scavenger [ kareem day 1 ]

Tributes come and go from the scrapyard in small groups, each keeping their distance from one another as they lick their wounds and seek to avoid conflict. This is common. As the years have gone on Tributes have gotten smarter, adopted more optimal tactics. Stay in big groups, refrain from early conflict, gather resources, plan ahead.

In the earlier years - fifties and sixties - Tributes were more headstrong, going for early glory, and there were far more deaths on the first day. Now you're lucky if there's more than two dead by the end of the first twenty-four hours. But hey, I guess that's human nature - adapt, overcome, survive.

Bowie's war march shows no signs of letting up, and by the time I reach the top of the ridge he's already slipping between a gap of the rusty fence and exploring the dangers of the scrap den. I sigh. Knifeless, friendless, and hopeless I meander down after him, eyes scanning my peripherals as my feet hop over a rusting piece of scrap and my body follows his trail through the gap.

I spot him squaring off with Rafael Salazar, the prophet from Seven who heralded change and visions to transform the lumber district into a fourth Career district. Incredibly stupid and deluded - and what is Bowie doing getting that close to another group of Tributes?

To my left another gathering are climbing into what look like robotic mechanoids, each a different shape and size. I see Nowles clambering into one, her peppy enthusiasm echoing off the eroded orange towers. My head tilts to one side as I squint to get a better look - there are various different suits, all huge and would give someone a massive advantage over other Tributes. And they're doing fast.

I look over to Bowie again, who's still chatting to Rafael, and decide that if I wait around for him to finish his conversation all the good mechsuits might be gone.

I crouch down and stealth around a corner, finding a few unused suits standing dormant. One is humanoid armour with wings, similar to a jetpack, another is a round ball with spider-like limbs. The one I find myself is huge, much larger than the rest with massive arms and tree-trunk legs. I read the serial code on it's chest:

RYNO

Yeah, that'll work.

[ Grabs items from Scrapyard ]
[ flees ]