For the Black Community.  To me the Clockwork Song is like painting with another culture's palette, building with another kid's Lego's.  No matter what I create, it does not belong to me.

All proceeds will be distributed back to the community, the best ways to be determined by it's elected, old school, leaders.

Some things I'm more interested in getting made, than getting paid.  This came as the product of research into works from the Community, specific visual styles and inspirations.

Beautiful things which were long held back by fear of new ways, dark skin, and economic competitiveness.  This a way that competitiveness benefits all, my earnings going right back where it belongs.


~ To Malcolm X.  The only X that matters.

The Clockwork Song ~ part one

A shot of gin slammed beneath the heavy hood of a grey market cloak, the glass down hard on the stump.

('Moan You Moaners' by Bessie Smith)

Renaissance dancers spin and twirl in masquerade, while Baron Samedi carves a walking stick watching, view pulling straight from his chair out slowly past the dancers and out the open front door, an aged and grown over porch.

____

Legba - "As long as there are chains for sale in your world, then you will find them here.  The Marketplace is older.  Older than you.  And older than me."
____

A blues club, deco underground, red carpets and dark lighting, games are played to the music on stage, Erzulie leans in for a shot.
____

Legba - "So you can take your tales to your own world, where you pretend there are no chains for sale.  But here.  We sell realities."
____

Erzulie - A sunken ball, "You owe."

Doe - "Bloody Mary ?"

Erzulie - "I like you Doe ... but where's your lover ?"
____

Nocturne walks the path to the old house on the edge of the swamp, the drive lined with confederate soldiers hanging, turning, their dead eyes following her steps.

(as specifically according to Samedi's wishes)

An old southern manor, music inside, dancers spin past the door from another time, fires burn through the woods to the left where drums pound.
____

Legba - "Yes ... you go now.  Go make your ... 'better world' ... but while you see your own mirrors so well, you do not hear them.  You cannot help my world.  You heal you.  You are the problem here."
____

The dancers twirl from era to era, each room filled with another time and party, the same swamps out the window.  A ring of rusted keys hits the floor before the Barons chair, the dancers fade, musicians age to dust, house burned with cobwebs over.

Nocturne watches him rise, drinking rum from the bottle.  He steps on the keys leaving red dust, blown with a breeze left in his wake while he steps to a phonograph in the corner.

He turns it on, puts down the needle while Nocturne hands him the bottle. He takes and drinks, watching her, throws it down.

Baron - "Dance with Saturday, three hours til Sunday."
____

Doe dances with Erzulie ...
____

Legba - "Your world."  He drinks and stares, "But I did not say I would not help you."

He slides the glass back over and stares in calculation.

Legba - "Now you understand."  He smiles, "So bring me next time the honey for my gin, child, and then we can do business."

~ The Clockwork Song ~

('Good Cop Bad Cop' by Ice Cube)

Nocturne and Doe drive their car through the marketplace alleys, steel sheets sliding over the windows. Inside the monitors click on displays projected across around them.

A shadow passes over.

Smoke fills the alley as an airship's flat deck lines with the rooftops.

~ At the urban docks a ship docks by sea.  Aggressively designed, proto-military, deck guns and private soldiers.

Planks extend from the barely visible hull over the rooftops as it passes, smoke mixing with mist.  Grey cloaks the color of city deploy from the planks in teams of three, two snipers and a command spotter.

~ Live cargo crates are unloaded on motorized lifts, down the docking ramp in a row, soldiers lining, above the deck prepare and scans the rooftops. An armored shipping convoy awaits at the base of the ramp, trailers empty.

They drive through the thinning populace, following the heavy pipes from the docks.  Peddlers and sleepers in corners, the last shuffling out of the way.

~ Tiny fingers reach through the air holes while a nearby guard watches, then looks away uncomfortably.  The child's fingers fall back in when another guard slams the side of the crate with the butt of a gun.

As the airship passes continuing to deploy, those deployed scramble across planks connecting the rooftops.  They spread out to line against the harbor.

Snipers take position while the commanders signal to each other, then scan with their scopes.  The car stops at the end of the alley before the harbor, facing it's length, lights off, watching the trailers load with the crates.

Silence while Doe passes Nocturne a cigarette, they watch the monitor as the last trailer exits the ship.

~ The guard at the dock shudders at the sound of a child crying, then another and more, then silence.

A spotter watches the last trailer down the plank, raising a hand to execute the order.

~ The commander of the cargo ship scans the rooftops, the deck guns turn to defensive positions, covering a circumference.

A grey cloak watches from the airship's deck in it's slow approach to the harbor while the trucks begin to leave.

~ The last truck pulls away.  A guard notices a mist in the rooftops.   The deck commander peers at rooftop motion.

The car's engine roars, all turn, bright lights blinding them.

~ The deck commander's dropped.

('California Love' by 2Pac and Dr Dre)

  

Red dots appear across the guard while car accelerates toward their row

The nose of the airship passes from the mist between buildings, heavy plates held a distance from hull for armor, cannons turning across their length to the warship with immediate launch.

As the hulls passes, the name 'Nautilus'.

~ Without decks command the warship's cannons stutter between targets, the bombardment from the Nautilus continuing.

Doe knocks through while they fall to the snipers, Nocturne launches from the sunroof firing as they pass.

~ Nocturne works through the crowd those shielded from sniper the falling all around to them while Doe chases after the convoy as it turns from the harbor, the guards preparing.

(Her style a distinctive blend of snake and ballet.  Intertwining an arm as she dances between, firing with the guard's gun before the blade in an overall fluid motion.  I can teach it if required)

The Nautilus emerges fully from the building cover, descending for the water parallel to the warship, hulls guns exchanging with the deck cannons.

~ Nocturne takes the last of them, watching Doe turn down the way while the Nautilus submerges next to the scuttled warship sinking.

('Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos' (live version) by PE)

~ The snipers shoulder arms and charge across the rooftop planks toward where the convoy turns.

The armed guards scan rooftops with their lights.

Doe pursues a distance behind, sought in the ground mist. He flashes his lights, they turn.

~ The snipers leap from the edges pulling chutes.

Doe hits the nitrous and fletchets the undercarriage of the tailing support vehicle, sending it rolling over his hood.  Ahead, cloaked chutes land on the trailers.

~ A child peers through an air hole in the side at the support vehicle as it's sent exploding into the side.

The diver checks the mirror and sees Doe's acceleration, turns eyes forward and sees a crouched cloak on the hood looking back through a war-mask. She punches through with a clawed gauntlet and yanks him out screaming.

(It's a secured (ha !) dock with one entrance, the warehouses all private.  The single entrance forks left and right, 12 block lengths, turn then 3 blocks to the docks.  As such a direct path along the rooftops from the docks can meet a slow convoy at the gate)

The Clockwork Song ~ part two

 

('Gangsta's Paradise' by Coolio)

 A child stands next to a man in the center, unseen in a cloak, watching as a procession of other children walk into the sea.  A priest gives his prayers for future life and peace.

Unseen - "You need to be in that water, kid."

Nocturne - "I'm not going in that water."

Unseen - "Then it's Sanctuary, for you."

Nocturne - "Hell no."

Voiced over as they watch ~

"It was just more souls all day every.  Every hell broken, every cage opened, the prisons were burned to the ground.

"Nameless past the gates believed in freedom, but he never really did think ahead about it.  What would they do ?  Many joined his march for solace in the infinite future.  A sense of purpose against the still unknown.

"Some went to school, made lives, to go back better or to help the here and now with the living in the room.

"Most walked back into the sea, into their next lives wherever and what, they may be.

"And the rest ?  The shanty towns grew outside the open gates, people remembering what lives they once lived.  A marketplace spawned between, filled with all their myths remembered, and all their favorite swords and toys.

"Dreams for sale."

"That war may have come and then ended in that field, twilight come and gone but their weapons ... their treasures and their kingdoms ?  Didn't take them with them.

"The Profane Wars still rage on.

"It all grew so insane, so quickly with these forgotten means and ways, artifacts found, lost realms discovered and claimed, looted, there was soon nothing but marketplace left.  That's when Legba came first, followed by brother and sister, cousin and child.

"And not one law.  Not even Sanctuary law, here.  There is decision.   The ability to make it.  Business.  And countless lost souls looking for a way back to the sea, or a way to avoid it.

"Death for the dead, is life."

Unseen - Looking down as the children walk in, "What do you expect to do here ? Look around kid.  There's no orphanage.  This is the marketplace.   You will be bought and you will be sold."

Nocturne - "No."

She looks up at him and cries. He looks down coldly before cracking and tears fall. He picks her up and disappears into the alley.
________

At Lucretia's tree.

Unseen - "Did you track them ?"

Lucretia - Handing him a small book, "I did.  This should be enough to track among the living.  Can she handle it ?"

Unseen - "She refuses to die.  Have you seen ?"

Lucretia - "I have.  Reason ?"

Unseen - "None.  She refuses."

Lucretia - "I guess not dying is a requirement, so I'll leave it at that.  Let me know if you do find a reason ?"

Unseen - Leaving while paging through the book, "No."
____

The guard from the dock wakes in the real world from nightmare.
____

The cloaked man exits the tree from the roots, Nocturne waiting.

Nocturne (Adult) - "Where ?"

He hands her the book.

('Hollywood' by George Clinton)

The uncomfortable guard seen at the dock drives down the street in hollywood, an occasional person in the crowd eying his drive.

Camera views follow power lines to buildings and stopping where they do, the car turns a corner, the camera wraps around the building.

Through and into the parking garage, on the security monitors to the elevator, joined by others seen from the docks in their normal clothes, avoiding eye contact, coming and going on the ride to the top floor.

The camera pulls as phones ring and messages checked, words in the texts meaning nothing.  The doors open and he walks through the office, ringing phones, down the halls, noisy electronics until he sits at his desk. The phone rings.

Receptionist - "Sigmund Casting."

He turns to the back office past the secretary the deck commander), she looks back and shakes her head before looking away uncomfortably.

Receptionist - "I'm sorry, Mr Calendar is with a client at the moment.  May I leave a message ?"
__

Doe - In the first floor street entry, "Won't be necessary, have a nice day."  He taps the phone, "Get it ?"

Lucretia's voice - "Got it."

Doe - Turning to the door, "Good."

He hangs up and leaves as the car pulls up, the door opens, Nocturne driving.

('Kush' By Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Akon)

Two identical lighters twist a flame under the hood of the unseen man's hood.  He lifts his head, Mikal's face with a blunt looking at the camera seriously.

He stares with a feigned contempt, then smiles and exhales a smoke across the view.  Back along the path of the receptionist's drive, sharp beams across shadow in the setting sun, the smoke twists as a mist from the sea.

The entry way diffuses to the wires in the walls, signals glowing in passage, seen through the walls Doe gets into the car.  The signals through the wires glow bright with amplification as the smoke drifts through, amplifying.

A plasma drips from the forms as their two worlds begin to entangle.

As the people continue their day, the entanglement follows them, wall in the plasma coding to information and redefined, followed by their bodies, random spots showing red.

As they continue their separate ways home and out, the map grows through over the growing view of the city, a distant jet taking of and pulling the map out in scope from the corner.  It grows to include the world, with networks sprawling in tow.
____

Doe - Taps a console button, "How's the map ?"
____

Lucretia - In her tree looking at a projected wire frame map of an environment being generated, "It's good ... next time they sleep, entanglement will be complete and we can begin the environmental reconstruction.  Nocturne.  How does it look to you ?"
____

Nocturne - Watching the world reforming around her, then looking at Doe glowing bright, "Fucking gorgeous ..."

The Clockwork Song ~ part three

A wide airship ('The Arena') hovers low over the beach, carnival in view.  crowds linger at the docking stairs, made for public use.

Lilith - In it's internal arena, "We've got beeeef !"

(Bring the Noise' (live) by PE and Anthrax, at music start)

Flames shoot from the stacks while the band starts to play.  The crowd cheers while two contenders stare each other down.  Beef (from Gaslight) sits in the audience watching with a laugh and his crew, eating popcorn.
____

At the beach side bonfires below, the cloaked crews gather, music in the distance with the hovering ship, marketplace carnival further off the other way.

Doe and Nocturne stare into the fire, holding close, each in their own mind staring.  Tendrils grow from the logs at the edge into the dirt, a figure like a tree burning grows from the center.

Lucretia - From the fire, "They're asleep.  The docks."

The wooden figure stops moving and cracks from the heat, limbs burning off, they look at each other, put foreheads together and share a smoke.
________

The slaver's ship approaches the docks turning it's guns to the skyline.

Docked and unloading the cannons take out the nearest buildings and wait in silence, the guards looking around for the cloaks in settling dust.

('Snoop Bounce' by Snoop and Rage)

 

The engine roars, they turn.

Harpoons strike the ship's underside, the decks begin to flood. 

Behind each guard, a cloak reaches from the water and pulls their ankles, flopping them down hard.  They drag them into the water, the loud engine echoing through the alleys.

Those who dive from deck don't come up as the ship's dragged down by the Nautilus.
____

The trucks and support travel cautiously looking for their hunters. The lead trucker scans rooftops a moment, then glances back down seeing Nocturne in the headlights and slams on the brakes.

Dark.

('That New Funkadelic' by Ice Cube)
 

In the morning the receptionist drives, flashes of nightmare, drowning and dark cloaks taunting, all around a mist passes, curling around the forms of profane beasts, airships nearly seen attaching them in flashes.

In a flash between the wire-form, his head, back and much of his face is covered, expression desperate.

The worlds blend in a thick twirling smoke following him as demons watch from high. The sounds of Sanctuary battle cries and roaring demons fade away.

A gate opens in the road, the nose of the Nautilus appearing, responded to by the beasts while on the ground the vehicles come.  Many re-purposed from the stolen caravans, followed and swarmed by Amazon bikers, all cloaked and masked.

Doe and other drivers of their own weave among them, doing as they do. Nocturne ejects while above a team of angels, their armor personalized and battle torn, fans out for the rooftop watchers.

As the world changes those uninvolved fade away as though non existent, those involved shown with their demon's wrapped around them. Soon after the demon stands alone.

The receptionist jerks the wheel suddenly as his beast panics at the sudden charge, all on ground and in the air target the fields of beasts in the streets, the war begins.

He skids the car as the beast leaps from him to charge, him and all else fading away.

As the scenes of battle show and spread through the city, the music fades to the next song in silence otherwise, black and white grain.

('Gimme a Pigfoot' by Bessie Smith)
 

The cloaks pound through the beasts, clearing their paths, their prey unprepared for the new environment and weaponry, they begin to retreat pursued.

The credits start to roll.

~ The Baron Dances with Erzulie in her club, Legba walks into his house in the swamp, song on the stage.

Most are caught before departing and taken down, their killer absorbing them and roaring to the next.

~ The unseen man pushes the boat with the pole through the swamps.

The view moves over the broad city and into darkness, credits continuing.

~ after credit ~

 

Mikal in Lucretia's tree.

Lucretia - "Does he know ?"

Mikal - "You mean why he can't seem to get a name to stick ?  He does now."

Lucretia - "You told him."

Mikal - "I did.  And I think there's a reason he's never been past that gate."

('Harder Than You Think' by PE at 2:35)

Doe drives brooding through the night, fade with the end of the song.

Nyx - In darkness, "So what makes a man a Gargarean ?"  A laugh, the song ends, "Hmmm ... how about a guy who shows up for a change."

Sternum crack.

Nyx - "The end."

Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer Prologues.

 

~ prologue ~

(a book cracks open in the dark)

Kids gather around a lunch room table, dealer dealing blackjack.

(based on a true conversation, we played for milk and lunch tickets, big stakes on Tiger Electronics hand-helds and game watches)

~ "That's just too insane. There's no way they could all be in on it."

~ "It's too crazy ! Who'd make it up ?"

~ "And every single one of them lying about it ?"

~ "Nope ! Too big."
____

Two bullies hold a kid surrounded in the snow, a snowball hits him in the face, they laugh ...
____

~ "I'm just saying I heard he's not real."

~ "Fuck that.  He's real."
____

Another snowball on the face.
____

~ "I don't know ... I heard that too. What is he supposed to be ... like a burglar ? He just breaks in people's houses ?"

~ "Like Robin Hood.  He breaks in to give you stuff."

~ "Gonna go to jail for that."

~ "My dad might shoot him."
____

The thrower packs an ice ball in his evil mittens ...

Kid being held - "You know what !?"  He spits looking at the kid getting ready to throw ...

Snapshot snarl ~

~ Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer Ass ~

('What You Give is What You Get' by DJ Hurricane of Beastie Boys)

He smacks the two holding his arms against each other and leaps for the third.  Kids rise from behind the drifts, bombarding the bullies surrounding their fighting prey as he leaps.
____

~ "So where's he get the stuff ?  Are all those elves like ... bootlegging all those toys ?"

~ "Gonna get sued for that."

~ "No !  No one sues him !  Or shoots him."

~ "Hard time."

~ "No !  Not even.  He's like a saint."
____

The bully poofs into the drift under the kid, a glove flying off.
____

~ "Saint of what ?  Stealing toys from the mall ?"
____

Kids in slow motion snow battle, leaping through the air, slow faces splatted.
____

~ "Saint of nothing.  I heard he wasn't real."

~ "Mm hm.  I Heard that too."
____

A slow screaming teacher sighting the playground mayhem as though it were horror ...
____

~ "He's a saint.  That's almost like Jesus.  So maybe your dad eats those cookies, and maybe he doesn't.  But he still could be real."

They all look at him.

~ "What ... are you talking about ?"

...

~ "... my dad eats the cookies ... ?"
____

The screaming teacher falls to his knees in slow as the snow combat view spins around him, red furious faces ... a child weakly makes a snow angel ...
____

~ "I'm just saying whether he's real or not it's better to believe in case you're wrong.  Might go to hell."

...

~ "And better presents if you play along either way."

Agreement.
________

The principal lectures the father, the father looks at his watch, the kid looks out the window, imagining distant battles.
____

Around a poker table, players grown up glance and each other at the hand face down on the table.
____

The father looks at his watch.

Dad - The principal staring ... "Hm ?  Oh yeah.  That's all very terrible.  He's definitely grounded."

Principal - "Suspended.  Actually."

Dad - "Oh !  So ... we're all done here then ?"

The kid snickers while the principal furrows his brow.
________

In the car ...

Dad - "God damn it.  God Damn it !  They just folded me.   I can feel it.  They just folded me out."

He starts lecturing into the song on the radio, more annoyed at the game than the kid, while the kid looks out the window in full imagination.

('Gin and Juice' by Snoop Dogg)

They drive down the road while the Profane Wars rage around them unseen.  The kid imagines as the unseen fades to his cartoon versions of it, soldiers armored like a game, beasts like dragons ...

~ The poker players play on around the empty chair ...

The father curses at the traffic and bangs the wheel, while a beast walks over the traffic, turning back to the attacking airship then fleeing.

Light turns green.

~ A hand slapped on the table, all the cards thrown in with a noise.

The battles distant behind them, they pull into their drive, the dad jumps out running for the door. The kid sloughs in behind, drags ups the stairs while the dad rejoins the game cursing.

The kid flops in bed and pulls out a comic book.

Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer One

~ part one ~

Doe wakes in the motel bedroom upside down passed out in the bed, hanging part off.  He lifts his head.

Hit with a snowball.

Nocturne - "Gotcha !"

Doe - "What the fu ..."  He rolls over and falls off the bed.

Nocturne - "It's called 'snow'.  It's a thing."

She clears her throat while he stands, bedside bottles falling over, hit in the face with a snowball, slips off the table and falls.

Nocturne - Laughing, "Oh my god you're so fucking weak."

A gun in hand pops up from the other side of the bed.

Snowball knocks it out.

A present flies, caught.  He sits up and looks at her suspiciously, her hands behind her back.

Doe - "Seriously ..."

Snowball.

Doe - "I mean ..."

Snowball.

Nocturne - "Open it !"

Doe - "Whoa ..."

Nocturne - "Now put it down ..."

A sigh ...

Doe - "Where did you even get the snow ..."

He jumps out shooting from behind the bed while she flip bounces off the bed to where he was.
____

The neighboring tenants leap under beds and run out doors, muzzle flash from inside the room, sounds of blades and crashing ... the window blows out in smoke ... a pause while some peer closer, running away from continuing gunfire.

The dawn, in bed smoking, the room destroyed ~

Nocturne - "Merry X."

The door kicks open on body cam, "! Freeze !" They kiss pulling guns and shooting the camera out.
________________

On the old TV screen, changing channels, the news ~

News human - "Another toy heist occurred today, again the entire cargo trailer was taken !"
____

On scene by the side of the road, a trailer-less truck, camera on the driver standing near.

Trucker Bob - "It was aliens."
____

They look at each other at the news desk.

(Evil horn music - ! Bum, Bum, Bummmm ... )

A cloaked figure at the fore deck of an airship overlooking the stars.

Santa - "Yes ... Rudolph. Soon we shall have all the toys we need.  To make the children.  Very.  Very.  Happy."

Evil laughter in front of the moon as the airship drifts to the clouds ...
________________

Doe - Driving, "That's really not fair, you know.  I'm not technically 'invincible' and such ..."

Nocturne - "I know.  It's because you're weak."

She bites an apple and looks at him.

He stares.  Opens the door.
____________

Santa - "One more hit Rudolf.  Just.  One.  More ...

The airship appears from the clouds keeping pace with a semi.

Inside the cab, Trucker Bob looks around and up ...
________

Nocturne looks up from her boredom waiting, seeing Doe carry bags of money, the building explodes behind him.  She rolls her eyes.  He gets in and tosses the money in the back.

Nocturne - "Why ?"

Doe - "Your X day present !"

Nocturne - "I don't need bags of money."  She stares.

He stares back.  Sirens sound in the distance.

She stares impatiently.   He grins with two blunts in his mouth, lights.  She cocks her head.

Doe - "Check the back seat."

She reaches over and pulls down the seat, absurd weaponry pouring out in mad quantities.  The sirens getting closer.  The sunroof opens.

Doe - Hands her a blunt and roars the engine, "This block goes around the park, in a loop.   One circle.  I drive.  You shoot.  Merry X, babe."

Sirens close.

Nocturne - With a puff of smoke, "... all of them ?"

Flashes through the back window, steel slides closed.

Doe - Puffs and turns on the radio. " 'Til they just stop comin'."

(I Want to Take You Higher' by Sly and the Family Stone)

~ they peel off ~

The police swerve after them as grenades pop from the sunroof.
____

Trucker Bob rolls down the dark highway ... music on the radio ...

! spotlight from above !

Trucker Bob - "Not this time you alien sum bitch !"

The horn blows as the truck accelerates.

Santa - From the airship deck, "Oh ... trucker wants to play, yeah ?"  He turns to the deck, "I'll take it manually Rudolf.  This bitch is mine ..."

Trucker Bob wedges a machete to the pedal and flings open the door, firing at the spotlight, shattering it.

Bob - Jacking the shotgun, "These toys belong to the mall !"
____

The cars explode behind Nocturne and Doe as they speed off, a star pops into the corner of the screen.
____

Police Dispatch - "I'm sorry. I can't understand you through all the explosions. You'll have to speak more clearly. Now your name is ... Officer ... Backup ?"

Static.
____

News Human - We're here at the Middleton Park Loop, where apparently ... some 'hot-rodders' have Gone Wild !

Three patrol cars make a barricade behind the tire spikes on a chain, officers jacking their shotguns.

News Human - "Officer Wilhelm is with us to describe the carnage.  So what plans ?"

He looks at her a moment ... opens his mouth to talk when the engine roars in the distance with sirens.  He nods to the camera, jacks his shotgun and joins the line.
____

Trucker Bob bouncing in the seat, "Oh ... we goin' back road now."  He checks the mirrors as the Santa's airship dips to just above the road, accelerating under the hanging branches.
____

Nocturne and Doe speed over the chains, blowing the patrol cars with the bumper fletchet (see last tale, an explosive shotgun blast, usual air to air, banned by the Geneva Convention and suffice to say ...)

Nocturne - Blasting behind a full clip from the semi auto grenade launcher, "! Whooo !"

Patrol cars roll exploding over the wedged hood of their car.  The line leaps from the explosions, especially Officer Wilhelm screaming into the camera, knocking it to the side.

Ten more patrol cars speed by, the first line exploding over the second from the launcher.  Two stars pop into the corner.
____

Santa leans over the airship controls furiously, the hull banging through the branches, vector graphics targeting lining grapple guns to the back of the swerving trailer, fires into the back.

He looks up from the target to scope, Trucker Bob stands on the trailer and loads the shotgun.

Bob grabs two chains mounted to the roof facing the airship, looks back at the scope and smiles. Machete wedging the pedal, one sock ties the wheel to the shift, the other ahead a cliff over seep incline, the mall at the base.

Santa's eyes go wide.

Bob - Shoots out one grapple rope, yanking the airship sideways, "Goin' for a ride in my spaceship now you alien ... mother ..."
____

Patrol cars tumble before and after their speeding car past the news camera, a crowd cheers.

Nocturne - Dropping back to the seat with a blown blunt in her mouth, "... Fuckers shot out my blunt."

Doe drops reaches and open the glove compartment, a pile of everything falls out into her lap.

Three stars into the corner.

Nocturne - Lighting a good one, "So what the fuck does it take to get a tank around here ?"

Doe - "Seriously."

Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer Two.

~ part two ~

Going off the cliff, airship's long hull dragged sideways through the trees, it bangs off the ground.

Santa - "Hold on Rudolf !"

Trucker Bob - Chains wrapped around his forearms, watching the airship banging around, "! Whooo !"

Off the cliff and silence through the air over the mall ...

Screen freeze ~

Daphne - Walks onto the screen, "Hi.  I just want to say that we at 'The Clockwork Song' do not condone the merciless ..."

Cassandra - Off screen, "Hilarious !" 

The sound of a whip and a scream.

Daphne - "... dismemberment of the Middleton Police Department, which is fictional.   It's symbolic, one might say.   You see these all specifically represent only the racist police who illegally shoot black people nearly every day in America."

Cassandra - "Except Wilhelm !"

Daphne - "True.  Wilhelm isn't racist, nor does he symbolically represent the many police officers who have in fact, gotten away with murder."

Cassandra - Off screen, "Like this guy !"  A whip cracks, a scream.  "He specifically represents them.  Don't you motherfucker !?"  A crack and a scream ... "That's what you represent."  Cracks and screams ...

Daphne - "Hm.  Yah.  So it's like a 'symbol' ...  So if you are an officer of the Middleton Police Department, and not one of ... them ..."

Cassandra - A whip sound and a scream, "! Or Co-Intel !"

Daphne - "... then you'll enjoy this fictional analogy along with the rest of humanity without being offended.  Because I'm sure as a human being, you must not like those fucking nazis you work with either.  Right ?"

She furrows her brow in a stare ... then turns away.

Daphne - "Continue."  Walks off screen.

Cassandra - Cracks and screams. "PSA, you racist Bitch !"

The screen cuts to the news desk

News Human - "... um ..."

('Fuck the Police', PE version)

~ Santa's airship slams off the ground hard behind the semi as it lands plowing into the woods down the steep incline.

A police helicopter flies over loading side-guns, the patrol cars explode in Nocturne and Doe's path, flipping cars in the fire behind, while she screams and launches.

Inside the car, the monitors and readouts display the destruction all around.

~ inside the semi cab, one sock ties one side of the steering to the shift, the other to the door handle, machete wedging the gas, Hawaiian bobble dancer on the dash.

Nocturne slow motion launches ... explosions ...

~ the bobble dances, the forest chaos in the wind shield ...

They speed past the news crew and gathering crowd, a trail of spinning and flipping cars.

"! Yaaaaay !"

~ Trucker Bob holds the chains tight with a grin watching the airship bounce behind.

Doe - "Helicopter !"

Nocturne - "Got it !"

The side gunner sights the car as Nocturne launches a rocket, a patrol car flips from the corner of the view, arcing into the gunner, wedging the open door.

~ The bobble dances, forest animals flee the path of the truck behind ...

The helicopter spins while the pilot tries to correct for the patrol car hanging out the side, driver screaming, pilot screaming.

~ The airship bouncing behind.

~ Santa - "God Damn it Rudolf !  Got to cut harpoon on this whale."

~ Holding rail, to twisted part he works his way to the harpoon side, looks up and sees Trucker Bob cheering in the distance.

~ Santa - "Careful what you wish for, bitch."

~ He shoots out the cable.

Doe - "! Fuuuuuck !"

Nocturne flops to the side and drops her gun in the skidding stop, sideways while a little old lady crosses the street in front of them loading a revolver, one by one with head phones on.

('Fuck tha Police' NWA version)

Doe rolls down the window while nocturne launches from the sunroof at a growing wave of patrol cars.

Nocturne - "Umm. Doe ?"

Doe - To the nice lady, "Where yah headed ?"

Lady - Taking off the headphones, finishing the load with a flip and spin, "Goin' to the bank."

Doe - "We already hit that bank today."

The launching stops, a bag of money flies from the sunroof and lands next to her, the launching resumes.

Lady - "Oh !"

Nocturne - Emptying another grenade launcher load, "Doe ..."

The patrol cars begin spilling over higher and higher like a growing tidal wave ...

Doe - "You have a nice day now ... can you carry that yourself ?"

Nocturne - "Doe !"

Lady - "Oh yes."

She hefts it over her shoulder, turns and walks the way she came, putting the gun in her purse, digs for a blunt and lights it.

Doe smiles after her as she puts the headphones back on and finishes crossing back, the wave of patrol cars looming over them while Nocturne swaps madly between launcher types.

Doe - "Yeah ... just like Grandma used to bake ..."   Takes a hit.

Four stars go to the corner of the screen.

Nocturne - "! Doe !"

The wave crashes over behind as they speed off.
____

The harpoon cable's shot out, snaps with a bounce to the trailer and airship. The trailer flips bounces off over the cab, Bob on the chains ...

Trucker Bob - Terror in his eyes ..."Do ... jus ... like ... dat ... !!! Moooviiieee !!!"

The bobble stops dancing in wind shield view of the trailer's flip over the cab, the trailer slams through the mall roof, while Bob leaps off to one knee, foot and hand with a fist pumped up.

! spotlight !

The sounds of broken engine puttering and tailpipes dragging.  A tranquilizer dart in the neck and Bob falls.  Harpoons hit sticking out of the mall roof.  A truck backing up beep as the trailer is lifted ...

The truck's cab drives on by ...

Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer Three

~ part three ~

The car skids a turn through the destruction ...

Nocturne - Flopping two grenades out before grabbing the roof, riding Doe hard, "What ... comes ... after ... heli ... copters !?

('Hoover Music' by PE)

Smoke pours out from the underground lot. Six SUVs in single file, high shocks, bounce and sway through the turns, while agents in sunglasses hang out the side windows with launchers, smoke grenade.

____

Nocturne and Doe swing another turn, side banging against the wreckage from the last pass, grenades fling, bobbing head, destruction behind.

____

The cloud of smoke passes the city streets, spinning cars crashed out of their way ...

____

A rocket launcher flops out and she launches. The rocket sticks into the hood of a patrol car, spinning it out of control with it's engine burn and into those around until the explosion far behind.

____

The car chase passes the intersection, the SUVs nearing the turn onto the loop when the light goes red and they all screech into minor crashes.

As the smoke clears the little old lady crosses the walk in front on them with her headphones on ('Do You Wanna Go Our Way' by PE), sack of money over her shoulder, blunt hanging.

She stops and turns to them, Agents pop slowly through the sunroofs ...

She keeps on walking ... they lower.

The light turns (back to 'Hoover Music'), they tear off past her into the wave of patrol cars.

____

Nocturne - Looking down the line, "What the fuck ... ?"

____

An officer glances up at the rear view and sees the cloud of smoke, cars flipping and spinning away from it's path.

____

An Agent through the front sunroof raises binoculars to his sunglasses, Nocturne seen waving and trying to shout something.

He pulls out a 'Sonic Ear' (like a megaphone you put to your ear, we had them when we were kids) and points it at her.

Nocturne - Screeching through through explosions and static, "About fucking time bitches !  Come lick my fucking ..."  feedback sound.

He pulls the ear-piece, furrows his brow and points his arm forward while they all speed crashing through the patrols.

____

Nocturne focuses her goggles as the distant smoke clears, agents hanging from all the windows with launchers from the bobbing SUVs (fast zoom to jogging trackers, fast pullout to all six SUVs in the smoke).

________

Seen from a camera on it's side in the grass, Trucker Bob wakes drenched in a field near the mall, hugging a jug marked 'X'.

Stumbling up and feeling his neck, he smells himself, then the jug, "... fucking everclear ... ! Again !"

He corks it, throws it down in the grass and stomps off.

Returns and grabs it, leaves again.

________________

Doe - "Nocturne !"

Nocturne - About to throw a throwing star, "What ?"

Doe - "Nocturne !"

Nocturne - "What !?"

Doe - "Nocturne !"

Nocturne - "! What !?"

Doe - "Turn around !"

She turns as the front of their car bumps the back of a patrol car, the driver turning his head and panic swerving.

Nocturne - "Oh ... my ... God ... it's so ... beautiful ...

The view goes to the entire loop filled, SUVs on tail, one long parade in a circle and back to their car.

Doe - "Merry X, Babe. I love you."

Nocturne - With a smiling glow, loading and packing gear, grenades clipped on, "... i know you really really do ..." She looks at him and smiles shy, "You too."

She kisses him hard and springs out from the sunroof as they pass the news team.

('Red Hot Mama' by Funkadelic)

A slow time twisting flip from the sunroof, emptying the grenade launcher clips and letting them fall, pulling her sword.  Grenades travel their slow paths to six traveling SUV sunroofs, agents launching slow trails back, six more from Nocturne dispersed among the front three lines of patrol cars.

The news camera follows her with the onlookers' wide eyes as she arcs ...

She lands hard in real time while the grenades hit mark, sticking her sword into the concrete, front car slamming it through, cutting to the engine block while she holds it upright, sharing the tension with the ground.

! The crowd cheers on !

She smiles while one after the other, the blade shakes with the crashing sound.

She pulls her sword from the ground and wreck when the hits stop coming.

~ Doe pounds through the patrol cars from behind with the fletchet cannon, flipping them to sides and spinning in his path through the amassed wreckage.

She climbs the mass, seeing the cars lined up past the created wall.  Officers exit cars, prepping guns and cover, helicopters whirling over, side-mounts arming.

She looks around in silence ...

On the left side of the screen scrolls lists of those killed unlawfully by the police with a brief description of the incident as each one goes down.

Leaps from the pile when the helicopters pull trigger, drawing on the front line at the bottom, then up to the pilots when she's landed.  She starts walking while they spin to the sides out of control, finishing the gunners on the way down. She turns to those drawing guns on the ground.

~ Doe pounds with the fletchet ...

Nocturne walks ... the list.

Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer Four

~ part four ~

News human - With the sound of distant explosions, action out of view, everyone around starting to look bored, "We're here with Deputy Backup, to describe today's carnage.  It's devastating.  What plans ?"
 

Deputy Backup - "Well, we're going to arrest them."

News Human - Stares a moment then bursts out laughing. "No really.   What plans ?"

He looks at her. The fifth star goes to the corner of the screen.

('When Will They Shoot' by Ice Cube)

The military base moves to action, alarms sounding.

~ The tanks are fueled and loaded.

Nocturne walks ...

Doe hits a bump, laughs and takes a drink from the bottle. He stuffs a rag, lights a blunt and throws the bottle (unlit) from the sunroof, then peers into the monitor ...

Doe - Glancing down at the blunt in his mouth, "! Fuck !"

~ The carrier trucks load up, the soldiers check gear.

Nocturne pauses to smell the air ... smiles. Continues.

~ The assault helicopters prep and load, rockets carried to the launch.

Doe - Squinting into the fore monitor, through the bumps, "Who the fuck is this guy ... ?"

Deputy Backup stands in the middle of the road, one hand up and the other on his revolver, alone with a couple of wooden a-frame barriers. His thumb unsnaps the gun.

The car screeches to a sideways stop, the side window opens in front of him (music on the radio).

Doe - "Afternoon officer !  What seems to be the trouble today ?"

~ The tanks pour through the city streets over all in their path, helicopters flying over.

Nocturne looks past the stalled wave to the rows still coming throws down two acquired pistols and draws her sword running forward.

~ The helicopters launch rockets to clear the barriers in the path of the tanks as they enter the loop.

Doe - "Oh ! Well I can definitely see that point of view." The passenger door slides up open. "Wanna hear mine ?"

Backup - Thumb tapping the snap on the holster, "You sayin' you wanna ... 'negotiate' with me ?"

Doe - "Sure ! Come on in."

('Buck Whylin' by Terminator X, PE and Sista Soulja)

The door slams shut, they tear off down the road.

Note in this scene that they're in an entirely enclosed environment, with only digital display and monitors of the outside world, music on the radio.

Backup - Inside the car as it passes through the mayhem, as it fletchets the treads of an overtaken tank, "So what you're saying is ... this is like an analogy."

Doe - "Sort of.  More like an effigy."  A sharp turn from the incoming heavy rounds.  "We burn these men today to alleviate pain.   We laugh."

Backup - "Well not everyone thinks it's funny."

Doe - "And not everyone wishes to discuss the realities of the white power organizations infiltrating the police forces, military, and federal agencies but it is still true."

Backup - "We're not all like that."

Doe - "These men are.  And that's what they represent.  So we burn their effigy.  And we laugh."
____

Nocturne stands before the arriving tanks, assault helicopters looming over, carriers swinging in.  She grabs six spent pistols from the ground and pulls the rope from her shoulder.
____

Backup - "What about kids seeing all this ..."

Doe - "There should be no kids seeing this."

Backup - "But they do."

Doe - "Then they see the acknowledgement of the injustice which threatens their lives every day, and rejoice in the burning of the effigy."

Backup - "Jesus Christ ..."

Doe - "Shhh ... it the day of His mass."
____

She ties three lengths with a gun at each end.  Three throws, tangling the rotors, she charges the tanks, the troops unloading from the carriers.

Shoving twisted metal and wreckage into the treads of the nearest, ducking the cannons turn and hoisting herself up, she pries the rear ventilation panel and pops a grenade, leaping off behind a crashed pile.
____

Backup - "You'll never stop."

Doe - "I will when the terrorists within your organization have been excised but that is not today, Officer.  You're infested."
____

She works one tank to the next, shielding against the soldiers in the run then wedging the treads, using it for cover.

Smoke grenades and screams, wisps of smoke respond to a sword's dance within.
____

Backup - "Deputy.  I'm sheriff’s department.  These boys here ..."  A thump and a wince, "... they're city police.  That's different."

Doe - "All the same, Officer."  He looks at him, "To me."

The car screeches to a stop next to Nocturne, sword drawn, a head in her hand.  The door opens.

Doe - "Now get the fuck out of my car before you symbolically die today."

Nocturne - Watches the sheriff exiting the car, seeing the head horrified, "Well that's the most disturbing thing I've seen all day ..."

She shoves the head into Backup's arms.

They spin off from the loop. Backup looks at the face and beneath the broken aviators, one lens missing.  He sees ...

! It is his own !

Backup - Falling to his knees, and up to the skies, "! Nooo ... !"

(a giggle sound)

The view pulls to the smoking war-zone, news helicopters, news-human interviewing witnesses gesturing in description of explosions ...
____

They drive into the sunset, the lights beginning to blur and streak into night, while the song goes to the final solos.

~ a voice in the dark ~

Santa - "Prepare the time sled, Rudolph.  Another busy night.  For you and me."

~ a blue flash and the sound ~

View across the peaceful city, a blue flash across homes, a minor crackle in the sky as an after effect, a delicate snow begins to fall ...

Young Doe wakes, comic book on his face.

Father - "Doe !   Get the fuck up !  Christmas is comin'.  You just got the day off.  I don't give a fuck about that so we are going to the mall.  I don't need Santa comin' by again, so get the hell out of bed and tell me what you need !"

Muttering off to himself, getting dressed, "... even my child ... those damn 'praline cookies' she made ..."

Santa Claus is Gonna Kick Yer Epilogue

~ epilogue ~

A couple wakes in their bed, gun-blade to them, Santa crouched over ~

Santa - "Yes ... it's me again. So I saw what you bought this year ... and I am not impressed. Apparently you've not seen ... the list."

He unravels a scroll.

Santa - "Says nice."  Rolling it back up, "I would have brought the 'cheap bastard' list except it's too damn big but rest assured that you are on it."

He backs out to the window.

Santa - "So I put down a few toys ... and you know what to tell them.   Say it."

Parents - "... they're from Santa ..."

Santa - "That's right."  He turns to the window and pauses, "And ... those were some very good cookies this year.  Thank you, Madame President.  I will see you ... at the party."

Man - "What the fuck ..."

Santa - "You and your damned raisin cookies, that's what."

Woman - "They're an insult."

The man looks at her, she looks back.

Woman - "They are !"

Back to the window, he's gone, a ! Whump ! sound and a flash.
________

('Feels like Summer' by Childish Gambino)

A drive to the mall ... Doe's imagination soaring down the road ... trailing into the darkness, a flickering fire.
____

Doe as an adult at marketplace bonfires, Timepiece and crew, the beach in view. The priest blesses the soldiers and police as they walk into the water.

Beef walks up behind and hands him a beer (Dead Guy Ale).

Beef - "Happy X-Day."

Doe - "Hiya Beef." He pops the top and takes a drink. "Hey ... remember that one time we were kids and I kicked your ass in the snow ?"

Beef - "Every fuckin' year ..."

Doe hands him the blunt.

Nocturne - To Doe, "So ... do you like your present ?"

Doe - Opens the box and puts on the ring, takes her hand with one matching, "I do."  Fade to the black night.

~ ! The End ! ~

 ('Do You Wanna Go Our Way' (live) by Public Enemy)

(black screen through the beat box)

One sock tied to the shifter.

One to the door.

A machete wedging the pedal.

Half a tank of gas.

~ the credits ~

When the music starts, split-screen.

The hula dancer dances while the truck crashes through the woods and across intersections on the left, the lady with the money bag walking on the right with the credits.

She stops at a couple of steam-clowns dancing around a boom box with a hat on the ground, raises a brow, drops a handful of money in each hat.

! Joyous dancer arm waving !

~ The truck crashes through dragging barbed wire and weeds on it's way, the gas being spent, socks holding.

She gets a cup of coffee and tips another handful.  Everywhere she goes, the grocer, people on the street asking, everywhere.

~ The truck runs out of gas at the beach, the hula bobble staring into the sunrise ...

She tosses the empty bag into the trash, goes up to her apartment and puts on the TV ...

(Rudolf is never seen)

~ after credit ~

('Gin and Juice' cover by Coffey - a random find !)

Trucker Bob pulls into a truck stop, new rig. He walks by another truck with 'Trucker Mabel' painted on the door. He exhales hard, straightens his hat and vest and heads for the door.

Inside, the music on-stage, he sits down at the bar next to her.

Trucker Bob - "Uh ... how ya doin' Mabel ?"

Trucker Mabel - "Go to hell !"

(! Wedding bell sounds !)

In a motel room with bullet holes patched, a man tries to sleep while the wall bangs from their creaking spring bed, parts of the wall and ceiling falling.

...

Off in the farmlands, Mabel's truck pulls from their driveway past a tiny pink pedal truck, 'Trucker Brat' painted on the side.

Trucker Bob sleeps ... then eyes suddenly open.

Santa - Standing over him with his gun-blade pointed, "Hello Bob.   We meet at last."

~ screams in the night ~

"Oh ... My ... God ... you're ... !!! REAL !!!"

Shameless Teaser the First

An open battle in the suburbs, an M18 (Buick) tank rolls, turning it's gun to aim.  Mab spins off a dumb ass clown pulling her claw from it's chest in the battle's smoke.  Shot in the chest just after the clown drops.

Mab - Looking up in shock, "You shot me !"

Young Soldier - "I am So.  Sorry ... I thought ..."

~ fade to black and white ~

Mab - "Come here you."

Violins swirl as she reaches to kiss him while the tank turns turret and fires.

~ old late night 'sign-off' screen and tone ~

A porn store neon light with two frame sex over the door.  

Inside ~

Excited Man - "Hello !  I'd like a disc of your finest pornography please.

At the counter, Virginia Dare slides a disc across in a black case with only a picture of a neon heart.

Virginia - "Here you go.  It's called 'The Special Not a Valentine'."

('Star Spangled Banner', Hendrix, Woodstock '69)

(special effects samples will be from this song)

The Special Not a Valentine

~ Chapter one ~ part one ~

Darkness.

Gijo - (voiced over) "Wanna see what we do to nazis ?"

Stage lights bang on over a view of Middleton, completely empty of life.

Gijo - (voiced) "Welcome to the wargames."

A spark travels across the city as a grid-work sky fades in and out.

~ The Special Not a Valentine ~

 ('Paradigm' by George Clinton and Prince)

A red neon heart flickers on, pulling out to Erzulie's club, the cars pulling up.

~ A view moves through a nazi bastard's house while he gets ready for bed, guns, paraphernalia on the walls, etcetera.

~ A view over the ocean floor, a sea rusted gun silted over.

A military escort pulls up to the Middleton gate, met by the MP.

~ A view moves through the house of a klan fuck while he lies down to sleep.  A shadow creeping outside with a bucket of paint.

~ Across an island past a wrecked WWII Spitfire, a large bird's shadow passes.

The lead car of the entourage, back window rolls down, the Gaslight General looking back, the window rolls up. 

The gate opens.

~ Another motherfucker closes his eyes.  The house glazes over into one without feature, fresh paint.  More creeping shadows.

~ Back to the ocean, a bubble rises from the silt of the wrecked destroyer, a shadow in the water swims over an M18 (Buick) tank embedded in crust.

The band on the stage at Erzulie's club plays, the people arrive.

~ A bucket of white paint is thrown over the sleeper.  A 'honk' sound, he opens his eyes.

More military arrives as the gate opens, the view sweeping into a massive city, Middleton, with higher rises filled with cheering audience.

~ Another bucket of paint, a 'honk honk' and open eyes.

A glass of gin is poured, honey from a bear. 

The bartender picks up the shot, fire erupting from her hand, then ice.  She slides it across the bar, caught.

~ the view through the empty house, all gone but their guns piled on the kitchen table with their car keys.  Two steam clowns (not to be confused with nazi-clowns) creeping in the shadows.

Legba takes the shot and turns to a stump grown in the middle of the room showing the Middleton Arena.

~ The view moves out the window and into the residential night.

Dumbfounded nazi clowns exiting houses dragging their guns in confusion looking around, poofey outfits marked like range targets.  The view turns to the looker still dripping paint with a dumb red nose and stupid hair.

A honk.

(And there will be absolutely nothing cool about them)

~ The (awesome) steam clowns giggle into the night ...
________________

The nazi clowns look around, a rumble of a murmur all around them in the distant dark sky.

A rooster crows.

The lights go on and the massive arena in a half circle around the city is seen, the sea beyond.  The crowd filled with gods and ghosts, dreamers in pajamas, guests of eras, angels, demons, and all of else begins stomping their feet, chanting "! Hoo ! Hoo ! Hoo !" fists raised.

Lilith's airship flies over as displays drop from the domed ceiling, showing the inside of a cargo bay. 

Lilith - Amplified with her fist up on the central view, "We've got ! Beeeeef !"  Her airship drops the many drones, the views on screen following.

The crowd roars across the stands while the nazi clowns turn to grasp, the sound resuming the stomp, shaking the ground.

The Air Force Thunderbirds formation roars over and fan rolls apart and back out, leaving a seven trails  looped over the city.
____

Aedera - Sitting next to the general, she hands him a controller, "For you."

General - "Oh !  Is it ..."

Aedera - "Well armed for a special guest ?  Yes.  You should know that the weaponization here works differently, however.  That's what you're here to learn." 

She glances to the console on the arm of his chair, then turns to the city peering down. 

Aedera - "I'm here to answer, and to take Sanctuary account."

He swivels the arm, opens a screen, looks up for his drone ... checks the control between the screen.

Aedera - "As we begin.  We'll assume that you've received our comm.  Our combined forces will then have three days to clear the civilians, under fire."

General - "Three days."

Aedera - "Yes.  We simulate the storm cannon.  One of our more formidable weapons.  A simulation for us as well, as we may now power higher."

General - "Is it field tested ?"

Aedera - "Yes.  Without great conspicuousness, but it functions.  In truth an abandoned asset.  We drag it out for the show."

General - "How does it function ?"

Aedera - "It operates as the effects of cold on electromagnetism, but in reverse.  Using electromagnetism to create a rail gun, firing cold from your poles.  Here, that function is simulated, as is the grid-work sky."

General - He cranes his neck, "And what does that ... do ?"

Aedera - "At the moment, very little.  Also abandoned.  Being re-purposed to bond with your atmosphere and restore your protection and air.  Otherwise only activated when asteroids or the like drift too close to you.  We do as well keep some track of other travelers, so much as we care.  Here."

She pulls her data pad, the grid appears.

Aedera - "A deployment platform, above and below.  Again, this fraction of it, here simulated.  It is not our sky.  It is your sky."

High above, at the cross-points of the grid hang long spires twirling a mist.

General - "Cotton candy ..."

Aedera - Giggles, "Yes.  Would you like some ?"

General - Looks at her a moment, "I would."
________________

Nocturne and Doe pull up outside Middleton's gate ~

The window rolls down, the MP approaches.

Doe - "We're here for the Boom !"

Nocturne - "Yah !  The boom !  The Boom !"

Guard - "I'm _sorry_ ... but this is _not_ a valentine."

D & N - "What do you mean ... ?" / "Awww ..."

Guard - "I mean you oozing lovebirds can take your god damned 'PDA' and your ... 'romantic moments' some other motherfucking place.  Which isn't here.  Safety zone."

Makes a finger-cross and hisses.

Nocturne - "Wow."

Guard - "Yep !"

A second gate slams shut. 

They drive slowly away ... they honk sadly ...

Guard - Flips them off, "Yeah how about you try bringing me some fucking candy next time !" 

They screech away.
________________

General - About to eat the cotton candy, he pauses.  "I've read the tales you know.  Is this a Fae food deal, is it ?"  He starts laughing, "I'll be stuck here forever ?"

Aedera - Giggling, "No.  This is a dream.  But you may want some when you wake."  She smiles, "And I cannot help you there.  We begin ?  Three days.  Your troops are layered in deployment range averages, ours of course port in directly, as first responders."

General - "Jealous on that."

Aedera - "Sanctuary is at the center of all, and so to travel anywhere, is just as fast."
________________

They wait at the burger drive thru (called Chandel-a-Burger).

Nocturne - "This is some bullshit."

Doe - "Oh I know."

He passes the cash to the window.

They brood ...

Nocturne - "So what the fuck now ?!"

He takes the bag.

Doe - "Wanna go fuck with that video game company ?"

Passes a burger, takes the sodas and thanks.

Nocturne smiles and takes a bite ...

The ketchup drips ...

"... chew ..."

Doe - "Nocturne !"

Nocturne - "What !?"

Doe - "I said do you wanna go fuck with those game makers ?"

Nocturne - "Sorry.  I was thinking about something else.  Umm ... sure !"

Soda slurping sound over their peel off.
________________

Aedera - "Know that the guard arriving is not of our military and has no training for this.  They will display the gear we have for your soldiers.  Their participation is as a reward."

General - "For what ?"

Aedera - Smiles briefly, still looking over the city.  "In the early days of Sanctuary, they were among the first students in our school.  Quiet competition in projects yielded great renown.  They became quite famous."

General - "What were the projects ?"

Aedera - "Team Delta made ice crawl up from the lake shores in your Midwest, as like a living thing, while Team Alpha made it rain apples of many varieties across an English countryside."

General - Looks at her, "Really ?"

Aedera - "As said, I am here to answer."

General - He stares a moment in consideration, "Why ?  Why all of this.  Why ?"

Aedera - Turning to him, "First, because we care.  A funny question which, if you imagine, is exactly why we are as suspicious of you as are you of us.  But it's because you've made mistakes which will kill your world without assistance."

She looks up at the grid-work waiting.  His eyes follow.

Aedera - "And second because it's a very large universe, General.  An ocean is also large, but we forget that it is 'deep'.  And the universe is very 'deep'.  You've become conspicuous, and again, you will need our help."

The sound roars back to the crowd as the teams march out, drones descending and circling, two knocking into each other to view.

Aedera - Distracted by the show, "It was their projects which began all this !"  Stands and cheers, yelling over the crowd, "Just remember that we have no need to display our capabilities at all !  This is an act of diplomacy, trust, and unity of cause !" 

She jumps up and down peering to the distant teams with her scope.

Aedera - "There will be many !"  She takes the funnel megaphone and yells down into the arena jumping, "! Whooo ! Team Apple Rules !"

She sits glancing at him, a quick smile.  "I was their first tutor."
____

Alpha and Delta stroll ...
________________

Lucretia broods over profane battle on her display in the tree ~

Doe - Voice on comm (chewing) - "Lucretia ... ?"

Lucretia - Looks to the side, "Yes ... ?"

Doe - "So ... we need import into a game server please ?"

Lucretia - "Why ... ?"

Nocturne - "They jacked my shit !"

Doe - "Back story and everything ..."

Nocturne - "... voiced by a blonde and blue white lady ..."

(true story)

Lucretia - "! What !?  Who."
________________

Aedera - "It was when one of our agents discovered a rather large cadre of soul traders in your world.  Randomly in fact.  Nearly all the last we'd been hunting.  As his hunt became impossible to ignore, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity presented.  This."

General - "You're talking about hollywood."

Aedera - "Yes.  We have for some time desired direct diplomacy, but it was inconceivable until you had reason to listen."
____

The patrol spots a nazi clown wandering in confusion.

"Whoop !"  - honk -  Running away, "Whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop ..."

Alpha Commander - (in a totally fake sounding military tone) "Command !  This is Alpha leader.  Requesting armor for Alpha and Delta Patrols ... we've got bo ... bos ..."
____

High in the grid, Gijo sits in a gunner's chair.  She pulls a heavy lever as the barrels cycle through before firing a pulse.  The package hits the patrol, armor settling over them, Alpha heavy, Delta light gear.

~ Notes ~

Alpha set mounts shoulder cannons, auto-tracking what they can't see.  Armor takes in and analyzes field fluctuations.

Delta deploys three hunter drones, controlled by the wearer, hovering when unknown, collecting intuitive feedback data.

Alpha cannons track on Delta data for target verification.
________
____

Valentine Armor.

Individual armor systems require an overseer, to monitor and call in resource as needed from the overall system.  It begins in the nervous system, creating a generalized fusion template, and neural integration.

It maps what's there, and monitors trauma related divergence, and re-channels for quick temporary recover from a given situation, until safety.  Essentially what battle received neural damage can't be repaired, neural rechanneling is encouraged to compensate, referencing the original map.

All things are cross referenced with genetic code to compensate for lifetime injury, and as a general template of ideal health.  And from there the endocrine system can be enhanced, as well as minor muscular enhancement.

Sensor package is constantly updated through the system and wired through the cortex to the frontal lobe for instinctual awareness response.  This is where system targets unseen foes, often unseen for various reasons.  But it will target alike.

All functions are dependent on the user.  High end involves overlays, mapping and vision mode, but nothing is technically 'seen', but 'understood'.  Similar to communication with the overseer.

Overseers are selected among war heroes and lost friends of the user, and any given team would remain team among them, as the tales be told.
____
________

Gijo pulls another lever and the surrounding grid turns to a placement deep in mechanism, unfolding in an Arctic representation.  Two prongs stretch forward for miles across an ocean, turning slowly over the water before settling and dropping grounds into.

Gijo - Touching her hands to the surrounding gear, "Missed you baby ..."  She looks up, "Control !"  Back down with a smile, "Gimme."

The grid fires a beam into the receiver behind the chair, a glow spilling over while the charge fills the prongs, sparking over the water ...
____

Aedera - To the general - "It was designed by the nameless."
____

Gijo - Power continues to build ... "! WHOOOOOOO !"
____

General - "Heard he was dead."
____

Gijo laughs loud, glowing bright with all around as the charge begins shaking the mechanisms.
____

Aedera - "It's an abstract.  All our agents are nameless."

The general looks at her.
____

Gijo fires, the charge down the prongs slams back into the barrel, counter launching a tiny burst through a puff of mist.
____

General - Looking up at her again from the monitor, "Oh ..."

Aedera - Smiles, "Yes.  You understand."

General - "Yes.  I do.  That wasn't a misfire."

Aedera - "No.  It was not."

General - "Wow."

Aedera - "Yes.  Three day average until core arrival.  It will be precipitated.  If you will ?"

General - "Hm ?  Oh !"  He pulls out his phone and fumbles a bit tapping, "Umm ..." then into the phone.  "Go."