Act 1 Part 2: People of the new world
Standing tall with his sword sheathed and his modified hunting rifle hanging over his left shoulder Hickory watched over the town of Lincoln. Were his eyes deceiving him? Had the madness of loneliness and isolation finally gripped Hickory plunging him deeper and deeper into insanity? The town of Lincoln was alive, its veins flowing with people like red blood cells. Walking down the road into town Hickory noticed the rusted cars ravaged by time were no longer blocking the road, the entrance was open with guards armed with spears. As Hickory approached the guard raised his arm signalling to stop. "Why are you here?" He asked pointing the spear at Hickory's face. "Guess where that spear will go if you continued to point at my face" Hickory replied grabbing his rifle from over his shoulder. "I'm a local seeking to find the leader of this town, I only want to talk" Hickory continued hanging his rifle once again over his shoulder posing no threat.
The guard grunted as his moved his spear away, "Follow me then" he spat bitterly leading Hickory into town. The street was dilapidated, windows were covered his pieces of wood and sheet metal. Men on top of roofs armed with nothing but a revolver watching over the civilian population. The laughter of children was nearby. It was sickly sweet being once again in the presence of people again for Hickory as he was often a loner when people were around; Hickory was often disgusted by their presence usually. How a dead planet changed him was unpredictable.
The guard stopped at a police station, one police car was being worked on. The engine needed a few parts but was reparable, the petrol tank needed replacing and the radiator was shattered in pieces. Walking inside a skinny black man wearing a metal helmet made from a stop sign sat down behind the bullet proof glass of the reception desk. "The first visitor we have ever had, welcome to Washington!" he proclaimed standing up bursting from his office chair.
"The town is actually called Lincoln" Hickory corrected.
"Ugh, shit. I better let the folks know then huh. How'd you know that by the way?" The man asked sitting back in his chair. Scratching his head trapped in confusion.
"I was around when it was populated, I lived in Lincoln and went to school in Mandarin College with the leading officer of this police station" Hickory replied. "In the evidence room there is a gun made from plastic drain pipes, conduit tape and a leaf blower"
"Jaden Nash, but you can call me Johnny if you want." Jaden smiled widely and creepily "What brings you here by the way, not like you need help if you were stuck here by yourself for all those years with that big noggin of yours" Jaden replied
"What are you people doing here actually? It is hazardous with all the Slagmites around. How'd you get here?" Hickory questioned
"If you must know all these people signed up to come here, most of us were drifters and travellers or homeless people living on other planets, rejected by society. Various men are criminals looking for another chance of free life. A company called Shatterhouse was looking for anyone missing families or without a comforting home to repopulate the planet of Kronos once again." Jaden replied
"What about those red camera bots? What are they for? I mean it is not like they are doing nothing, do you even know or are they just watching you like a lost puppy dog" Hickory explained
"I think they are watching us to see if we are behaving properly, no repeats of what your people did here. Fucking up the planet for a second time would be almost impossible though" Jaden explained
"Repeats!? My people!? Just because I am Kronian doesn't make me a bad person" Hickory replied raising his voice in anger at Jaden. "What is this great mystery anyway that one of the cameras printed?" Hickory asked again calming down.
"There is a man called Orville, he'll tell you more but only I know where he is in this dainty little town. If you stop our little local problem with a mutant called 'Smiles' I will send a shaman with you to meet Orville" Jaden explained leaning in towards to desk glass.
Grunting out loud Hickory rubbed his eyes with his hand, "Fine, but I want a full nights rest and meals before I go in the morning" Hickory agreed.