Tribe 5 – Episode 21

LEX, DARRYL and JAY wait for AMBER in a deserted factory. AMBER arrives with a disc. On it is a recording of EBONY. The idea is that they will interrupt MEGA’s City Net broadcast with a broadcast of the EBONY CD in conjunction with DARRYL/ZOOT unveiling his true identity live. An elaborate plan – and a safe one according to JACK.
AMBER also tells LEX, DARRYL and JAY of the fact that ELLIE and JACK faked the whole punishment routine in order to fool MEGA.

In the Mall, ELLIE pretends to be suffering the after effects of the torture. GEL, feeling genuinely sorry for ELLIE, tries to comfort her but ELLIE begs to be left alone.

MEGA suggests that JACK does not leave the hotel following the ELLIE torture as recriminations from the other Mall Rats could be imminent. JACK wants to get back, however, under the pretence of keeping an eye on anybody else that is planning to misbehave.

Unaware that he has spent the night with EBONY, RUBY brings SLADE breakfast. On discovering EBONY, RUBY flounces off angrily. SLADE tells EBONY that the previous night was the best of his life.

Upon his return to the Mall, AMBER sticks up for JACK in the face of hostility. TRUDY suspects that AMBER knows something that she is not telling the others about. LEX, who knows the truth about the punishment game faking already, makes a show of taking personal responsibility for GEL against JACK’s so-called threat.

In their room, JACK and ELLIE share an intimate moment and congratulate each other on their performance so far. LEX enters and congratulates them. He hands JACK a pass card (JAVA’s) which will give JACK access to MEGA’s core software. He restates that it is a top priority for JACK to get hold of this software (and all so that LEX can use it to improve his profits at the casino in Liberty).

TRUDY’s earlier suspicions are confirmed when AMBER tells her of JACK and ELLIE faking the punishment game. TRUDY insists that she should be by JAY’s side at the broadcast but AMBER is firm and says no.

GEL comes into LEX’s room to thank him for his showy offer of protection. They kiss. LEX takes things a bit too far though and GEL retreats from the room to cries of “I’m not used to this.”

LEX is unperturbed.

Before his departure, ELLIE warns JACK about the dangers of the pirate broadcast but he reassures her that everything will be alright.

MAY writes a mystery letter to SALENE and places it on her pillow.

At the hotel, JACK prepares to deceive MEGA in the Operations Room by switching cables, therefore intercepting the broadcast. Meanwhile at the factory, the technology is set up for the pirate broadcast and DARRYL taps away frantically on the keyboard.

The announcer begins the broadcast when suddenly the footage of EBONY infiltrates the screen. MEGA is livid and tells JACK to trace the broadcast. JACK had not realised that MEGA’s technology was capable of tracking such a broadcast.
SLADE watches the broadcast from the Casino in town.

EBONY and RUBY have a full scale fight which is broken up by RAM. RAM orders EBONY to leave town.
Meanwhile the broadcast cuts to DARRYL taking off his ZOOT disguise and telling all. JAY hurries him as he sees TECHNOS appearing. JAY persuades AMBER to run off while he creates a diversion. She kisses him. MEGA instructs the Technos to “take no prisoners.”

In the Warehouse, the Technos have MEGA’s backing to engage in a shoot fest. JAY is the one in the firing line. He is hit in the arm by a stun and it looks like curtains until TRUDY arrives and saves the day with a group of rebels which includes LEX and SALENE. The Technos flee the scene.

AMBER, who had fled the warehouse on JAY’s instructions, races back inside to find TRUDY in JAY’s arms. TRUDY is surprised by AMBER’s muted reaction. JAY is grateful to TRUDY but wonders how she knew about him being in danger. TRUDY puts it all down to instinct.

Inside the Mall Café, SAMMY and GEL are worried about MEGA’s reaction to the pirate broadcast. GEL is worried that MEGA may stop the food supplies to the Mall Rats.

DARRYL is confronted by a none too friendly thug who recognises DARRYL from the broadcast. The thug has a personal vendetta against Zootists. DARRYL wrestles him off.

GEL, snooping around in MAY and SALENE’s room, finds the love note that MAY intended for SALENE. She begins reading it and wonders who it is intended for. She shows it to SAMMY.

MEGA is livid when told about the rebel raid. JACK tells MEGA that they should make JAY suffer. JACK’s hard line surprises MEGA – is JACK overplaying the role slightly?

After being given the boot by RAM, EBONY prepares to leave Liberty – not before taking a parting shot at RAM, RUBY and LOTTIE first though. RAM assures RUBY that the alliance will work; they all hate MEGA even more than they hate each other.

JAY is helped back to the Mall. GEL thinks LEX is incredibly brave for his part in the raid. Surprisingly, LEX is the one singing TRUDY’s praises to JAY; telling him that if “someone loves you that much, don’t ever let her go.” MAY nurses SALENE’s wound from the raid.

MEGA observes the city’s reaction to the pirate broadcast on CCTV. JACK suggests going alone to the Mall to see if JAY is there.

The penny drops for TRUDY – she realises that JAY and AMBER are an item from the way that they look at each other. She guesses correctly and storms out of the room and later leaves the mall with BRADY.

RAM finds LOTTIE snooping on the computers in his room. RUBY prevents him from giving young LOTTIE a thrashing. RUBY and RAM talk about SLADE and RUBY concludes that maybe SLADE deserves his fun with EBONY if, indeed, his expiry date is imminent.

SLADE and EBONY blow their way into the Safe Zone and EBONY signals a one fingered gesture into the CCTV camera for MEGA as if to denote “One nil.”

In the presence of SALENE, SAMMY and GEL tease MAY about the love letter. They are still unaware that the note was intended for SALENE but SALENE quickly clicks as to its significance. She later confronts MAY who is in the process of tearing up the letter.

AMBER goes searching for TRUDY. On the city streets, crowds watch MEGA broadcasting a message in which he accuses the Mall Rats of ” trying to destroy what we have fought so hard to achieve.”

AMBER tries using the computers in the Operations Room to find TRUDY. MEGA communicates to his minions that TRUDY is not to leave the city.

SALENE packs her bags and tells MAY that she is moving out. MAY is devastated.

AMBER visits JAY at his hideout. They are both feeling guilty about TRUDY’s disappearance. JAY comforts AMBER by telling her ” We were honest that’s all.” AMBER is not in a romantic mood.

At the barricade, TRUDY is detained by TECHNOS but she temporarily manages to escape. MEGA and his Technos later track her and BRADY down. She agrees to follow the uncharacteristically kind hearted MEGA back to the hotel for safety and warmth.