
She’s in. Core’s ejected, so no echo-shock during repair ops.

NEKU (smiling)
Thanks, Danny.

PAIGE (looking around)
Is this where TOR lives?

DANNY
Oh yeah. How is the big lug? Still getting stuck in rivers?

JORAN (laughing)
Tor’s good. Still guarding the herd.
We moved the pylons now—less falling into things.

beat

Big chunky bull, ass in the air, little legs kicking — trying to get free . Funniest thing I’ve ever seen.

PAIGE (wonder in her voice)
Pylons… what do they do?

JORAN
They emit a signal. Keeps Tor in, keeps other Zoids out.
The cows follow him like a leader, so they stay close.

(beat)

Wanna see?

EXT. RESERVATION RANCH – MIDDAY – GRASSY FLATS

Tor grazes peacefully in the distance, his enormous frame half-shrouded by tall grass. Cattle cluster nearby, moaning softly as they wander. A light breeze cuts the summer heat.

 
NEKU, DANNY, and PAIGE stand beside one of the humming energy pylons that ring the reservation. JORAN stands, arms folded, relaxed as ever. Paige watches the herd with a curious expression.

A low rumble builds as an IGUAN ZOID stomps toward them from a dirt path. It’s rugged and dusty, with a huge riot shield mounted on one arm and a massive cattle prod on the other.

The Zoid stops and hisses as the cockpit opens. SIMON climbs out and drops down with an effortless grunt, wiping his hands on a rag.

SIMON
Look who dragged themselves back to the ends of the world.

NEKU (grinning)
Still keeping the cows safe, Simon?

SIMON
Every damn day. Though the cows don’t scream as much as Danny does when a Molga shows up.

DANNY
That thing bit my drone clean in half!

JORAN
Because you tried to scan it from five feet away.

SIMON (chuckling, giving Danny a hug)
Molga used to eat junk same as Gustav. Now they chew through the pylons, down the grid. And try for the cattle. Got a real taste for organic waste. But actively try for alive Cows. Ain’t right.

PAIGE (staring at the herd)
...So wait. Can we eat the cows?

Everyone goes silent. Danny blinks. Neku stares. Simon and Joran exchange glances.

SIMON
We don’t. These are preservation stock—long-line breeds from the fall. They’re one of the last stable organic herds. We tend to go for meat-farms now, but hey, technically…

NEKU (interrupting)
No one’s eating the cows, Paige.

PAIGE
Meat-Farm?

JORAN
Fields of vat grown flesh, I don’t eat meat myself, but it’s a sustainable source.

PAIGE (to Simon)
What about the Molga?

SIMON
We trap 'em. We don’t like killing unless we have to. Load 'em up, Double Sworder hauls ‘em across the valley, drop 'em off with a smacked wrist and a written warning.

JORAN
They don’t listen.

SIMON
Neither does Danny, but we still keep him around.

DANNY (chuckling, mock offended)
You wound me.

Simon smiles and offers Paige a handshake.

SIMON
Name’s Simon Calder. Joran’s right hand.

PAIGE (softly)
Paige. Just… Paige.

JORAN
You’ll like her. She’s quiet.

SIMON (with a wink)
For now.

They all turn to look at Tor, who raises his head from the grass and stares silently toward the horizon.

EXT. RESERVATION RANCH – EVENING – MAIN COMPOUND

The team walks back toward the compound buildings, light golden on the steel and stone. Danny and Paige chat with Simon. Joran and Neku trail slightly behind.

JORAN
Any word from Nox?
He passed through here about a year ago.

NEKU
That was about the last time I saw him also.
(Sadness in her eyes)
Big secret mission from the higher ups….

JORAN
You okay?

NEKU
Yeah.
(beat)
A year’s a long time.
I miss him.

Joran gives a warm, understanding smile. They walk on.