TC EP 258 Script

Ky, scra and ree trudging through snow behind scra dad and small group of hunters.

s: d’you know, I’d always wanted to see snow since we don’t get any on the island…but I’m kinda over it at this point. 

R: my legs hurt in places I never knew I even had muscles. Why aren’t we flying

K: Daelen said the prey around here have learned to run at the sight of raven shadows on the ground. 

R: we’ve always gotta do things the hard way don’t we

S: Farrah didn’t want to come?

R: shes still holed up in the lab working on those missile jammers. Not sure this would really be her thing, anyway. 

(K+S give her a look)

R: because she’s not outdoorsy! Not because shes a sparrow, Icarus. How could I even think that way anymore - she’s done more dangerous and covert shit than all of us combined at this point.

S: she was definitely covert about it, I lived with her for a bit and had no idea about half the stuff she was into. I really should’ve questioned those packages I was delivering more. (How many things am I complicit in now??) at least I knew about her working with Cyras. I can’t even begin to imagine all the things he’s probably tied up in at this point. (to ky) is it really ok we’re here doing…this instead of helping farrah find a way out of here to get keelee from him?

K: honestly, if keelee’s with him, it’s not like he’ll hurt her if he was largely trying to smuggle hybrids off the island to save them. Plus we know he can’t harm anyone, regardless. I was so dumb for not realising he was Ashguard sooner, I saw that tattoo on his neck and just thought it was like…a fashion statement or something? I never really interacted with Ashguard before now as they stay locked away on Purtch so I didn’t even consider he could be authentic.

R: farrah said she thought the same until she asked him, so don’t feel too bad about it. Also, it’s a weird place to find one, leading a Murder when you consider their moral code and all. 

Daelen waits for them to catch up : see those turbines over there? The majority of our energy supply is wind generated with some hydroelectric generators from the largest of the snowmelt rivers. And over that ridge is where we built our manufacturing plants, we run them as cleanly as we can but we like to keep the large industrial areas away from the housing. We’re not at the level Kooup is I’m sure, but we prioritised sustainability over brute advancement. We have agricultural greenhouses and farms, too. But there’s also a rogue deer population out here we try to keep in check the old fashioned way as the natural predators have been driven further afield by us, despite our best efforts. (Gestures to gun) but it is better to have wildlife than none at all, as I’ve heard kooup suffers from.

R: seems like you’ve really got a whole working system here, huh. 

D: i’d say it works pretty damn well, but I’m probably biased. You’ll find there are quite a lot of things that ravens generally do…better. 

S: so modest, too.

d: why should we not take pride in what we do - be proud of what we have accomplished? We have had enough hardship to contend with, that’s for sure. 

Raven hunter: herd spotted, Daelen!

D: excellent. Which of you is the best shot?

(boys look at ree who shrugs. He hands her rifle as they crest a ridge to overlook a herd below.)

(ree crawls forward on her belly, aiming) r: i was never allowed to do this, you know. It wasn’t ladylike to go hunting. My brothers left me behind every time on mother’s orders. (Shoots deer perfectly, felling the stag) fuck you, mother. 

(Heard scatters, other ravens fly after)

D: not bad, not bad. (Takes gun back) what about you, son?

s: I’m…more of a sword guy

D: so long as you know how to protect yourself. Not that you need to, with this hulking lad shadowing you everywhere. 

S: I’m- 

K: scra is capable of protecting himself. 

D: i have no doubt. He just wont need to again.

s: I don’t -

d: (looks up) the wind is picking up. They said there’s a storm coming and i had hoped to beat it,but it looks like it's blowing in faster than predicted. Usually means it’ll be stronger, too. (Takes out horn and blows it)

d: the winds here become gale-force in an instant. Too dangerous to fly, we’ll have to hunker down until it passes. The others will be too far to make it back to us in time, they’ll head to the closest shelter. Come, the nearest for us is at the base of that cliff face. 

R: this is turning into more of an adventure than we bargained for huh. Farrah's gonna be so mad she missed it. 

All trudge to shelter, manage to force door open as winds rage around them. 

R: well this is…cosy. 

d: sparse yet practical. These shelters dot the ridges in case anyone gets caught out and needs to roost quickly

S (looking at shelves):at least they’re stocked. 

K: (examining a can) everything you could need in an emergency, really. 

D: I’ll get the fire going. There are lamps in that cupboard.

(sitting by fire with lamplight in camp chairs, ky on floor by scra.)

scra sighs, reclining: this is one thing avarie does right, anyway. 

R: what, fireplaces?? I’m sure some of those fancy eagle houses on kooup still have them, bro.

S: not that i’d know. Ky?

k: the director had one in her…ball room?

R: see. Ball room fireplace 

D: that hierarchical system there really is primitive, but i can see why it was implemented. They were aware how superior Crows were and knew they would be just rulers if they had not been repressed as they are. Those Raptors were scared of Crow greatness.

S: you still think crows are just rulers, despite one banishing you here?

D: you can’t argue with divine right, in the end. And everyone wants something to worship, really.

(ky side eyes scra)

D: (leans back) isn’t this freeing? I’m sure you got tired of being controlled over on the island, hm?

S: i dont see any difference between here and there, really.

D: no, son. there, you were powerless. here, you have everything.

(fire died down, wind howling outside. ky cracks an eye open from where he sleeps with a wing over scra. scra’s sleep singing. ky watches daelen’s shadow sitting by the window, backlit by the moon. 

D (whispers): it’s her voice. he’s singing with her voice. 

someone tell me if that renewable energy mumbo jumbo makes any basic sense I am Not A Scientist lmao