Nobodies of the New Planet by Hugh Le - Transcript
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Profanity, Violence, Gore
Page 1:
Panel 1: A view of an open sky. The narration reads, “It is year 2226. Long ago, in hopes of finding a new home in place of our dying earth, space and military forces worldwide abandoned us, in search of a new planet.
From a speech bubble out of frame is a burly voice saying, “Alright, let’s run through this one more time.”
Page 2:
Panel 1: The burly voice is none other than Kaya, squad leader of the Human Deliverance. On a map of the new San Francisco Bay Area, his finger is planted on a part of the map marked with a star. He says, “Right about here, our scouts have reported sightings of a steel chimera inside the transbay tube. Your platoon is to target and neutralize it, if possible.”
Panel 2: Standing next to Kaya is Brett, the newly appointed leader and tactician of Kaya’s exploration platoon. Around the two figures are large shipping containers and old cranes, abandoned from long ago. The sky is overcast and the ground scattered with puddles from the rain. Kaya finishes briefing Brett on his mission, saying, “the more we find, the better we can trace the F.P.C’s whereabouts.”
Panel 3: We see a closer view of Kaya. He is tall and stocky, with dark skin and long braids tied into a low ponytail. He turns to Brett, asking, “Any questions for your first field mission?”
Panel 4: We see a closer view of Brett. He is shorter and smaller in frame, with short and ruffled black hair. Through his thick framed glasses, he has a timid expression. Slowly, he asks, “Kaya... What if.. What if I’m not ready?”
Page 3:
Panel 1: Kaya looks at Brett with a soft, calm smile.
Panel 2: Kaya looks out of frame, pointing out to Brett someone in the distance. Brett looks curiously as Kaya asks, “Brett, you see over there?”
Panel 3: In the distance stands three figures. Two of the figures are conversing with each other on the left. The third figure is seated by a shipping container by herself. From out of frame, Kaya explains to Brett, “That’s the platoon you’re going to be assigned to. They’ll be here to cover you.”
Panel 4: A zoomed up view of the leftmost figure. They have short bleached hair, and wear a leather jacket with a fur collar. They are speaking, but from this distance what they are discussing is unclear. Kaya introduces this person to Brett, saying, “Over there is Sam. One of my right hand men, a trained fighter.”
Panel 5: A zoomed up view of the center figure conversing with Sam. He has a taller stature, wearing cargo pants and a thick turtleneck under a utility vest. His braids, similar to Kaya, are tied in a low ponytail. Kaya introduces him to Brett also, saying, “And next to them is Lou. He’s going to be managing the support artillery.”
Panel 6: A zoomed up view of the last and rightmost figure, seated by the shipping container.
She has big, frizzy pigtails and wears striped arm warmers, baggy cargo jeans, and a zip up vest with a big black star in the center. She wears a listless expression on her face. Kaya briefs Brett on the last of his new team members, explaining, “That one over there is a new recruit - a rookie, like you. Her name is ‘Ena,’ I believe.”
Panel 7: From a distance, Brett stares at Ena with a curious expression on his face.
Page 4:
Panel 1: Ena notices Brett staring and makes a disgusted expression at him. From out of frame, Kaya finishes the introductions, saying, “She’s shown great promise as a fighter, so best to have her on the front line.”
Panel 2: Brett nervously averts his gaze.
Panel 3: Kaya puts his hand on Brett’s tensed up shoulders.
Panel 4: A close up of Kaya’s face. He has a confident smile on his face as he reassures Brett.
He exclaims, “My point is that you’re never alone. Ready or not, you have people with you, Brett.”
Panel 5: Brett remains caught up in his nerves, his brow furrowing. Kaya half jokingly asks, “Besides, what’s a good tactician without experience on the field?” Brett responds timidly, “R-right..”
Panel 6: Brett looks down into a puddle at his feet. His reflection stares back at him with a worried expression. From out of frame, Kaya continues to reassure Brett, saying, “I have faith that you’ll make a fine leader. You’re my son, after all.”
Page 5:
Panel 1: At Ena’s feet is a puddle. Her listless expression stares back at her from the puddle.
From out of frame, Sam calls out to her, “Hey, Rookie! Captain Kaya is here.”
Panel 2: Ena looks up from the puddle. Her expression remains blank.
Panel 3: Sam and Lou walk off toward Kaya, as Sam calls out again, “Up and at ‘em, sunshine.”
Panel 4: An overhead view. Kaya and Brett meet up with Sam, Lou, and Ena. Lou calls out, “Captain!” while Sam follows up with a casual, “Hey, Cap.” Kaya greets them, saying, “Morning, you two. I take it you’ve already read the mission briefing?” Lou and Sam exclaim in response, “Yes, sir!”
Page 6:
Panel 1: Kaya looks at Ena with fierce, confident eyes. He exclaims, “Ena! Welcome, rookie.
We’ll be evaluating you on today’s mission.”
Panel 2: Ena’s brow is slightly furrowed. She keeps her listless composure, responding with a lifeless “...Obliged.”
Panel 3: Kaya looks over at a still nervous Brett, placing his hand on Brett’s shoulder. He concludes the briefing, stating, “Alright, that’s everyone here accounted for. Brett, I leave it to you.” Brett reacts nervously, going “Ah...”
Panel 4: Brett, with his eyes glued shut and his brows furrowed, gulps.
Panel 5: Brett responds to Kaya with a delayed “...Yeah.” In front of the party is the entrance into the Transbay Tube, the only passage left that connects the California East Bay to the remains of San Francisco. The entrance to the underwater tube has long been disheveled and abandoned.
Page 7:
Panel 1: The walls from inside the tube are dark, rusted, and dank. There is an intact sign that reads, “CIVIC CENTER.” From out of frame, Ena calls out, “Hey.”
Panel 2: The party continues walking down the transbay tub. Pipes and tubes line the ceiling of the tube. Lou and Sam take the lead, with Brett in the center and Ena as the anchor in the party formation. From the back, Ena calls out, “So what’s the deal with this whole operation, anyway?Everyone wants to explore the San Francisco ruin these days, but why the Deliverance?”
Panel 3: Brett frustratingly sneers at Ena, saying “Looks like someone didn’t read the mission briefing.”
Panel 4: Ena grimaces and jabs back at Brett, exclaiming, “Oooh, attitude. You nervous or something?”
Panel 5: Sam looks back to answer Ena’s question, explaining, “There’ve been reports of a steel chimera down here. With it, we might find a lead.. To the F.P.C.”
Panel 6: The transbay tube snakes out behind the party into the distance, the darkness marking how far they’ve traveled since entering the tube. Ena exclaims, “The Future Progress Coalition.”
Sam responds, “So you know them. Ever since the last of those pigs left the planet, there’s been an uptick of strange phenomena occurring here.”
Page 8:
Panel 1: Lou adds on to Sam’s monologue, explaining, “They’ve all been coming from the ports.
For some reason, all of their origins have been traced to old San Francisco.”
Panel 2: Ena’s brow furrows as she deduces the Human Deliverance’s intentions, saying, “So you think that by finding where all these monsters are coming from, you’ll be able to track the F.P.C.”
Panel 3: A camera shot of the San Francisco ruins’ cityscape. Many buildings have either been leveled or sunken below the rising sea level. The tides crash as Lou explains from out of frame, “Best case scenario, we’d probably only be able to find what’s left of them on earth.”
Panel 4: Lou finishes, saying, “A route to them directly in space, though? ...I honestly doubt it.
Only scraps at best. In the background a lone space station floats in space, as the earth sits in the distance. Asteroids are flying about.
Panel 5: Brett looks down in disappointment, with his brow furrowed.
Panel 6: Sam looks back at Ena with an impish expression on their face as they ask Ena, “So what brings you here, Rookie? Why join us?” Ena, with her arms up around her head responds casually, “hm... The pay is nice.”
Page 9:
Panel 1: From out of frame, Brett condescendingly reacts, asking, “that’s it?” Ena, now with her arms at her waist, questions Brett, asking, “Huh? Whaddya mean, ‘that’s it?’”
Panel 2: Brett, with a frustrated expression on his face, elaborates, saying, “I mean, joining the Human Deliverance just to make money? If you’re only here to make a profit, isn’t that just the same as joining the F.P.C?
Panel 3: Ena’s expression turns to an angry scowl as she reacts, exclaiming, “Yo, what’s your deal, four-eyes?”
Panel 4: An overhead shot of Ena and Brett. On the ground are railway insulators that have long since been defunct. Ena begins to call out Brett’s ignorance and privilege, exclaiming, “You can fight your war for ideals or whatever the fuck, but not everyone has the luxury of being able to feed themselves every day. Is this black and white two-dimensional bullshit what your dear captain teaches you at home?”
Panel 5: Brett quickly turns back at Ena, now angry and defensive.
Panel 6: From out of frame, Brett and Ena begin bickering at each other, while Sam and Lou sigh in resignation in frame.
Brett angrily shouts, “DON’T TALK ABOUT KAYA LIKE THAT!!!”
Ena sneers back, “Oooh, first name basis, are you? What are you, his DOG!? Brown-nosed piece of shit!!”
Brett reacts again, shouting, “WHAT, YOU WANNA FIGHT!?”
Ena accepts his request with full confidence, exclaiming, “YEAH, BITCH, I’M GONNA BREAK YOUR LITTLE TWIGGY ASS ARMS!!!”
Sam sighs, as Lou defeatedly remarks, “So much for an evaluation, huh?”
Page 10:
Panel 1: Sam’s expression suddenly grows serious, as she exclaims, “..wait.”
Panel 2: Ena is holding up Brett by the collar in one hand while her other hand is raised into a fist. Sam calls back to them, saying, “Hey, save it for later, you two.” Lou points his flashlight forward, exclaiming, “there’s something moving up ahead!”
Panel 3: A camera view from the back. The party looks ahead into the tunnel’s depths. From the defunct railways, snaking pipes, and rusted insulators, something is calling out from the shadows further into the tunnel. It calls out in broken Morse code.
Panel 4: Brett looks off afraid into the distance, calling out, “T-there’s... ...There’s no way, right?”
Panel 5, Panel 6: On the ground emerging from the shadows is an amalgamation of flesh and metal, blood and steel. Bits of flesh drip to the ground, with several toothed mouths and globs of veined flesh pop out from screws and bolts. It continues calling out in Morse code.
Page 11:
Panel 1: The being emerges from the shadows. There are two decomposed human heads, one at the figure’s top and one inside of the figure’s stomach. The top head has been fused into a machine, its brains lit and dimly flashing against old circuitry. The bottom head has a live brain that is intact, pulsating and beating inside of the monster’s ribcage. Its pelvis and right arm are made of steel and old wire circuits, flesh and bolts holding together its joints. Its left arm has been entirely consumed by flesh, veined and dripping from pipage on its shoulder.
Panel 2: Brett, afraid, exclaims, “W-what even is that thing!?” Behind Brett, Ena readies a crowbar. With a furrowed brow and a deadpan expression, she says, “Gross.”
Panel 3: Lou exclaims, “that’s gotta be the Steel Chimera!”
Panel 4: In response, Sam exclaims, “Alright, that’s our target, let’s neutralize it!”
Panel 5: Brett nervously shouts, “W-wait, so how are we going to kill this thing-” before being immediately interrupted by Ena, who charges forward with a crowbar in her hand. She exclaims in deadpan, “Aight cool ready set go,” much to Brett’s confusion.
Page 12:
Panel 1: Sam and Ena charge at the Steel Chimera with crowbars in hand. Sam leads the charge, with Ena as the anchor.
Panel 2: Sam winds up their crowbar and exclaims, “Follow my lead, Rookie!”
Panel 3: Sam swiftly strikes the Steel Chimera upward with a “CLANG.” The Steel Chimera recoils back.
Panel 4: Ena immediately follows up with a downward, two-handed strike, beating the Steel Chimera into the ground with a loud “DOOM.”
Panel 5: Ena looks down and sneers at the Steel Chimera. She jabs with an enthused “Haha, get fucked.” Sam looks out of frame over to Lou and calls out, “Lou!! How’s the laser!?”
Panel 6: Lou turns to Sam with a look of frustration on his face. At his feet is a large bag with a laser cannon inside. He shouts, “Damnit, it’s got no power!!”
Page 13:
Panel 1: Ena looks over to Sam in confusion, exclaiming, “Wait, hold up, we have a LASER?”
Sam explains to Ena, “Steel Chimeras have circuits that regenerate its flesh! We’ve gotta fry it if we wanna kill it for good.” Ena jabs back, exclaiming, “Yo, what kind of cheap ass zombie movie production is this!?”
Panel 2: The Steel Chimera begins to regenerate its flesh, rising up from the ground, gurgling.
Panel 3: Brett fearfully chirps, “eep!” Ena frustratedly says, “Man, I thought I broke that part.”
Panel 4: The Steel Chimera, now having regenerated, turns its neck to face Brett, with a pronounced “KRAK.”
Panel 5: The Steel Chimera lunges at Brett, its flesh bits flying toward him. Brett falls backward and screams, “WAH!!”
Panel 6: Ena intercepts the Steel Chimera before it can attack Brett. Her crowbar and the Steel Chimera’s body make a “KLANG” sound as they clash.
Panel 7: Ena looks back at Brett as she’s holding off the Steel Chimera, shouting, “So are you just gonna sit there and be useless or are you gonna do something, pussy!?” Brett, with one arm up to block his face, responds back with a meek “S-sorry!”
Page 14:
Panel 1: Brett exclaims with a “!” as he notices something out of frame.
Panel 2, Panel 3: From Brett’s perspective, an electric generator lies in the background as Ena and Sam continue to fight the Steel Chimera. On the generator is a label that reads, “WARNING! HIGH VOLTAGE.” Brett exclaims, “Over there, that’s... That’s a power source!”
Panel 4: Brett runs toward the generator, avoiding the fighting as he shouts, “I can be useful too, damnit!!”
Panel 5: From out of frame, Brett calls out, “LOU!!” Lou, in frame, looks up in response.
Panel 6: Brett pulls out a large cable from the electric generator as he calls out, “GET THE LASER!!”
Panel 7: Sam, now behind Ena, calls out to her to telegraph their next attack, saying, “Hey, so we’re gonna pull this thing down and make an opening. Think you can do that?” Ena, already in fighting position, readies up her crowbar again, saying, “Hm, yea, I can do that.”
Page 15:
Panel 1: Ena takes a tow cable that was hooked to her waist and runs forward, shouting, “Let’s get ‘em!”
Panel 2: With Ena holding on one end of the cable and Sam holding onto the other, the two fighters run past the Steel Chimera on both sides, taking the rope with them. Sam shouts, “Now, PULL!”
Panel 3: Ena and Sam pull the tow rope from behind the Steel Chimera, pulling it against its neck. The Steel Chimera is now held down.
Panel 4: Ena and Sam struggle to pull against the Steel Chimera’s weight, but continue to hold it in place. Ena exclaims, “Damn, this shit’s heavy!!”
Page 16:
Panel 1: Sam shouts out, “LOU! BRETT!!” as they struggle to hold the Steel Chimera down.
Panel 2: The laser cannon begins to charge and activate as Lou’s finger plants itself on the on switch. Lou exclaims, “Aw yeah, Laser Baby is online!!”
Panel 3: Lou’s hand grips on to the laser cannon’s side railing.
Panel 4: The laser begins to charge up a large ball of electrical energy, as Brett and Lou hold onto its railing, steadying it. Lou exclaims, “We’re gonna fry this thing!!” as the cannon sounds, “WRRRRRRRRRRR.”
Panel 5: The Steel Chimera continues to choke on the tow rope that’s keeping it in place.
Panel 6: As the laser cannon illuminates the Transbay Tube, Lou steadies it, shouting, “READY...”
Panel 7: Brett holds on to the railing to steady the cannon. His eyes are locked forward at the party’s target. From out of frame, Lou exclaims, “AIM...”
Page 17, Page 18:
Panel 1: A spread panel. Through the tunnel, Brett and Lou’s laser fires with a giant “FWOOOOOOO,” eviscerating the Steel Chimera’s circuits. A sea of flesh is blown out from the Steel Chimera’s torso as its limbs and circuitry are fried.
Panel 2: The Steel Chimera’s center is entirely blown out. Its bottom head has been blown up, and blood continues to pour out from its blown out flesh. Its circuits are fried as it attempts to lean itself forward.
Panel 3: Brett turns forward, shouting, “GO!!”
Panel 4: Lou looks upward and shouts, “FINISH IT!!!”
Panel 5: Ena dashes toward the Steel Chimera.
Panel 6: Sam shouts, “GET ‘EM, ROOKIE!!”
Page 19:
Panel 1: Ena’s legs stomp into the dirt as Ena sprints toward the Steel Chimera. Her crowbar is at her side, gripped tightly in her hand.
Panel 2: The Steel Chimera calls out weakly in morse code. Its human brain at the top of its head is now fully exposed, the machinery having blown into bits. Its head rears down as it dies slowly.
Panel 3: Ena, sprinting at the Steel Chimera, winds up her crowbar. Her arms wind up the way a baseball player winds their bat, and she twists her torso back as she winds up to strike down the monster.
Page 20:
Panel 1: Ena, fully wound up, strikes downward at the Steel Chimera. The last thing the Steel Chimera sees before death is Ena, her eyes fixated and focused, her arms bringing down her weapon to strike.
Panel 2: The panel goes black as Ena lands her strike with a violent “KRAK.”
Page 21:
Panel 1: A dead Steel Chimera lies on the ground at the party’s feet. Its brain has been mutilated and turned to little bloody bits of flesh at the hands of Ena’s crowbar. From out of frame, Sam says, “Well, that’s that. Brett, you have samples documented for the captain?” Brett responds from out of frame, answering, “Yes, it’s all been collected. ..I think we can confirm this mission as a success.”
Panel 2: Lou, zipping up the bag holding the laser, chirps with satisfaction at Brett, exclaiming, “Good save with the laser today, Brett. Looks like Captain was right to assign you here.” Brett looks back at Lou, responding, “I...”
Panel 3: Brett looks down pensively. He responds to Lou, saying, “..To be honest, I don’t know. I didn’t really do anything.. All I really did was sit there half the time.”
Panel 4: Sam puts their shoulder on Brett and winks, saying, “Hey, it’s your first time on the field, buddy. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you did good today.”
Panel 5: Off in the distance, Ena yawns.
Panel 6: Brett stares at Ena with a contemplative expression.
Page 22:
Panel 1: Brett approaches Ena with his hand extended out, saying, “Uh, hey...” Ena looks back at Brett and asks, “Huh? Whaddya want?”
Panel 2: Brett, looking off to the side, nervously croaks, “I uh.. ..Thanks.”
Panel 3: Ena looks at Brett with a deadpan stare, saying nothing.
Panel 4: Brett, noticeably more nervous, tenses up his shoulders and begins to sweat. He finishes, saying, “..Uh. ...For helping me out. ..Earlier.”
Panel 5: Ena looks off to the side with a deadpan stare, saying nothing.
Panel 6: Ena cocks her head and sticks her pinky finger into her ear, and with a deadpan stare asks, “Sorry, what did you say? I didn’t quite catch that.” Brett indignantly turns away, shouting “NEVERMIND, ASSHOLE! FORGET I SAID ANYTHING!!!”
Panel 7: From out of frame, Ena calls out to Brett, “If you pull your weight, you don’t gotta thank me for nothin.” In frame, Brett looks back in surprise.
Page 23:
Panel 1: Ena, with hands on her hips and a cocky smile, chirps “You should teach me how to use the big laser thingy next time. Then I’ll call it even.”
Panel 2: Brett looks back indignantly and jabs back at Ena, responding “Maybe if you teach me how to fight first. Then I can beat you in a fist-fight.”
Panel 3: Ena sneers and mocks Brett, saying “Ooh, scary.”
Panel 4: Sam looks back at the two rookies and says, “Hey, hurry up, you two. We’re gonna leave you in the tube otherwise.” Lou, already walking off with one hand up waving, says “Bye-bye.”
Panel 5: Brett follows after the rest of the party, calling out, “Ah yeah.. Coming!” Ena is up ahead, looking back at Brett, while Sam and Lou continue to walk out the tunnel. Light has flooded the walls of the tunnel - the party has reached the end of the Transbay Tube.
Page 24:
Panel 1: The scene fades to black. The narration reads, “It is the year 2226. The days of our dying earth go like this, meandering and searching in constant cycle. These are our days as the abandoned. We are nobodies, left behind on our dying planet.”