TC Ep 281 Script

Del and Major looking down on tracking facility at night in normal clothes.

M: I’m surprised that Vulture of yours let you out of his sight. 

D: Rhaast wasn’t happy about it, but he’ll get over it - it’s not like he can shadow me forever. My father’s obviously not even paying him anymore, so I don’t know why he bothers anyway.

M: Of course the concept of basic friendship illudes you. 

D: of course the concept of staying out of other people’s business illudes you.

M: So I was supposed to just let you get away with murdering a classmate, was I?

D: he failed at killing me when it was his turn, so I’d say we’re even and didn’t require your intervention then, either.

M: (show face scar) I didn’t do anything when it mattered, once. I promised myself I would never just be a bystander to fanaticism again. 

D: I mean, you’ve sure been sitting on your ass for months for someone who says that with their whole chest.

M: being in captivity -

D: you’ve been free, Major. Just your mind that’s been holding you back. Glad to see it’s working again.

M:: you little shit. 

D: Well, it’s now or never. You sure you know what you’re doing?

M: No. But we need the tracking data, and if I have to play nice with my ex-wife to get it, then so be it.

guard at door: M-Major Fichgal? We weren’t informed of your approach -

M: Mrs Fichgal is expecting us.

Mirai: It’s Ms Telpei, now. 

M: Ms? I’m not dead.

Mir: you are to me. I’ll take it from here, Guards. Come. 

(guards giving each other cringe looks in background)

D,M+M walking down hallway. mirai ushers them into an empty room.

Mir: why are you here? You’re lucky I was just passing - How did you not show up on the scanners? And is that - the Brakindale kid you were looking for?! What’s going on Neil?

M: we need your help, Mirai.

Mir: Well I didn’t think you came here just to exchange pleasantries. What is it this time? You need me to illegally track another missing student the Director has managed to lose?

D: We need full tracking clearance. For the Island.

Mir: The Director has -

M: Not for the Director. For the Resistance.

Mir:...I knew I should’ve pushed the insanity card during the custody hearing - you are out of your mind and I’m going to get you the help you need, I’m sure the Director -

M: She’s lied this entire time, Mirai. About everything. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors by now - the rest of the world isn’t destroyed. You watch the tracking date, you must have seen the disappearances, the trafficking. This Island is not the haven it claims it is.  there is life outside of this system, and I’m helping the truth come out. 

Mir: I knew you were on a crusade, agreeing to leave retirement to teach the next generation, a cause more important to you than your own family apparently, but I never thought you could be so deep in your delusions. Do you even hear yourself? You’re talking about treason - a prison sentence for even discussing this - you’re talking about -

M: the truth. 

mir: the truth - there cannot be a truth other than what we live now. Don’t tell me the years of you being absent, the breaking of our Bond, could have been prevented . Don’t tell me everything our son believed, that you taught him, was a lie.  Don’t tell me his death was all for nothing.

M: If I had known sooner, I would never have -

Mir: He just wanted to be good enough for you, you understand that don’t you. He wanted you to see him. And where did that take him? Leading that squadron -

M: I tried to warn him - that his social position wouldn’t save him against real -

Mir: - Into the Murder territories -

M: That it shouldn’t be hatred that fueled him, just the desire for justice - the Crows -

Mir: - to his death!

[silence. del stares at maj. maj looks away from both]

Mir: you come here to ask me to implicate myself, forgetting that everything you’re fighting against is what our son stood for. 

M: [touches scar, see flashback of him getting the news his son was dead and smashing something, cutting his eye] ] i haven’t forgotten a single thing. 

Mir: You know it’s been three years since his murder. Our daughter, who you haven’t seen in a decade, will be 42 next month. Why is everything you care about outside the scope of what you should care about? Why were we not good enough for you?

[silence]

M: I…care about you all. Love you all. But…every time I looked at our children all I could see was their  limitations - my own limitations. The life for our species is comfortable, but not meaningful. We have respect, but never enough to do anything worthwhile. I wanted them to have everything, but in the end I couldn’t even give them a proper father. I have failed at everything that actually matters. This is my chance to do one thing right.

Mir: So you’re doing this for selfish reasons, as usual. Nothing ever mattered to you more than your own gratification, just feeding into your hero complex. Did it never occur to you that our life was fine? That some people would kill to have the comfort we did? You don’t have to spend your entire existence working fruitlessly towards an impossible goal that would never actually fulfil you - you’re allowed to just live your life. We were all happy with what we had. You ruined that, because you always wanted more, not realising how rich you were to begin with.

Mir: Here. If this will improve our lives in a way that’s good enough for you, then go for it. But this is your last chance. We’ve already moved on without you, so do what you will, then let whatever you’re holding on to go, too. I hope this brings you happiness and fulfilment, but take this and never let me see you again

[maj takes tablet from her and she turns away, not looking at him. Maj and del leave. The two of them are flying back]

del: …the Crow…at The Roost…why didn’t you hate him as much as I did, for what they did to your son?

Maj: Eldwode had nothing to do with my son’s death, and my son knew the risks - I told him them myself. I had seen enough throughout my career to know the truth behind what the government would have its recruits believe - that they’re invulnerable so long as they hold power. The Crow Murders are only what the Government has made them into. you can’t cage a snake, keep poking it, then expect it not to strike you when you enter the cage too. 

Del: Was that why you were so hard on me - you saw me using my status and didn’t want me to think I was untouchable, like your son did? Why be so skeptical when I was actually trying to help the Wastelanders, then? 

Maj: i was projecting, boy. Any time someone gets angry when you try to do good, regardless of motive, it’s because they’re really just angry at themself for losing sight of whats truly important and not acting on it. I saw my son in you and probably thought I had another chance to correct my mistakes. 

Del: …I wish my father cared about anything as much as you do, Major.

Maj: …Let’s get this tablet back to base. There’s a lot more work to be done.