[9mm JULIET TITLE LOGO]

EP04: Expedition to the Wastelands

VOICE OVER:

Before the expedition departs, Yukishen secretly asks Tienshen to take her place because she has an important mission to perform for the daimyo. Tienshen reluctantly agrees after much ernest pleading.

FADE IN:

The expedition into the Wastelands is lead by Major Momyama Jinko and consists of an APC, a 6x4 truck and two motorbikes. The major is accompanied by two sargeants, four other militia soldiers and eight convicted criminals including the three members of clan Tokugawa. The mission, Major Jinko tells them, is to locate the remains of a university known to be in the area and scour it for book and technology relating to advanced manufacturing and materials technology.

When setting camp or the night, all are put to work erecting tents and preparing defenses and cooking food. Chuji hears a noise beyond the range of the firelight and goes to investigate. He doesn't see that once in the dark he is surrounded by mutants examining him and waiting for their opportunity to attack. Tienshen notices that Chuji is missing and slips into the darkness to find him. She sees the things surrounding him about to attack and draws them off on a wild goose chase through the debris while Chuji shugs his shoulders and returns to camp to be bawled out by one of the sargeants. Chuji calmly mentions that there's strange noises out there. The sargeants eyes bug out of his head and he is instantly on guard.

Tienshen leads the mutant band deeper into the wastelands and stumbles upon a campsite where a man in rags is cooking over a small chemical stove. Surrounding the man are more than a dozen mutants. She guides those following her into the campsite and while she watches the mutants fight viciously and to the death.

After Chuji's report and the sounds of mutants fighting nearby, the sargeant goes wild. "Mutants! Load up!" The cooking pot is knocked over, people run around madly. Renshi, suddenly snapped awake from playing air-katana to the songs in his headphones by the noise, fires up the APC and floors it off into the darkness. The major and the rest are left at the campsite shaking their fists at the departing APC. Chuji swings up by the barrel of the machine gun on the cupola, turning to and fro by a young very scared squaddie.

The APC crashes through debris and darkness for several panicked minutes until it jumps a debris pile and lands on the fighting mutants in the middle of the campsite. The remaining mutants scatter into the darkness. Renshi throws the vehicle into reverse and breaks something in the transmission. The hideous grinding noise means that the APC is going nowhere.

While Chuji and Renshi bicker about Renshi's rashness Tienshen investigates the man's lean-to shelter. She finds a level of intelligence here not obvious in the mutants. The man has an obvious store for worthless stuff and a private cache which is much harder to find. Here she finds groming necessities and a well-thumbed copy of "The 47 Ronin."

The rest of the expedition arrives and establishes camp. The major and sargeants abuse everyone for their lack of discipline. One of the prisoners finds a tunnel at the back of the man's shelter. He wants to explore it now until Renshi reminds him that a deep, dark hole is a perfect hiding place for mutants. The major suggests waiting until morning to explore the tunnel. Everyone agrees.

CUT TO:

Somewhere in an expensive restaurant in Neo-Tokyo, Yukishen is wining and dining a minor clan chief. Is she subtly interrogating him for disloyalty or just enjoying the rich food while her sister suffers the deprivations of the wastelands? She endures the amorous attentions of her dinner partner with a polite smile.

CUT TO:

Tienshen is trying to warm herself by the fire and eating gruel, cursing her sister. She's amazed that Renshi and Chuji believe her to be Yukishen. Being a twin can be both a benefit and a curse, she muses. She decides to explore the tunnel herself. Renshi and Chuji watch her disappear down the tunnel and follow some metres behind.

Tienshen steps through the plant room following the trail of footprints in the dust to a door at the far end of the room. Nothing stirs as she tip-toes across the room. The door is held shut by a chain an padlock on the far side. Tienshen slips through like ... umm ... a ninja. On the far side of the door, a new trail appears - tracks made by high heels. Tienshen follows them. Twenty metres behind, Renshi almost silently slices through the chain with his katana - because katanas can do stuff like that.

Tienshen tip-toes down the corridor past many other doors to either side towards one at the end of the corridor with light spilling out from underneath it. She hears noise from behind her and vaults to the ceiling using her ninja powers to remain motionless there while Renshi and Chuji catch up to her. They are expecting to find the less than subtle Yukishen so they throw open the door and call her name.

On the other side of the door is Hitomi who politely invites the three of them inside. Where hitomi's left arm should be is a bundle of torn and broken armature and wiring. Behind her in the lounge room are several other Hitomi's in various states of repair. Renshi anmd Chuji stand stunned. Tienshen's head pops under the lintel, equally amazed.

Examining the robots, each has a clan Toyotomi kamon and a serial number. The numbers are in sequence except that one serial is missing - JUL-E-08. They discuss with the Hitomi androids what they know about their circumstances and their maker, whom the Hitomis assure the team will return one day. The team inform them that they know the whereabouts of their lost sister. Sisters must stick together, say the Hitomis. The team are impressed with the Hitomi's dedication to cultural pursuits and knowledge of the rules of hospitality. They agree to come back in a few months with the lost sister. They ask about the man whos campsite they trashed on the surface. His name, the Hitomis inform them, is Tokugawa Sanzo.

At that moment Sanzo appears in the doorway. There is a moment of recognition between him and Renshi before Renshi slices off Sanzo's accusing finger. Sanzo is about to strike when a jagged piece of metal protrudes suddenly from his chest. As he slides to the ground, Renshi spits on him and the hordes of mutants pour over the top, clawing and gibbering at the outsiders. They fight.

The Hitomis are scandalised by the team fighting in front of ladies - very impolite! They tear pieces of metal and conduit from the wall and are about to 'chastise' the team for this breah of etiquette. Chuji, thinking quickly for an old man, shouts that Sanzo and his mutant minions are responsible for kidnapping their sister. They turn on the mutants who are dispatched in short order.

In the distance down the corridor, the team hear the expedition approaching and calling for them. Renshi asks whether the Hitomis have recoreded the mutant sounds. No but they can approximate them. The team run out shouting "Mutants!" while the Hitomis make mutant attack noises. The expedition fights a withdrawal against an invisible but very audible foe. Once in the plant room, Renshi and Chuji shout for the door to be welded shut.

On the surface in daylight, Major Jinko asks if they found any tech. Nope, just mutants. The expedition moves on and a week later returns to Neo-Tokyo with only minor gains.

FADE TO BLACK

VOICE OVER:

Tienshen - or was it Yukishen? - swears revenge. Who can tell the difference between identical twins?

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