SHATTERED GUARDIAN, Episode 2: THE MEMORY REMAINS

INT. ASGARTECH SPIRE, GYM - DAY

JOSEFINE MALMGREN and CLAIRE ASHECROFT watch as MORGAN COOPER, SID SCHNEIDER, and EDMUND COHEN lift weights. The men take turns doing sets of squats and deadlifts, stopping between sets to adjust the weight on the barbell. MORGAN is lifting the most, with SID close behind.

JOSEFINE

Do you think they’re just showing off?

CLAIRE

(licks her lips)
If they wanted to show off they’d take off their shirts and spend more time flexing. Still a hell of a show.

JOSEFINE

I shouldn’t be surprised Morgan can lift so much, but actually seeing him do it. He makes it seem effortless, while Sid is obviously pushing himself to lift two thirds of the mass Morgan’s handling. And Eddie’s not exactly taking it easy, either.

CLAIRE

Didn’t you design Morgan’s new body?

JOSEFINE

No. I just wrote the OS for the 200 series einherjar. I had no involvement in the hardware design. I suppose it’s a good thing you weren’t involved, either.

CLAIRE

What do you think I’d have done if I were involved?

JOSEFINE

(gives CLAIRE the side-eye)
I think Morgan would need to get his jeans tailor-made.

NAOMI BRADLEIGH sits beside JOSEFINE, her white hair bound into a thick cable and exposing her ears. She’s dressed in gym clothes: sneakers, sweatpants, and a CROWLEY’S THOTH t-shirt. She’s also holding a pair of practice swords. A faint sheen of sweat covers her forehead and arms from her recent workout.

NAOMI

Dare I ask why you’re discussing Morgan’s equipment?

CLAIRE

Josse thinks Morgan would be hung like a horse if I were involved in the hardware design.

NAOMI

I’m given to understand that I have Desdinova to thank for Morgan’s already generous endowment, Claire, so you should befriend him. It seems you’re both a pair of size queens.

JOSEFINE

(blushing)
Ms. Bradleigh, what’s with the swords?

NAOMI

I was hoping to spar with Morgan once he’s done lifting with the blokes.

CLAIRE

You’ve been teaching him the rapier?

NAOMI

I had been. I want to see if Morgan remembers.

CLAIRE

He won’t if you started teaching him after the Liebental job. Right, Josse?

JOSEFINE

(hesitating)
Yes, that should be correct.

The men finish lifting, and MORGAN stays behind to put away the weights and barbell.

NAOMI

(standing up)
Looks like I’ll get my chance to find out.

INT. ASGARTECH SPIRE, GYM - DAY

MORGAN COOPER looks up as he finishes putting away the weights he and the other guys used to find NAOMI BRADLEIGH waiting for him with a pair of practice swords.

NAOMI

Take a sword. I want to see what you can do.

MORGAN

I don’t think that’s a good idea.

NAOMI

That’s what you keep saying, and I’m getting bored. Take a sword, damn it.

MORGAN

I might hurt you. I still don’t know my new limits.

NAOMI

You’ve come to think rather highly of yourself. You never managed to touch me before.

MORGAN

Not even once?

NAOMI

(flashes an impish smile)
Not even once. And since you’ve forgotten everything I ever taught you…

MORGAN takes a sword and backs away. He settles into a defensive stance with his empty hand safely behind his back.

NAOMI

So, you can tell a longsword from a backsword. That’s a start.

NAOMI takes the offensive, cutting and thrusting at MORGAN without letting her blade engage his. However, MORGAN quickly adapts to NAOMI’s tactics to make their duel an even match.

NAOMI

There’s no way you should remember how to fight like this!

MORGAN

It isn’t memory. It’s observation. I’ve seen you sparring with Tetsuo.

NAOMI

I sparred with him once, for half an hour. You’re taking the piss, aren’t you?

MORGAN

No, but I might take a kiss.

NAOMI

The hell you will.

MORGAN catches NAOMI’s weapon with his free hand and pulls her close. He drops his sword and draws her into an embrace.

MORGAN

Just say the word and I’ll let you go.

NAOMI

You know I can’t resist, you bastard.

NAOMI kisses MORGAN, drawing applause from CLAIRE, who is watching with JOSEFINE.

INT. ASGARTECH SPIRE, JOSEFINE’S OFFICE - DAY

NAOMI jabs an accusing finger toward a screen showing video of her sparring match with MORGAN.

NAOMI

You told us Morgan doesn’t remember anything beyond a certain point. That should include skills he acquired afterward, should it not?

JOSEFINE

That’s how it usually works in human patients, but Morgan–

NAOMI

–isn’t human. I know that. You know that. He knows that, but he refuses to accept it. I’d say “thank God” for that, but that’s in rather poor taste given recent circumstances.

JOSEFINE

What do you want from me?

NAOMI

I want you to pick a side. Either stop covering for Imaginos and Desdinova, or just tell me to go fuck myself so I can stop hoping you might be an ally.

JOSEFINE

(taken aback)
You’re different on stage.

NAOMI

I’ve been getting that a lot lately. So, whose side are you on?

JOSEFINE

(shrugs)
My side, as usual. There isn’t much I can tell you, because Magnin and Desdinova didn’t tell me much. I don’t think I actually restored his memories from a backup. I think all I did was check the integrity of memories he already had. If you want more than that, you’ll need to talk to Desdinova.

NAOMI

What do you think is Morgan’s problem, given current evidence?

JOSEFINE

(shrugs again)
If he possessed his memories upon fabrication, then it’s possible he remembers his death. If that’s the case, he needs help I’m not qualified to provide.

NAOMI

Professional help?

JOSEFINE

That, and a lot of help from his friends. Can he count on you?

NAOMI

Since you only know me from what I was like on stage, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you ask that question.