NIGHT. View is focused in on the burnt remains of a child’s swingset. A lone black swing sways back and forth in the cold breeze. Camera pulls back and we see a huge wasteland of fire gutted buildings and broken streets. The ash of what are most likely human remains blows in the air.

Camera slowly spins left. A small group of soldiers are coming over the hill. They are Trolls. Mankind’s last defense against the machines.

IJD GAF: "Distance to Target Site?"

ManiacSpy: "Almost there sir. Should be right over that hill."

[The Trolls keep advancing until they enter what we assume to be the charred remains of a city.]

XxLighterxX: "Damn. Well boys and girls welcome to the great city of San Francisco..."

Capt Decker: "Great. I bet the housing’s cheap….What the hell is this shit floating around in the air?"

XxLighterxX : "Maybe it’s the remains of the last patrol that went looking for a downed APC."

[Decker turns a pale shade of blue. He looks to be on the verge of being physically sick.]

IJD GAF: "Cut the chatter. We’re here to do a job. Sooner its done, sooner we get the hell out of here."

PreatorX: "Chasing after a downed APC doesn’t sound like much of a mission to me. What the hell? We shoot ‘em down, now we gotta clean ‘em up too?"

IJD GAF: "We didn’t shoot it down. The machines did."

PreatorX: "That’s nut...Why would the machines shoot down their own ship?"

IJD GAF: "That’s what we’re here to find out. Now everyone stow it before you turn us into HK bait."

ManiacSpy: "That’s it sir. We here."

[The Trolls look forward to see the wreckage of a fallen Ariel Patrol Craft. The APC has crashed into the base of a large building and is heavily damaged. Only the back quarter of the aft section is visible.]

XxLighterxX: "Damn. I guess that’s why the ‘chines haven’t found it yet."

IJD GAF: "Preator, is that the ship were looking for?"

PreatorX: "According to this reading the power core is weak, but its still charged. So the ship couldn’t have been here for more than half a day. Yes sir, it’s the one were looking for."

IJD GAF: "All right lets move in. Stay sharp and shoot first."

[As the Trolls begin to move in a figure begins to climb out from the wreckage. Judging by the way its moving we are left to believe that it is badly injured. The Trolls have their weapons drawn and locked. Each looks tense as though the smallest breeze could cause them to turn the figure to dust.]

[The figure moves closer and to the surprise of everyone we can see that he is human.]

Capt Decker: "What the hell? It’s human."

IJD GAF: "Must be a dredge. City dweller. They had in the burnt out ruins of the cities. Most starve to death by the time they reach their teens."

[The Trolls move in closer to the young man who has collapsed on the ground just outside the wreckage. Decker has moved in with a med kit and begins checking the man’s head for signs of a concussion.]

ManicSpy: "What the hell was he doing in the APC?"

IJD GAF: "Probably looking for food. I’ve even heard of some of them resorting to cannibalism…"

Capt Decker: "Whoa!!!"

[Decker quickly pulls his hand away from the mans face and jumps back in one quick motion.]

Capt Decker (in a panicked voice): "When the hell were you planing on sharing that little piece of info? Before or after he bit my finger off?"

IJD GAF (never taking his eyes off the ship and answering very matter-of-factly): "After"

XxLighterxX: "I don’t think this guys a dredge. He’s wearing some sort of uniform…..I think he was the pilot."

IJD GAF (spins around quickly): "That’s impossible. Humans don’t pilot machine ships."

[The man begins to struggle to sit up and summons all his strength to talk...]

Man: "My...name...[cough]...Starman...have information...[his bloody hand grips XxLighterxX’s coat]...you have to protect...[suddenly stops as if he’s realized something]...they’ll be coming for me...[looks at the sky]...oh God."

[PreatorX’s scanning device goes wild with beeps and alarms.]

PreatorX: "Sir, I’ve got an incoming power sig. Its moving in fast...Its an APC sir. They’ve found us."

[Overhead we see an incoming APC. It’s flying low, barely skimming the rooftops of the neighboring buildings.]

PreatorX: "Its Zuzu class sir, a troop carrier."

IJD GAF: "Damn. Lighter, can you carry him?"

XxLighterxX: "Yes sir"

IJD GAF: "Pick him up then. We’re bugging out."

[No sooner does XxlighterxX get Starman on his soldier then two Troll Terminators pop up at of seemingly nowhere. They immediately begin firing, pinning the Trolls down.]

IJD GAF: "Down! Decker, Manic lay down cover fire! Everyone else fall back! Get inside the ship! We’ll use it as cover."

[Decker and ManicSpy both begin firing. IJD, PreatorX, and Lighter carrying Starman make a run for the crashed ship.]

[Decker and ManicSpy take up separate stances about fifteen meters apart. Decker takes cover behind the rusted out shell of an old Buick. ManicSpy takes cover behind the fallen rubble of an old building. Both are armed with MARS-Gallant Type-H90s, the latest in Troll defense rifles. The H90s emit a bright purplish energy beam and heat waves can be seen emitting around the ends of the barrels as they heat the air around them.]

[Both sides trade a volley of energy burst. The Terminators take several shots but keep advancing.]

[Inside the crashed APC]

IJD GAF: "We’re sitting ducks in here. Preator will this thing still fly?"

PreatorX: "I don’t think so sir. It’s too badly beat up. Maybe if we had some more time..."

XxLighterxX: "I think I found our way outta here. There’s a ground transport in the back hold. We’ve just gotta get the aft cargo door open."

[Back outside. The Firefight is still going on. ManicSpy lands a direct shot to the Terminators internal power bank. The whole unit explodes in a bright flash of purple light.]

ManicSpy: "Hey I got one!"

Capt Decker: "That’s great...I guess that makes you a hero...Now how ‘bout a...AGGHH!!"

[Decker takes a hit in the shoulder but the force spins him around and he falls to the ground. ManicSpy with H90 blazing runs toward Decker’s position but takes a hit to the leg and falls. The terminator advances but suddenly it too burst into purple firelight.]

[A ground transport comes rolling around driven by PreatorX with XxLighterxX manning a large top mounted energy cannon.]

IJD GAF: "Get Manic and Decker in the transport and lets get the hell out of here!"

With everyone on board including the mysterious Starman the Transport speeds off.

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