JEREMY AI

Jeremy is a talking hovercraft with the downloaded consciousness of Yatvig’s dead lab partner and an old friend. Killed in the Deryat Civil War, the real Jeremy was ‘resurrected’ from stored data and installed into the ship’s AI. Eloquent and witty, he pushes the story forward with his deadpan one-liners – equal parts comic relief and narrative guide.

“Note to self: don’t arm an angry mob whose leader wants to kill you for ruining their life.”
(on giving weapons to rogue slave faction led by Nebias, who was sold to slavery in his infancy by Yatvig).

“Yippee, you hit a goal! Forgive the enthusiasm — I just didn’t expect progress today.“
(on passing a checkpoint during hovercraft driving tutorial).

“A Yieldant. Because calling someone a slave was too honest for Nugrad’s PR team”.
(on euphemisms used by the slavemasters in Nugrad)

“Another gate? We either blast our way through or find another way. I might be dead but I do want to keep my circuits intact.“
(Jeremy commenting on the possible ways to resolve the situation)

Yatvig’s brilliant with big ideas. But when it comes to, let’s say, ‘soft skills’? Disaster. Actually, our relationship’s improved a lot since I became software.
(on Yatvig’s revolutionary tendencies and lack of soft skills)

 “I know, I’m hard on Yatvig. But here’s the truth — he’s lost too many people chasing that ‘better world.’ And yes, a lot of that was his fault… But he’s nothing but a dedicated warrior.”
(Jeremy being serious and actually giving Yatvig credit)

YATVIG

The game’s protagonist. His ideals of emancipation of the unprivileged in his early years at Mesopetra led to his imprisonement and death penalty trial. He uses rather snappy, practical “car-mechanic-level” language compared to his better educated pal Jeremy.

“The so-called Holy Order of Mesopetra is nothing but a gamble. Win, and you’re handed a ticket to the market of thoughts — the Tamen network. Here the chosen bind their minds like gears in a machine. Lose, and you’re left in the dust, forever outmatched by the Tamen-gifted.

To call that holy is obscene. It doesn’t unite — it sanctifies division, empowers the privileged, and grinds the rest into sand. Mesopetra is no temple. It’s a broken engine, choking on its own fumes and calling it salvation.”

(Yatvig’s manifest against Mesopetrian political system
– in-game audiolog)

“The keepers of the “Holy” order. I stand here, sentenced to death for building ‘forbidden technology.’ What’s forbidden about it? That bootleg Tamen might hand dignity to the rest of us? I’ve got no regrets. You can put me down, but the fight doesn’t die with me.

Mesopetra’s doomed, you know that very well. That’s why you clutch the ‘order of the Sun’ like a child clinging to a toy.“
(Yatvig’s defence in court – in-game audiolog)

So you didn’t run off with Nebias.. Huh. That’s… something. Guards barely stopped him from gutting me — he took it out on the base instead…

Maybe you stayed for a reason. But don’t get your hopes up. Being a Drifter’s hard. Saps are a tough nut. That’s why we move through the desert like a seravine — fast, low, and quiet.

You want in? You’ll have to prove it. We’ve got a rite of passage: the hovercraft trial. Pass it… and we talk. Until then, I’ve got nothing for you.

(Yatvig’s first in-game lines after rogue slaves led by Nebias ransack the Drifter base, inviting the player – a former slave – to join the Drifters)

NEBIAS

Yatvig’s son, who was destined to become a liberator of the slaves – according to Yatvig at least. For this “noble” purpose, Yatvig sold infant Nebias to slavery, only to wake him up via a Tamen link “when the right time comes” to rebel against the slavemasters. Wrathful and well-equipped with slave jargon, Nebias now seeks revenge on the world outside the slave quarters.

“Well look who’s got the waltz to show up here. Grey corpse send you to fix the world? Or are you just plain stupid?

Still tryin’ to guess how that rust-bucket “Jeremy” made it past the guns. Could be worth watchin’ the Saps blow the junk to bits.

Go fetch a Sap energy core, if you’re feelin’ lucky! Base’s up north. Damned Saps swarm the place like dunglets. Bring me that core — or we never talk again. Now scram.“

(first encounter with Nebias after infiltration of his base, giving the player a quest)

Huh. Expected that old junk to bring back nothin’ but sand. What’s the catch? Got a Sap tail sniffin’ your back? What’s your deal? Why even crawl back?

Don’t you dare say – help! You know what that old bastard did? I want him gone — outta my head, forever! Wait… this thing really cuts the link? For good? No tricks? You lie to me, I’ll light you up ‘til you piss blood!

Damn it… just standin’ near you turns my guts. But the Saps… too many. We ain’t fightin’ two wars at once.

If you’re not full of shit, you walk. No shots fired — not from us, not from you. This ain’t trust. It’s hatred. Towards the same target.

(return to Nebias after stealing Sap energy core, offering Nebias to cut the Tamen link between him and his father Yatvig, which leads to accepting a truce)