Two meetings are taking place. In the hotel, MEGA addresses his lieutenants warning them not to underestimate EBONY. Meanwhile, EBONY herself addresses her supporters at the school, promising a siege and an attempt to starve people out of MEGA’s “wussy city.”
The Mall Rats watch a broadcast on citynet which outlines their role as supervisors of work parties. They will be involved in light duties only. The announcer outlines MEGA’s policy of emergency food rationing.
MAY, evicted by both Mall Rats and Technos, wanders aimlessly- both starving and miserable. She fossicks around the city for cast off food scraps.
In Liberty, refugees from the city are spotted passing by the saloon. LEX is uncharitable towards the idea of taking them in and helping them. Later, RUBY and SIVA share out the barn space to the refugees and assist them. LEX once again shows no inclination to be a good Samaritan.
EBONY is keeping JAVA in the zoo, next door to the lion enclosure. JAVA is beside herself with fear as EBONY toys with the idea of opening the connecting door to the lion.
A Techno food rationing group arrive at the mall to confiscate food supplies. SAMMY desperately tries to save a tasty morsel from the Technos’ clutches. MEGA arrives to promise the Mall Rats replacement food of the very highest order – they are to be treated like royalty after all.
SAMMY and GEL are pleased about the food arrangement with MEGA and wish to place their own personal orders. AMBER and, later JAY, are wary of MEGA and very conscious of what the rest of the city will think if they hear about the Mall Rats’ special food rations.
In RAM’s room, SLADE asks RAM to explain the elaborate but fictional ‘SLADE contracts terminal disease’ story which he told RUBY. RAM justifies his lie by saying that it was the only thing that could save the computer equipment from RUBY’s softball bat. Meanwhile, RAM vows to push on with the project – whatever that project may be. SLADE questions the refugees in the barn about the happenings in the City. He is told that EBONY has wrestled back some of the power, holding JAVA captive in the zoo.
JAY walks in on JACK and ELLIE engaged in some particularly “light duties.” JAY has had just about enough of this and tells JACK off for not making a start on debugging the Mall.
In the city, EBONY and her accompanying zootists ambush a workparty and the supervising Technos.
At the Mall, MEGA has provided a huge amount of delicious food for the Mall Rats. AMBER becomes uneasy when a Techno arrives with news; MEGA wishes AMBER and JAY to join him for a meeting of the Tribal leaders.
The Eco guides have assisted SALENE back to the outskirts of the city. She thanks them for their trouble and, as soon as their backs are turned, she takes another slurp of hooch.
SLADE, ready for another jaunt back into town, tells RUBY that he is aware of her ‘knowledge’ of his so-called terminal disease. He tells her that, hopefully, the disease is on the mend. He certainly does not want her sympathy, though RUBY promises to “be there” for him.
SIVA, concerned for EBONY, asks SLADE whether she can accompany him into town but SLADE would rather she stayed put in Liberty.
LEX approaches the refugees in the barn and takes some jewellery as ‘rent’ on the building (even though it is not his prerogative to do so).
JAY and AMBER enter the hotel for the meeting of tribal representatives. They are immediately greeted by a tirade of catcalls and abuse from the leaders, angry about the Mall Rats preferential treatment by MEGA. MEGA arrives and leads them all into a room where a vast feast awaits them. JAY and AMBER are suspicious of MEGA and reluctant to partake in the feast. They are coaxed to sit down and then MEGA springs a surprise in front of the entire group, he wants AMBER to be President of the New Republic!
AMBER and JAY are at the Mall telling the others about how they walked out of MEGA’s Tribal Leaders meeting after the offer of Presidency was sprung on AMBER. TRUDY suggests that AMBER should take up the position but AMBER is very aware that she will just be acting as a figurehead, a puppet for MEGA.
JAY apologises for the comment he made to TRUDY about how she gave in to the Chosen. She accepts his apology but there remains distance between them.
AMBER confronts MEGA and tells him that he will have to find another puppet president and resents his public announcement at the meeting. Despite AMBER’s refusal, MEGA is quietly confident of bringing AMBER around to accepting the position. He has ways!
SIVA discovers that LEX has been charging the refugees rent for the barn, something that certainly does not sit well with RUBY. Later, RUBY makes him return the refugees’ belongings in person.
MEGA visits AMBER in the Mall and subtly threatens BABY BRAY should AMBER not accept the Presidential position. On the way out MEGA almost spies JACK and ELLIE debugging the Mall but quick thinking from JACK means that MEGA suspects nothing.
TRUDY invites JAY on a picnic with herself and BRADY but JAY is scared of giving the impression to the public that the Mall Rats are revelling in MEGA’s gifts.
MAY approaches a TRADER for a crust of bread but the TRADER will only give it to her if she can repay the favour in other ways. MAY realises that this is a proposition and strides away.
LEX is sulking after being made to eat humble pie by RUBY. DARRYL unwittingly gives him a brain wave. LEX suggests the idea of a Virtual Casino to RAM. The idea is to make big profits off the visiting refugees. RAM seems keen enough.
EBONY and her gang of marauding Zootists ambush a Techno supply truck. Some food is spilt on the ground. Once the MAY, from hiding, pounces on the food with relish. SLADE is observing this from a hiding position, admiring EBONY.
JACK ingeniously creates a bug detecting machine.
MEGA has recorded EBONY’s ambush on CCTV and decides to broadcast it on Citynet in order to strike fear into the general population.
At the zoo, EBONY brags to captive JAVA of her ‘victory’ over MEGA and shows off to JAVA her stolen goods.
SALENE tries to enter the Safe Zone with a bottle of booze but is turned away as Prohibition rules within the Safety area. She decides that she will enter later on, after she has finished her bottle.
The footage of EBONY’s ambush is shown on the citynet along with the fabricated news that power station workers have been denied rations due to the ambush. The result of this is that power cuts are expected. All this is of course a cunning propoganda plan by MEGA who is turning the city against a common enemy, EBONY.
During the raid, EBONY dislocated her shoulder. Back at the school, SLADE who has been shadowing EBONY’s movements, shows himself. He fixes EBONY’s shoulder but warns her that she is playing into MEGA’s hands and setting herself up to be public enemy number one
AMBER decides to try and leave the city but is turned back by a guard at the gate who has strict instructions from MEGA not to let her leave the safe zone.