"By the end of the century man's destruction of the earth's environment turned the forces of nature upon him." "There are many stories about the converging earthquakes that split continents apart mixing civilizations together." "About the floods that buried the cities and the emergence of a river of wind called the slipstream that washed the planet clean." "Those stories all happened years ago but this story is about a fugitive travelling the slipstream who needed a friend." "It's over" "It's finished" "end of chase." "xxx makes it easily." "You're under arrest!" "I slip the surly bonds of earth put out my hand and touch the face of god." "Crazy bastard!" "He thought the wind would save him." "This isn't rabbit, this is squirrel." "Now it's rabbit!" "Abigail." "Guess who's back?" "Now tell me how much you missed me." "Like the plague." "That's my girl - always joking'." "Matt what are ya doin' 'ere?" "Same 'ol thing Petrois." "Tryin' to figure out if Abi liked last night's good time." "I brought you a present." "Oh she's adorable." " I knew you'd like her." "What would you say to an even trade?" "Forget it." "You'll be gone first thing in the mornin' just like before." "Have a heart baby." "I'm trailing' the stream for days and I'm starvin'." "Hey Petrois." "Could I have the fries for table 6 please?" "Hey Abigail." "You forgot the fries for table 6." "Table 6 Get it there by Christmas." "Thanks baby." "See you later." "You know if this was a luxury liner" "I'd order us some champagne and caviar." "Well it's a dive so save it for someone else." "Careful - a friend of mine's the proprietor." "Oh yeah?" "Tell him the food stinks, there's no salad forks, the crystals got water spots, and I don't particularly like the low lifes that hang out here." "Make way." "Hey Paulo." "Wait a second darlin' You wouldn't be referring to me?" "Low lifes - bottom feeders you know who you are." "Now beat it will you?" "Ah" "You fight dirty don't you lady." "Buzz off and die fly." "You must have been rode too hard." "Ow!" "I saw that girl fight a rattle snake once." "She got in the first 2 bites" "I can believe that - you fight lower and the snakes hiss." "Another coffee please." "Come on - sit down." "Thanks." "He doesn't need a drink." "Will Tasker - don't think I caught your name." "Matt Owens." "To The Rattler." "What bring you here?" "I'm a business man." "Buy and sell things." "Yeah?" "What kind of things?" "Might be interested." "Well I just locked in some nice military hardware." "Step into my office." "What are you in the market for?" "How about a charging' pump?" "Usable air cartridges?" "Some nice ah, spare blood supplies?" "You know these days..." "Most people wanna to take the law into their own hands just so they can break it." "Terrible isn't it?" "Yep" " I think I'm gonna have to turn this in." "Wait a second - who the hell do you think you are?" "The law." "Well I was, I was gonna turn it in anyway." "Ah." "Saved me the trip." "Listen - why don't you take this chute." "I mean it's reinforced nylon webbing and" "It's great but I know it belongs to somebody." "Hey thanks for the coffee." "Have a nice day." "It's though those nuts think their leader's a prophet you know?" "Look what the wind blew in." "Ha Ha, Cowboy." "Hey don't worry about him." "Just cause he's got a badge, he thinks he's The Lone Ranger." "Perhaps he is." "I never heard the law gettin' out this far." "This guy's after something'." "And he just got him." "What'd he do?" "Rumour is, the suit just killed a guy." "Snapped his neck like a dry twig." "I heard it was some defenceless old man." "Taking him to the settlement." "They'll hang him down there." "He doesn't look like a killer to me." "You look at his eye - like death himself." "Staring right through ya." "There's a reward on his head." "You guys don't know didley." "Must be something special about this guy." "How big a reward?" "Hey!" "Sky pilot." "You feel like laying down after a long ride?" "You feel like pounding rock a couple of years?" "What do ya think I been doing?" "That's about far enough." "Let's go Cochise." "A word of friendly advice." "Don't even think about it." "You're making a big mistake you know." "How about lettin' me do the talkin'." "Out with the piece - real slow." "Careful." "You sure you wanna do this?" "Drop it!" "Now back up!" "Cause I got such a spit shine heart." "I'm gonna let you hang onto it." "You know I like you." "I'm gonna give you one last chance." "Just keep walkin' but leave him." "I don't think so." "Now why should I do that?" "You know it's the right thing to do." "I don't wanna know what you thinks right." "He killed a man." "He's gotta go in." "What the hell happened here?" "Mr Owen here thinks he's going to take our prisoner." "Uh huh. 3 hard months of grabbing rock, eating and sleeping in the muck and mire so I can get downstream and get a little chunk of paradise." "Well now it's all wiped clean cause I put my money down on the wrong guy." "This is breaking my heart." "She gotta be puttin' me on." "Belitski just shoot him." "Champagne and caviar's starting to sound good, you still buying?" "Huh, you know you're regular entertainment." "What if I told you, I made a mistake?" "I was wrong about you." "What if I told you.." "you're starting to look better and better to me all of a sudden?" "Oh yeah, and what makes you think I'd still be interested?" "Oh you wanna cut yourself a slice of the pie don't you?" "Hey" "Believe me, the ride will be worth it." "Aah!" "Aah." "Poison dart." "Now drop the gun and we'll talk about gettin' you the antidote." "I never believe a man staring' down the barrel of a gun." "Well you should this time." "Local Police!" "He went in here." "Some people just don't get it." "With that transmitter in his blood he'll be beaming like a radio tower soon." "Only a matter of time before we catch him." "Fly boy here is first." "Ok." "Then we go." "Right." "I don't think Mr Owens has any idea what he is up against." "Not even an inkling." "Shit." "Antidote." "Hell I feel better than he does right now." "I look ok to you?" "That badge had me worried for a second." "You tell me about this guy you killed." "Ok if that's the way you want it." "Fine by me" " But let's get something straight up front" "I got no axe to grind with you." "You look smart enough not to kill the pilot." "Huh!" "They'll never catch us." "I'm goin' down part of the slipstream even I've never been through before." "And thou art dead." "As young and fair as ought of mortal birth." "Byron." " What?" "Oh you're name." "Look Byron, I'm not going to have a problem with you am I?" "No." "It'll be best for both of us if I take you in alive." "I'm sure you're going to try." "You may think I'm mean... but I'm meaner than you think." "No, I think I deserve to be punished." "Don't give me that "I'm lookin' for salvation" crap!" "cause I'm not buyin' it." "As you wish." "And I saw a new heaven, a new earth" "The first heaven and the first earth have passed away." "All those souls swept away in a moment." "Buried by the convergence, man against nature and we lost." "I could have told 'em that up front, but nobody asked me." "Maybe I am dyin' but I never felt so damn good." "That's dead, I'm takin you in alive." "And I'm collecting' the reward." "Did that scare ya?" "Not in the least." "Come on Byron you gotta admit for a second there it got pretty hairy." "I bet you pee'd your pants." "Hello!" "Hey Matt!" "Hey hey!" "Hi Matt." "Hey hey little buddy." "This is it." "Wait a second." "What happened to your handcuffs!" "?" "Oh." "I'm sorry." "Did I scare you?" "I felt they'd become rather superfluous." "Ok Houdini, I got a few tricks up my sleeve too." "I think you'll find in time that you can trust me." "Keep dreamin'." "Hey!" "Welcome back Matt!" "Ah Hi Matt." "Hey Matt!" "Boo!" "Is this soup done yet?" "What was that like?" "Growing up here?" "Who told you I grew up here?" "What if I did?" "There is a place..." "Somewhere I think I belong." "I didn't grow up there but that's where I was going when they..." "When you..." "I'm sorry." "This place is extraordinary." "Fascinating." "I'm glad you like it." "Cause if you give me any trouble..." "It's gonna be the last place you ever see." "You fit in here." "What's it called?" "Thanks." "Hell's kitchen." "Want some grub Matt?" "No time Rosie." "I'm pullin' up stakes" " I scored." "Big." "Yeah Yeah Yeah." " Can I have your lizard skin boots?" "Are you kiddin'?" "My favourite boots?" "Forget it Travis- he's gonna' need 'em to wade through all that bullshit he's been slinging'!" "Where you headed this time?" "Down stream." "To the settlement?" "Somewhere I can set up shop." "Face it Matt, if they caught 2 bits that were around the world.." "you couldn't get outa sight." "Montclaire, there is my future." "Yep, just like your future to get up and walk away." "Maybe he went to the big city without you." "Don't make me look for you again." "Matt!" "He fixed my boys eyes!" "Look!" "I don't know how you did it mister, but thanks, thanks." "Children are God's gift to man." "You didn't tell me you were a healer." "Cataract - very simple." "There are no children where I am going." "Where are you going?" "Come back!" "He can see!" "He can see!" "Come here." "Thanks Matt." "Watch out for your old man." "Damn!" "I'm still cashing' your arse in." "We didn't go this way last time." "It 'aint my plan." "Travis show you this way?" "What else did Matt say?" "Woulda been quicker if we pulled down stream first." "This is forbidden territory what are you doin'?" "Answer!" "Or die." "You're under arrest." "All of ya." "For carrying contraband." "Ya hear that boys?" "We're all under arrest." "Ha Ha Ha!" "Why I could die!" "of embarrassment." "Yeah." "You wanna empty those packs while I ask you some questions?" "Hey show 'im what we got boys." "Down." "I am the resurrection and the life sayeth the Lord.." "He that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live." "Yeah right." "And whosever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.." "You know God hasn't helped out too much lately." "In my next lifetime I don't want to have to deal with all this." "Oh forget it Tasker, no one cares about the damn reports." "Yes they do, more than ever." "This is Poppy Seed." "Have to be worth a small fortune." "Burn it." "Burn all of this." "We'll be up to them by tomorrow." "Power's low." "Looks we'll have to stream it." "Damn it Tasker, I am sick of piling rocks." "There's enough life buried out there." "If it weren't for the few of us left, the slime would rise so high.." "you wouldn't be able to breathe." "Can't you think of anything else?" "I did once." "Convergence changed that." "Yeah, well maybe it's time to think again." "What do you have in mind?" "I don't know, anything." "Something that will keep us in blood I suppose." "What about a mink ranch?" "That's your idea of paradise?" "You're the maestro why don't you tell me." "Every time a piece of human trash is put under a rock pile.." "the world's a better place." "It's our calling." "Hold it now." "Hoo hoo!" "How about a detour?" "That's right baby, if you got it, flaunt it!" "Whoo hoo!" "You know, it reminds me of this girl I used to know - great chest." "Still dream about her - she used to wear this shortie nightie around all the time." "You know the kind that ends right about here." "What!" "hell, where you been?" "Locked up in a monastery all your life?" "You might call it that." "You know I bet you're the kinda guy that gets out the shower to take a piss too." "Right?" "Is that what all your dreams are about?" "No." "Sometimes I dream about a balloon shop." "Well it's more like a balloon factory." "Thousands of balloons filling' the sky with my name on 'em." "But I always wake up." "What do you dream about?" "I don't." "But I'd like to." "Perhaps I'd dream about that place I was going to." "Your home?" "Family?" "Not exactly, No." "What's it like?" "I don't know." "I've never seen it." "Aah, you're hopeless." "True hope is swift and fies with swallows' wings." "Well aren't you just a walkin' storeroom of information." "Yes." "You know you've got a helluv an act of killing a conversation." "Where are we?" "Damn it." "It's gettin' dark." "Hey I'm tryin' to show ya a good time." "You can't have a good time, can ya?" "I had a good time watching the sunset." "Huh what do you want from me?" "Nothing." "I expect nothing." "Well good." "There's a way I see it we got 2 choices here." "Either I let you go.." "or you accept it." "Huh!" "And I aint about to let you go." "Let's get some shuteye." "Sleep." "Do ya always sleep with your eyes open?" "Yes." "Well don't try anything cute, or you may find yourself sleeping with a moping' for eternity." "Eternity.." "Now that's an interesting concept." "Dimension too far?" "Some things change that you.." "Shutup.. and go to sleep." "You couldn't kill me.." "even if I did try to escape." "Oh yeah?" "It takes something you don't have.." "Well don't make the mistake of tryin' me.." "and don't think I'm gonna be dumb enough to take my eyes off you for a second." "Goodnight." "Aahh!" "You tried to strangle me!" "I was feeling your carotid pulse." "I was snoring and you tried to murder me!" "Just like you did that other poor bastard!" "I was just checking for Arrhythmia and episodes of Ventricular Tachycardia." "I don't get it!" "Who made you a doctor?" "The Grim Reaper?" "No.. they're the signs of curare poisoning." "And?" "Too early to say." "Well what am I listening to you for?" "I told ya.." "I feel fine." "I just wanted to help." "Okay." "I got some good news and some bad news." "The good news is they'll have a real hard time findin' us." "The bad news is we're lost." "Damn!" "This looks like a battlefield." "You think it might be a good idea to get down there and help these people?" "I don't know.. there's all kinds of heathens living on the stream." "Well I guess they can tell us where the hell we are." "I heard about these cults.." "they're weird." "Worship the wind." "I guess I'm gonna have to trust ya here." " Yes." "I'll see what's the matter with this one." "Hey!" "Who are these guys?" "Byron." "I'm in trouble here." "Leave us alone!" "Stop!" "Come on!" "Hey lady what happened here?" "What is this place?" "What do you call it?" "Hey hey do you know which way the settlement is?" "Hey come back!" "Can you help?" "Can I help?" "We must find Avatar." "He wouldn't want you to stop helping others to look for him." "Who did this to you people?" "Men with machines." "Why don't I see more of their dead?" "We tried." "The dead will be restored." "The words written down just as stuffs recorded." "You people have gotta learn to protect yourselves from marauders." "Violence destroys the spirit." "The slipstream protects us." "Yeah." "I can see that." "And don't just stand there talking, if you want to do something," "Try helping them." "You must have a very old soul." "Old King Cole had a merry old soul." " Ariel!" "What did you.." "I found him!" "Come on!" " Yes." "Get Maya quick!" "How are the others?" "So many were killed." "We have.. have to concern ourselves with the living." "Why has God Forsaken us?" "Aah!" "Let it be." "I can help you." "This is the last indignity." "Ariel.. help me.." "get to a place.. where I can.." "feel the air." "He's a false prophet." "Uh.." "And no son of man." "He's helped many of the wounded." "We live with your unvirtuous eyes.." "and this is our reward." "Why are we always tested in this way?" "Do all men live for rewards?" "Who are you?" "Why are you here?" "My name.." "I'm here because I killed a man." "And why do you wish to help me?" "I'm also here to serve." "Get back!" "I didn't spend my life devoted to him, to have him die in the arms of a stranger!" "This is right." "Can't you see?" "Maybe this is a sign." "All that will be left of me is bits of gold in the sand." "You have a soul." "Do not abandon it in death." "A pitiful thing.. to have a belief that cannot be lived." "To have forgiveness, and have nothing to forgive." "To have love only for those who love us.. is a fool thing." "Let the slipstream take him if he's an abomination." "We must test him." "I was lost.." "Only for a moment." "If I die.." "I wake to God." "The stranger is no mortal man." "By the winds dispersing and scattering the dust.." "and by the winds bearing the clouds.." "and by the winds passing swiftly in the air.." "and by the winds that distribute the divine power and judgement.." "God's truth will be known to us." "He helped you and this is how you pay him back?" "Bring him down." "Ah that is not for any of us to decide." "The hell it isn't!" "All voices are in the wind." "If you listen." "Well I'm listening and all I'm hearing is a lot of hot air." "If God decides in favour.." "then the wind will set him free." "We've tried to escape technology after the convergence." "But it continued to haunt us." "That's very interesting, but I'm not sure what it has to do with me." "You must only love those who have the power to change you." "Well he's going to change me from poor to rich." "And I believe in that." "So I'm not leavin' here without him." "Now honey why don't you just untie me and let me get on with it?" "The slipsteam brought you here, the slipstream will take you back." "aar.." "God.. the generosity of women never ceases to amaze me." "Picking up a locator loud and clear." "Well well well.." "How did you find me?" "Oh!" "I'm a great tracker." "Tell me where he is?" "Aah!" "He's no good to us dead." "She's smart." "You should listen to her." "I should kill you right now." "That's what I should do." "He's at the end of a long rope." "See if he's got anything on him." "You can't take away what makes me dangerous." "I'll make a deal with ya." "We get him back.. you get me the antidote." "And we'll split the reward money 3 ways." "3 ways?" "How come so generous?" "Aah!" "You put us through all this trouble now we're supposed to pay for it." "There's a slight problem?" "What's that?" "Look up in the sky." "Aaah!" "Aaah!" "These whackos are more dangerous than he is." "I guess we're all gonna have to work together." "I'll cover my end, word of honour." "You don't have any." "Here's the deal.. you help us get him down, I'll give you the antidote." "Then I'll shoot ya." "That's what I like.. teamwork, a sense of fair play." "Who'd ever guess we'd all end up good buddies?" "Just tryin' to get you mad Tasker." " It's working." "Did ya ever shoot anybody?" "I could never do it." "They that sow of the wind shall reap the whirlwind." "Cut him loose." "This isn't gonna hurt is it?" "Damn.. it's a pity to see that." "These people are gonna be lickin' hot frying' pans in hell for this." "Don't waste your breath on him." "That's how you store away all your feelings?" "Androids don't have feelings." "Huh!" "You mean you didn't know?" "That explains why you act like you gotta held down setting in that brainbox." "You're a robot!" "Oh you're a bigger sucker than I thought." "Not me you idiot!" "Your perfect buddy up stairs!" "The rest of us only pretend to be perfect." "And have to settle for being human." "He tried to be human." "But has to settle for being perfect." "Right up until the time he's our deciding which of us should live or die." "That's your job.. right?" "Well at least you've figured that out." "What a guy." "Keep that light shinin' in your eyes baby so I can find my way back." "Aaaaaeaaah!" "Watch him all the way." "I'll have a shot from up there in case he screws up." "Right." "Why didn't you tell me you were a toaster?" "A what?" "Good of you to join me!" "But they're only testing me!" "Aren't you tired of making a faithful of yourself?" "I'm the runaway technology they blame for the convergence!" "God helps those that help themselves!" "They knew if they gave me enough rope I'd hang myself!" "Have you considered the consequences?" "Dead is dead!" "I'll take a chance with the slipstream!" "I should've cut!" "Here she comes!" "If it goes now, she'll be killed!" "Perhaps she wants to join us!" " Damn!" "I doubt that!" "Damn!" "Aah!" "Ee!" "Aah!" "Don't want to see us go?" "I knew your word wasn't worth a gavvers vest!" "Stick around, I'll make a believer out of ya!" "Stay!" "I'll give you one minute to get a hand hold and start climbing down that rope!" "Or you can meet me at the bottom the hard way!" "You got just enough time to serve the coffee!" "Go to hell!" "It's our next stop!" "Come on!" "Uuh!" "Gur!" "Naaarh!" "You Goddam son of a bitch!" "Men who are really worth something get killed every day but not you." "I can see you're still kickin'." "Did he bring you here?" "Those fanatics were right about the wind, we're dead we just don't know it." "I'm quite show we can get out of here." "Yeah." "Right." "He will that's for sure." "I'm just going out to find your friend." "Why?" "He's either dead or dying." "Then perhaps I can make it easier for him." "How do you mean that!" "Just like an android to put you where only he can get out." "He didn't have to bring us here." "Oh yeah." "He coulda just crushed our skulls and gotten it over with but that's too easy." "This is what hell is." "You're stuck in a place like this forever." "With a machine who thinks he's a man when really he's the devil." "And listening to those banshee voices screaming in the wind." "You forgot me." "Oh no." "I'll curse you last." "You got us here." "Come on!" "We can't stay!" "What are you drawing?" "A little airship place." "Somewhere downstream where the wind blows gentle." "I'm a tracker, I work for the law." "Can you see me darning nylon and weaving wicker?" "It makes a pretty picture." "Mmm, what's that?" "Little baby balloon." "You know a mum and pop kinda operation." "That a pink one or a blue one?" "Why not?" "You can't get to there from here." "I can though." "You know if things are worked out differently, maybe you might.." "but they didn't and you're not, and that's probably just an awful natural truth." "I outlasted you partner didn't I?" "Tasker is the toughest son of a bitch I ever knew.." "I'd die for him." "Yeah, you might still." "Yeah?" "Oh well that's ok too?" "You know why?" "Cause he was a commander and his father before him." "He flew a suicide mission to hell and back." "Funny, he didn't impress me." "Really?" "You know if you had been in his position you wouldn't have lasted 2 seconds." "That's all in the past." " Oh?" "Take a look at your.. future." "Sounds to me like it's your future you've got to worry about." "That's only road dust." " Ohhhh." "Did he ever love ya?" "They're here." "You'd better hide." "Thanks for showin' me the way out." "I'm going back." "What about our airship place?" "It burnt down." "You'll never find 'em." "What's the matter?" "Are you gonna miss me?" "Yeah." "We're just giving you a head start." "That's all." "Look I'd like you to join us but he's going to jail." "I know he likes you no yet said so." "We're only got 2 seats." "I don't mind." "I'll sit on his lap." "Ha!" "Wish somebody would make me that offer!" "I'm not sure in this heat." "She's perfect." "She's built like a watch." "There's no extra room." "We're heading downstream." "It's gonna be rough." "Fine." "Oh baby!" "What'd they do to ya?" "Put a good word for ya in when we get to the settlement." "I keep telling you, I just want to do what's right." "First I didn't believe ya." "Now I know you better." "Careful with those solar panels." "I can't see this thing getting very far." "Hell, I'll think what I get." "Damn it!" "I gotta a good mind to go back up there and get my stuff back from those wind weirdo's." "They're not weirdo's!" "You don't know them." "They're very spiritual." "The opposite of where I come from." "Where's that?" "Downstream." "Not very far." "Maybe you could get some supplies there." "It's on our way?" "You can get a new plane." "Yeah?" "They got any doctors?" "The best." "Health comes first right?" "Right." "Ok that's where we're headed." "I'm only doin' this for you." "Cause I owe you one." "Thanks for the hospitality." "Remember we're just stoppin' long enough to pick up supplies cause it's on our way." "I know, He told me." "He did?" "Oh well ok." "I just didn't want you to get your hopes up." "I understand." "Look don't get me wrong," "I mean you wanna look at the situation, you could see it would never really work out." "It's what's inside that counts." "Exactly, and that's what his insides do best." "Count." "He's better with machines." "Shit!" "He's not too good with them either." "8 ball in the side pocket the hard way!" "Hold on!" "Ow!" "Ow!" "Ow!" "Oh!" "Ow!" "Is everyone ok?" "Huh!" "Ha ha!" "Ha ha ha" "Ha ha ha ha." "Well that seems to be the end of our transport." "What's that on your head?" "What?" "Hey I promised you a wild last ride." "You're not killed." "I said that we wouldn't get very far." "Up yours." "I hope the survivors all moved to the settlement cause this place is buried." "What are these people tryin' to hide?" "Just tryin' to hang on to what they got." "Like everyone else these days." "I hear ya." "I lost all my stuff, my plan's find out what's worth going back for, a few of the little things like my life," "Hell I'll be lucky to break even on this one." "That reward better be worth it." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Great." "Just great." "Ha ha ha" "Well that's the last time we see her." "She'll come back." "We'll wait." "How come you're right all the time?" "You got a crystal ball in there too?" "No." "But I am perceptive." "Ha ha ha." "Well you're not such a bad guy, whatever it is you sellin'" "She's definitely buying' it." "You better enjoy it." "Ariel - you promised not to reveal it." "Need to talk to the curators." "They'll never let you go again, or them." "They'll be my responsibility." "What are they doing here?" "They look like a couple of crashers." "Ha ha ha" "Hhh." "God" "Oh this is wonderful." "There's so much I want to show you." "I never thought I would actually see any of these artefacts." "Amazing!" "Crown jewels column." "That stood in the emperor's war of the realm." "I guess all of this stuff's really old..." "..could be worth a lot...." "Check out the bottle..." "The mating sequence is a religious catechism..." "Where you takin' us?" "Hey!" "how about some supplies?" "..his sense of..divine judgement but now, convergence has brought shame.." "that is shared of man's confidence, accepted history, it is excited but his doubt and his conscience." "Attempts to represent God..to identify to define, circumscribe.." "to reduce into human shame damage..to confining its.." "sterile, still images.." "This junk must be worth a fortune ..there's always help to reawaken his conscience or has it actually been responsible for destroying it?" "We've got a good library." "I'm sorry but, I do find this stimulating." "It was one of my duties to read nightly to my master." "He has a very extensive library but rather poor eyesight." "Did you hate serving him?" "I don't understand." "Your master." "Did you hate him?" "You credit me with the ability to hate, he was my master." "Did you?" "You see, he was very wealthy, but a very lonely man." "I was designed specially to be his companion, to look after him." "I was all things to him, nurse, brother, father, son, the first his pupil, I became his mentor, his alter ego, he thought of me as his friend, really, I was a slave to him." "As well as managing the household, and certain business affairs," "I travelled with him, we played chess together and had long philosophical discussions." "He was quite content to be alone by day, but he was a very highly educated gentleman." "Consequently, up here, I have all the words, thoughts, the ideas, of all the great literature of the world." "?" "Categin?" ", Higgins, Cervante, Goethe, Tolstoy." "I knew you'd understand." "Is there somewhere you think we could wash and perhaps change our clothes?" "Of course." "Where you takin' us now?" "Grab as much as we can carry and get onto the settlement." "And will you contest?" "Come on let's gear up and get on..." "Ha ha ha ha ha ha.." "Maybe we should spend one last night here." "History, science, imagination." "Life!" "Goodness, the human spirit, the human condition." "All that stuff." "Now who is he?" " Idiot." "Look, if we let people can and go, others will descend on us and devour us like duck!" "Along with everything we worked to maintain." "Oh shut up will you!" "You're beginning to sob fest me and give me another glass of champagne, if you please." "Aaaah Thank you." "And make sure that the freezer is turned on." "If we end up with warm champagne it will be a total disaster." "When I was young, I used to think life was going to be some great noble battle." "And ended up like this." "Heated rooms where people only think about food and drink and playing games." "They're terrifying the world outside." "I walk through these halls, think maybe only fools dream about heroes, great artists and saints." "I looked everywhere for someone to prove to me that my dreams weren't wrong." "I'd almost given up." "That's when I found you." "The only thing that's real to me are those dreams, and the time I've spent with you." "All the rest of life is false." "Hey Byro!" "Are we having fun yet?" "I think so." "But Matthew, can it last?" "What I wanna know is where the hell did he learn how to dance like that?" "You on the other hand are definitely poetry in motion." "If dancing' isn't dirty it's not being done right." "What?" "Here, watch me." "My master loved Fred Astaire movies, we had them all." "You know one day we're gonna look back on this as the 'good 'ol days'." "What about tomorrow?" "Don't think about tomorrow." "Don't tell me all this isn't getting through to you cause I know it is." "{ So all an grana }" "What does that mean?" "The Good Old Days." "Oh yeah?" "Come here babe." "Hey I think I got this now." "Watch this." "Do you ever wish you were someone else?" "Sure." "But not right now." "Well I don't know." "It's always the same here." "Same problems, same hang ups." "And the men, all have the same fantasies, bang!" "Careful!" "My problem is, I always get exactly what I want." "And having everything." "So depressing." "Aah!" "Gimme that!" "I want, new problems." "Okay," "Here's one." "A guy deserves to be taken in.." "and you're whole future's based on gettin' a load of dough for doin' it." "Sounds good." "Yeah." "But, he's your friend." "And if you don't do it, you're back to scrounging' in the gutter." "Sooner or later, you can walk away from the gutter." "You can never.. crawl away." "I know, I'm so bored with this body." "You're bored with this?" "Colour." "You're bored with this?" "Too small." "Boring?" "Intensely." "Bore me to death." "I'll try." "Aarhh!" "Aarrr!" "Aaah!" "I'm not accustomed to being loved." "Neither am I." "Oh yeah." "A guy could get used to this kind of life real easy." "Hey Byron!" "Byron?" "You there?" "Byron old buddy?" "He's fixed the air conditioning." " What?" " The air." "Where is he anyway?" "The buddy of mine - where'd you see him?" "Ariel." "You should never have brought these strangers here in the first place." "We need them." "One of them's down there fixing the air conditioning as well." "What?" "But that's impossible!" "Nobody can even go down there, the air is too fowl to breathe." "Androids don't need air." "Droids?" " The Madness!" "Slept with a robot?" "Lynch him." "I hear they're rather mechanical in the saddle." "Ha ha ha." "Only one of them's an android, your daughter was with a human." "Oh God!" "It's still wrong." "I knew you needed technological help." "Yes that's true." "We need.. need all the help we can get." "But you brought them here under false pretences didn't you?" "You didn't tell them they may not be allowed ever to leave." "I did it for all of us." "We can't imprison them, we tried that once before." "But it did work last time." "What do you mean?" "The poor man died after 5 miserable years to our shame and regret." "No no no no." "Everything will be destroyed if we're found out." "You can't control those people out there." "You're getting more and more myopic about this." "It's time to bite the bullet and meet the world head on." "They have to be allowed to make their own decisions." "Of course!" "Ideally you're right." "But if his friend leaves, the android will want to go with him." "His knowledge and powers are far greater than any of you realise." "If he stays here, he could use his potential, and so could we." "His safety, and ours, depends on his staying." "He belongs here." "You're very convincing." "Don't you see," "You've misled them about us." "So how can we know, you're not misleading us.." "..about them?" "Matt." "You'll never believe what happened to me last night." "Don't tell me you tried to get it on with Ariel and found out you weren't so perfect after all." "No." "I fell asleep." "Pfft!" "How?" "Counting electric sheep?" "Come on, androids don't sleep." "I did." "And, I had a dream." "Woa." "You don't sleep brother and you sure as hell don't dream." "It's true!" "It was about that place, in the west, at the far end of the slipstream, the place I told you about." "It was at the edge of the ocean, high up above the canyons where there are others like me." "Nobody lives up there, it's too high." "Not for us." "Listen, I got something to tell ya." "Would you like some coffee?" "Because I've got something to ask you." "Would you forget the coffee?" "Come here." "Now listen to me for a second I.." "Now I know what it's like to have feelings this is much more difficult." "Yeah, I figured when you'd gotten a taste of it, you'd understand that." "Here's what I want.." "You see, I want to do what's right." "and for me, apart from that one time, that's always meant, doing as I'm told." "You want to turn yourself in?" "Come on, you're no killer." "As far as I'm concerned the opposite." "Whoever he was, he was probably asking for it anyway." "Wasn't he?" "Yes he was." "Well there you are." "Besides you made up for anything you did long ago." "You turn yourself in now, they're just going to throw you in the slammer and make a clean slate of ya." "Gone!" "Just like that." "I know." "It would be a terrible waste." "It would be heart breaking." "You see.." "last night.." " Byron." "It's ok." "I came down here to tell you, you're free to go." "I beg your pardon?" "Well you don't have to do that." "No I don't understand." "Do you not need the reward money?" "What the hell." "I'd probably just blow it anyway." "Well what do I have to say?" "You're free." "When you say I'm free to go, do you mean I'm free to stay?" "I mean I'm not takin' you in." "Ha ha ho!" "Woo!" "Tasker!" "No more friend." "I wanted to ask you to join me as a friend." "As a partner." "I was thinkin' we would keep on down stream." "Start that little airship company somewhere." "Hell, a guy that could sell like you would make all the difference to a small company starting' out." "We'd be a great team." "It wouldn't have to be all work either I think I've proved that." "Hey haven't we had a great time together?" "The best I've ever had." "I'll never be able to repay you but last night," "Ariel said she needs me." "Man, they always say that." "No." "She wants me to stay here." "Don't you see she just wants to make you the last part of their collection." "I'm you friend." "Right?" "Yes you are." "Come with me then, it'll be great." "This android heaven you're talkin' about, what's that gonna be?" "A bunch of robots?" "A bunch of toasters up there?" "Matt." "She says she loves me." "Well I'm real happy for ya." "Okay, we'll bring Ariel along too." "I couldn't ask her to do that." "She might say no." "I wouldn't want to be free without her." "Matt." "What have you done to me?" "Help me!" "Tell me what to do!" "Is this the end of our friendship?" "Is this what it's like to be human?" "I don't I'm up to it." "You know what your problem is?" "You think too much." "Trust your instincts." "But that's the point." "Can I trust my instincts?" "Can I be trusted with human feelings?" "Can you trust me?" "Can I trust myself?" "I've already taken a human life." "Last night with Ariel, I wanted to be able to die!" "Who's in charge here?" "Who are you?" "What is the meaning of this?" "Who the hell are you?" "He's in here somewhere." "All I want is the android." "What android?" "We followed him here." "What happens to him is our business." "He's wanted for murder." "Is that part of your business too?" "Your saviour is a murderer?" "No." "If he has really done something we'll bring him here, there's no need for this!" "But how do we know?" "This is all you need to know." "We have our own laws here." "And I decide.. what happens." "We'll take care of it in our way." "I'm tired of talking." "I want that android or piece by piece I'll blow this place apart." "And then I'll start on the living ones." "Don't shoot please!" "Get him!" "No!" "You mustn't!" "We know where he is." "They're here!" "I guess they really do want you to stay." "They want you in the conference room now!" "We don't want any more trouble with him." "Goddamn!" "Why is it every time I catch up with you, you just got knocked on your arse." "Hmm?" "That maybe so," "But I keep gettin' up don't I?" "I think maybe you got up once too often." "You won't use that thing," "Ooh." "What makes you say that?" "Because lady, I know I got to you a little." "Uh hmm?" "Well again.." "Aaahh!" "Sorry I gotta do this." "This oughta keep ya out of trouble for a while." "You dumb son of a bitch." "That was the antidote." "Alright, let me go." "How much time did I have left?" "A few days." "What's the difference." "You go out there, Tasker will kill you." "Tryin' to save me twice in one day?" "Why should you die?" "Matt." "The key!" "Don't do this!" "Byron!" "I'm sorry." "I wanted you to stay." "No one is to blame." "I'm only sorry that lives were lost." "And your partner can't help you anymore." "He's not leavin' with you." "No!" "Wait!" "No more killing!" "Not over me!" "Oh come here.." "Are you alright?" "oh." "I knew it'd come to this." "Let's do it." "Don't go!" "You'll lose!" "I already have." "I put out my hand." "And touch the face of God." "Android come on." "Come on." "Come on!" "Pull us out of this!" "Pull us up!" "Pull us up!" "Come on you're doin' it!" "Come on!" "Come on we're gonna make it!" "We're gonna make it!" "Ha ha ha ha ha!" "In the end, he thought I could save him." "I'm too dangerous to be human." "No you're not." "We're the one." "Thanks!" "I hope you find that place!" "The one you've been dreamin' about!" "Come on let's go build some of those balloons you're talkin' about." "We'll visit him." "There goes my best friend." "Wrong again." "That's my job." "Oh yeah?" "What makes you think so?" "Cause I know I got to you a little."