| The
Tribal Gathering - Ep.28-29 |
| When Trudy came back to the Mall (Ep.25) she brought
news of an upcoming Tribal Gathering being organized by Ebony. Bray
and Amber immediately see the possibilities and potential, and a real
chance to make peace among the tribes. Bray visits Ebony at the Hotel
for more information. It is to be part Carnival, part trading market.
There will also be a dance competition with a substantial prize for
the winner. |
| Amber finds Tai-San practicing her dance routine for
the competition. Turning off the music, Amber is obviously hostile
toward her, reminding her that she hasn't yet been chosen as the Mallrats
entry. Amber doesn't hide that this is really about Tai-San messing
with others' lives, meaning Lex and Zandra. Tai-San won't accept Amber's
criticism, certainly doesn't need permission to dance, and is by far
the obvious choice. Here's a chance for her to do something useful
for the tribe, so why does Amber want to get in her way? |
Amber announces the arrangements for the Gathering.
Most everyone will be going, including Jack (to demonstrate
the wind turbine) and Tai-San (as the Mallrats' entry for the
dance competition).
Salene and Patsy will stay behind with Trudy to look after Brady. |
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| Everything imaginable goes wrong. Having promised the
tribe leaders a demonstration of the wind turbine, Bray learns that
it isn't working. KC wanders off, and when Lex goes to look for him,
he gets beaten up by a bunch of Locos led by Glen. KC returns to report
that he has spotted Dal, now a slave, bought by Ebony. Amber makes
a wager with Ebony, that if Tai-San wins the dance competition, Ebony
will hand Dal over. The flip side is that Amber will also become Ebony's
slave if the Loco dancer wins. |
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Bray and Amber explain why it is now so important
that Tai-San should win. The Loco dancer has already performed;
now it's Tai-San's turn.
Tai-San is the clear favorite, going by applause, but Loco henchmen
threaten the announcer, forcing him to award the prize instead
to the Loco break dancer.
The decision is obviously very unpopular.
Amber hands herself over to Ebony. That was the deal. |
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Jack and KC discover why the alternator doesn't
work: sabotage. The copper wire has been cut, and this could
only have happened back at the Mall. Jack makes another discovery:
Zandra is wearing his copper wire on her finger. When he explains
they are all in danger of their lives if he can't make the machine
work, Zandra cooperates. But there's a problem, it's too tight!
Eventually it comes loose, but it's already too late.
Glen arrives in belligerent mood, demanding the long-promised
demonstration. Jack can stall no longer, and as Glen begins
to smash the turbine, Jack, Cloe and Zandra run for their lives
to find Amber. |
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With nothing to lose, Lex comes up with his own plan
to get the Mallrats out of trouble. So while Ryan heads off to free
Amber and Dal from slavery, Lex seeks out Glen and takes him on, together
with the three Locos with him. Ryan also brings down his share of
anyone who gets in his way. It's like a trigger. Fighting breaks out
all over the place - tribes who hate the Locos attacking the nearest
Loco.
Amid the fighting, the Mallrats sneak out and head for home. Sasha,
another of Ebony's slaves and chained to Dal, has little choice but
to accompany the Mallrats back to the Mall.
Everyone loves Sasha, he is easy going, charismatic, and injects a
much-needed spirit of optimism. Bray takes an instant dislike to him,
largely because Amber falls for him. Zandra's wedding is still on
track, but more in the background, because Sasha seems to be the focus
of most that's going on, including the wedding preparations. |
Zandra has made it very clear that Tai-San will
not be performing the ceremony this time. Sasha talks Amber
into doing it instead. Tai-San gets the job of making Amber's
ceremonial outfit, though she and Zandra are careful to avoid
each other.
With KC and Dal now helping Jack, the wind turbine MK11 becomes
operational in record time. Soon every battery in the area is
brought back to the Mall and charged. Then it's Sasha's idea
to trade batteries at a local farm for fresh food. This is how
the Mallrats meets Alice and the Farm Girls, and how Zandra
gets a pig and fresh vegetables for her special meal with the
girls the night before. |
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| Tai-San is the only absentee, and it turns out
that Zandra made a point of not inviting her. Amber persuades
her to change her mind and sends Cloe to fetch her. |
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| Cloe finds Tai-San in deep meditation, and fasting
until after the wedding. She explains that our spirits need
exercise just as much as our bodies. Cloe is doubtful: "Sitting
all alone in a room not eating - that's exercise?" |
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The wedding is held up when Zandra cannot find
her family heirloom-necklace. In fact Salene has tried to trade
it for binge-food, fortunately without success. She 'arranges'
for it to be found during a room search.
There are no more hitches. KC performs a drumroll, followed
by a short piece on the flute by Sasha. Lex's vows are extremely
short because he can't remember them, and Zandra reciprocates
with "And I vow the same to you."
Lex gives her a proper ring this time, and as planned they kiss
under a shower of water by the Phoenix. |
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The day after the wedding, a foreboding atmosphere descends
on the Mall. Amber and Sasha are taking time out on the beach. Bray
is in a mega-sulk (Because Amber has fallen for Sasha). Salene has
gone to beg Roanne for food. Ryan has left for pastures new. Jack
is incapacitated by a broken leg. Lex barks orders to an absent Ryan
for room service; and Patsy and Cloe are in tears because there's
no one left to take care of them. Trudy alone makes a solo effort
to clean the mess in the Café, only to have it trashed again
by Lex and KC.
Tai-San does what she can for Jack, applying comfry before tying a
splint. At the end of the day she takes in the bad vibes. The tribe
is falling apart. |
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Next day as Trudy does her best to clear the mess
in the Café, Cloe and Patsy come in. They are both hungry
and Cloe is in tears.
Trudy promises to make breakfast, but she first needs help to
make the place clean.
When Tai-San arrives, Trudy is relieved to get another helper.
Tai-San's idea of help is to take the girls away to do some
"energy clearing". |
| Trudy |
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Thanks. That's a big help |
| Tai-San |
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It will be for them.
They are obviously worried and frightened about Salene. I'll
calm them, get rid of their negative energy. |
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| Trudy has already
cleared the mess in the café, and has moved on to the
area by the phoenix. Tai-San shows
up and offers to take Brady - she
needs her as a source of purity for her vibe-work with Patsy
& Cloe. She tells Trudy
that cleaning really suits her - she's a natural! (and Trudy
thinks Tai-San is a patronizing
cow!) |
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| Tai-San has cheered Patsy & Cloe up by giving
them positive energy. Tai-San recalls that when Trudy went away,
Brady survived because of the positive thoughts surrounding
her. |
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| Trudy isn't pleased to overhear that "some
mothers" are a source of negative energy; she takes Brady
back with rather a scowl on her face. Wow! Cloe understands
exactly what Tai-San meant by negative energy! |
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Amber and Sasha return to the Mall, but only to say
good-bye. Ryan also comes back with Salene after rescuing her from
Dirk and Roanne's dubious trade. Salene admits to being the food-thief
and explains about her bulimia. Cloe discovers why she couldn't find
Henrietta, her chicken - Lex and Zandra had eaten her. In the event,
with so many people who depend on her, Amber finds it impossible to
go with Sasha, and there's a tearful parting of ways.
It will take time for Amber to get over Sasha. She now spends much
of her time alone, remembering. |
| Ten days after Sasha has gone, it's Patsy's birthday,
and everyone looks set to have fun. Amber makes a rare appearance
to put up the latest chores roster. It feels like an intrusion
and Patsy yells at her. Lex and KC plot to have both Amber and
Bray thrown out. |
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