Scene #1266: Out of the Frying Pan into the Technotopia

Owner	Pose
Iji	One Iji Kataiser, reluctant cyborg and would-be world-saving hero has decided she hates deserts. The tall woman has managed to snag a body-covering cloak and mask to keep the sand out, her brown hair fluttering in desert winds. Nanogun in her hands, clutching it tightly, she all but stumbles down the last dune towards the single civilization that's promised safety for the last three days. Raiders, horrible artificial monstrosities alike have tested her newfound abilities through the slog. The pure versatility alone of her weapon has given her the right to breathe, and only her cyborg implants allowing her to survive so long without food and water, untrained at survival situations. But even she is reaching her limits. She's still a scared teenager at the end of it all. Thus, as the walls of the city loom upwards, she finds herself stumbling forward with renewed strength. "HEYYYYYY!" Comes the hoarse, water-deprised, sand-choked scream for help before she tumbles to her knees.
Taro	This is all highly unusual. Ground traffic to the city is normally only by convoy, in sturdy vehicles capable of withstanding the unforgiving environment outside. To arrive on foot is practically unheard of. For a human? Even a cybernetically enhanced one, it's easy to call this a once in a decade event. A short time later, a light flyer arrives, having changed course on its way toward the city to make an emergency rescue. Not precisely military, though it does have the sigil of Neo Arcadia on it along with the sigil of SHODAN, fairly rugged and about the size of another world's SUV. Its side door slides open even before it touches down, and a small man in a cassock and a half-facemask hops out. Above the objections of his driver, who powers down the repulsorlifts without shutting them down completely. Quick if uneven steps brings Taro to the lost person's side, tools rattling lightly in their holsters. There's a weapon or two on his belt as well, but he's not reaching for them. His brow is furrowed, but aside from that it's hard to read his expression behind the filter mask. Assuming she's even conscious enough to see him by the time he reaches her.
Iji	Iji, somewhere in the back of her mind, vaguely registers the sound of a vehicle pulling up. By now, she's somewhat used to grav-car type devices. She even owns one herself! But the early-2000's born girl is simply too stuck in old habits, and thus her eyes peer up with vague confusion. Which swiftly shifts to utter hope. "...Water...Please..." Mutters Iji as she struggles quite uselessly to stand up. Her nanofield weakly shimmers about her. Luckily, it's hardly in combat mode, and thus there's no resistance should Taro try to help haul her up. Iji Kataiser, as it turns out, is quite light for being a cyborg. Not having massive internal armor and relying on nano as your power source and most of your shielding helps. She is, unfortunately, quite tall and may be slightly difficult to maneuver around, given how slack she is overall.
Taro	"Can you..." Taro begins in a muffled voice, but the question is answered before he can finish it. "No, you can't." He moves to grab her before she can move any further, his grasp rather strong for as wiry as he is. He doesn't intend to be rough, but her weakness and their relative sizes, along with his sharp shoulders may make getting her onto her feet and then hoisted into what may pass for piggy-back over his back a little uncomfotable. "Inside first," he tells her, "Then water." The pumpkin-colored haired driver has slipped his own filter mask on and stepped out by the time Taro manages to carry-drag the woman to the flyer. Between the two of them, regardless of how little help she can be on her own, they'll settle her across the comfortable bench of seats in the back. Taro slips into one of the rear-facing seats across from her. He does not remove his mask, though he does reach into one of the compartments built into the armrest to pull out a small bottle of water. This he uncaps and pours into a small cup. "Can you hold this?"
Iji	Iji doesn't even protest at the rough hauling to her feet, nor the sharp grinding in her shoulder. At first. There's some light grumbling once they're actually in the car. It sounds something like 'Damn Shredders. Stupid Tasen. Stupid pointy corners'. What's she talking about? There's a bottle of water dangled before her, and that mask of her own is torn off with indecent haste. It's all but snatched away in a burst of energy she has /no/ idea where it came from. Two seconds later, the water is choked down, and she's coughing up bits of sand from her lungs. Finally, she lets out a long, long sigh, and just slumps for a moment; long legs kicked up against the side of the flyer's door. There's also sand /everywhere/ by now given how long she's been out there. Poor thing needs a shower too. Silence for a moment as she catches her breath, then Iji looks Taro in the face. There's a weak smile. "...Uhh. Hi." She starts, slightly awkward. A few more breaths. "Where am I? I followed a Komato Scout Team out of the warp gate into the desert, and..." Frown. She's no expert at navigating the desert. She shudders, recalling all the horrors she faced. That gun of hers is dragged close, clutched a bit. A long, silent minute later, and it passes as she calms herself slowly. "Sorry. Long couple days. I'm Iji. Thanks. I...ok, so it's a bit lame, but 'I owe you one' is going to have to do for right now." Then, there's another weak smile.
Taro	The flyer has impressive soundproofing - once the door slides closed, it locks out the sounds of the wastelands with it. At least until the driver's door opens long enough to admit him, but once the door is shut so too is the noise. There's a hum more felt than heard when the engines power up again, followed by a bounce-thump as the machine takes to the skys again. "Screen Temple Hospital," Taro turns his head in the direction of the driver, delivering orders in calm tones. "We'll take her there for decon and treatment." Then, his attention turns back to their unexpected passenger. "Small sips," he tells her. Which is precisely why he handed her the cup rather than the entire bottle. The water is mildly saltly, but in her dehydrated state she probably won't even taste it. "Hello." He lets her gather her thoughts and ask her questions before saying anything more, and while he does keep an eye on where she's pointing that weapon of hers, he does not seem about to try taking it away from her. "I am Taro Daisho. My Vicar, Asher, is is our driver. You are outside Neo Arcadia. Neo Arcadia prime, specifically, but few here bother with the numeral designation. You, Iji, appear lucky to be alive."
Iji	Iji definitely doesn't even notice. It's wet, and her body tells her it's good. That's about enough for her right now. "Neo...Arcadia." Blink. It's one of those stares of the lost and confused. She then just sighs and slumps again. For all of her heat-exhaustion and orientation, she's keeping the blasty-end of her block of a gun pointed away from herself and Taro. She, after all, doesn't want to shoot her saviour accidentally. "Taro, huh?" A nod. Seems this one isn't for formalities. "Guess I owe both of you, then. You're telling me. I always knew deserts where rough, but...all the thieves, and those...those /THINGS/!" Cue another shudder. She could do without seeing one for the rest of her life. When she's calm again, she blinks. "...This sort of thing happen often? I, uh...sorry. Never heard of Neo Arcadia. I'm from Earth. Oh, uh, and sorry about the gun." Frown. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't lock me up for weapon laws or something. It's, uh, really important to me."
Taro	It's not exactly a formal situation. Thus formalities are not to be insisted upon. "Thieves?" Taro echoes, his tone making it a question. As for the 'things', that he has an answer for her. "Ferals, most likely. Combat machines left over from the wars, without anything left to defend or left to control them." When she shudders, he does not reach out to offer comfort. Instead, he reaches out for her cup to refill it. "It is more than a desert - it is a wasteland. Another inheritance from the wars. As for your weapon, I would not think to take it from you, much less have you arrested for it. I suspect if you had not had it, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
Iji	Iji nods. "Yeah. These jerks came out of nowhere, demanded I give them all my food and my gun." She gave them one of those. A wasteland. Comprehension dawns. "So...your world was destroyed like mine?" She waves towards the direction of the wasteland. "What was it? Aliens? War?" Then, she catches herself. "Er, uh, that is if it's not too personal." Then, there's a weak chuckle. "Yeah. It's why I don't go anywhere without it. Having a bunch of hostile aliens wanting to kill you is one thing. But the Multiverse seems so..different. Too many things you can't see coming."
Taro	Taro gives a small shake of his head. "It was...an internal conflict. A complicated story that we still don't know in full." Then his voice turns sour. "Another so called Resistance group must be trying to form. We'll have to look into that. I will have questions...but this can wait." Another small shake of his head, this time to clear those thoughts. "Are you injured? Aside from spending too long in the elements, that is. Is there anyone that we should contact to let you know you've been found?"
Iji	It's mentally put into the category of 'long time ago.' Iji actually sighs in relief that she hasn't committed some social gaff. A raised brow. "Resistance? I take it that conflict hasn't fully ended?" Connects the dots, the good cyborg lady. There's a shake of the head. "No. My nanoshield took all the hits. Their guns were pretty out of shape. Some of them seemed pretty advanced, but, no punch to them." Then, she pauses. "I could use some Nano though, I'm running pretty low. Uhh. It's an energy source, not entirely sure how it works. I've been told there's little machines that power it all. I'm not your typical human. An experiment, really." She goes silence once more, eyes sharp and thoughtful after a moment. She dithers on the decision. "..I'll take care of that when I'm on my feet. Sorry. Had a few too many bad encounters." She says apologetically. Saving her or not, she's not about to trust a world she hasn't read up on.
Taro	It's hard to get a good read of Taro's face with the mask covering his nore and mouth, but his eyes definitely narrow. "Again, the full story is complicated. But let us say that," he raises one gloved hand, palms up, "there have been a few who feel that I did not go far enough in my policies," he raises his other in the same gesture, "and a handful who felt that I went too far." A pause. "The wasteland usually tends to eliminate the latter group on its own. It is exceptionally harsh to human life." The flyer is not a slow craft, and it's not long before it passes above the massive walls and into the spires of the city. Kilometers upon kilometers of towers reaching for the sky, gleaming and lively, a stark contrast to the land outside. Their flight path is as direct as the infrastructure allows toward the skyscraper marked with the near-multiversal symbol of Hospital. "Nanomachines," Taro guesses aloud. "We're familiar with the technology, though perhaps not with your specific type...still, the medics will see to your needs as best possible." The flyer slows as it makes its approach, and then lands with a gentle tump on the building's rooftop landing pad. An EMT crew in masks and goggles rush for the door as soon as they land, ready with wheelchairs and blankets and handheld scanners.