I keep coming back to this weird setting thing I made as a joke, I see this episode as being like a quick time event in the intro to a videogame. If you're waiting for some truly original content you'll have to keep waiting because next time you see me things are gonna be a little Evil around here, if you catch my drift.

Shares a universe with these: https://www.reddit.com/r/ASMRScriptHaven/comments/vt5ua0/friend_rambles_to_you_about_their_favorite/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ASMRScriptHaven/comments/zm9xy2/f4a_void_psyren_wants_your_soul_sirenvery_very/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ASMRScriptHaven/comments/xtdxyq/a4a_post_apocalyptic_mutant_wants_to_brood/

Archive: https://www.reddit.com/r/ASMRScriptHaven/comments/x9hb9v/script_archive/

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/timeraft

The songs I "wrote"(Old Folk songs I massacred): https://scriptbin.works/u/Timeraft/cowboy-script-song-1 and https://scriptbin.works/u/Timeraft/space-cowboy-script-song-2

The listener is a cyborg mining slave, left for dead on a dying world, by the very people that were supposed to protect them. The speaker is a rogue pilot with a weird love for the space cowboy aesthetic (If it helps you understand the speakers character they have adopted this image as part of an "expressing my individuality however the heck I want" thing. Its not how they were raised to talk). Can they convince the listener to join them? Or is their misplaced loyalty too strong?

Dialogue in plain text

Noises in bold

context in italics

Context that changes the audio in bold italics

Speaker is sitting across a small fire from the listener, they’re playing a stringed instrument and singing an old space folk song (Feel free to use on of the above ones, or make your own, or just cut this part out)

Hey you’re up. Glad to see it. I was running out of songs I could remember.

Speaker rounds the fire and leans over them.

Sorry pardner, no water right now. Chew on this date for a moment, it’ll open up your throat a little bit.

Extreme dehydration can’t be fixed by glugging a bunch of water.

You’re lucky I found you pardner. There's only two living people on this rock other than the Kraal beasts. I’m one and you’re the other.

They left you for dead after the harvest. Nobody was supposed to be around until the sun rises again next year. You must have run out of juice so they just pushed you aside and kept going. That's the war economy for you.

This planet is pretty isn't it? I love how it has a slow rotation. This is my favorite time of day, just after sunset. The sky becomes that wine dark purple and all the stars come peeking out. And since this planet rotates so slow it’ll be like this for weeks.

I love visiting new planets and drawing new constellations. That one over there, looks like a gear, and that kind of looks like a cacti. What do you think?

Not much for imagination eh?

I never used to be either.

You finish that date yet?

Splendiferous. Here let me tip you up. Have a little water. Don't drink too fast.

Water sounds

It's a good thing you’re a powerslave. Your implants preserved you for a lot longer than would normally be possible. I’d have died if I spent six weeks out here like that. Honestly I thought you were dead meat. So dry even the Kraal beasts left you alone.

Woah easy there buddy don't mind them wires. Your biolectric batteries were too low to rejuvenate you themselves so I had to hook you up to my ship's fusion array.

Here have more water. Slowly now alright?

Water sounds

There, that's enough for now. That should be enough to restart most of your bio-LOGIC circuits.

They go back around and sit down

What's your name buddy?

Nice to meet you, ALPHAgreen24601.

Now what's your real name? The one you had before you were a powerslave. The name your momma called you.

Oh come now you can tell me. I’m just your friendly neighborhood clairvoyant space buckaroo. My name’s Ash Clemmons, but most people call me the Delphi Kid.

Ok that's not really true, but I wish it was.

So one name for another, what's yours?

That's a nice name, it suits you.

Where you from pardner?

Kapteyn IV? Damn the astro boys back on earth sure know how to name a planet don't they?

I’m not from anywhere in particular. I’m a fleet baby, born in a vat on a shadow ore freighter. Didn't even know what a planet was until I was almost grown.

Well maybe not that long. Definitely didn't realize how big this ol’ universe was before I went rogue though.

Listener realizes that they aren't on the same side

Woah easy there

That's right I’m not with your bosses. I’m not with the Triad at all. I’m a rogue pilot.

I work for UNION, but my flag is my own.

I was just in the neighborhood and my CASSANDRA virus started going nuts on me. Then I found you.

Oh yeah sorry I should have probably explained, I have the CASSANDRA virus. Don't worry though you won't catch it, it's bloodborne.

Never heard of it? Man you really don't get out much do you? It's sort of a virus mixed with a curse. It lets me see possible futures. I guess you could say I’m a soldier of fortune eh?

Eyyyy?

No love for puns huh? Ya’ll powerslaves are all the same. I guess the first thing they replace with machines is your funny bone.

The Void Psyrens made the virus to punish the crew of a freighter whose captain saved their souls by beating them at poker. If you catch it you know exactly how you’re going to die and can't prevent it, butttt with a little training you can use it to see some possible near futures. Really helps me out when I’m playing cribbage, and now I never forget to take my casserole out of the oven.

It's kinda relaxing anyways, knowing how I’m going to die. I can eat all the fugu I want for one thing!

Not that they have any out here, but y'all catch my drift I think.

Listener is still trying to disconnect the wires and get away.

What are you thrashing around for?

Oh I’m the “enemy” eh? An “apostate”.

Well dadgum it y’all dun diddly seen through my evil plot.

Yessiree I was gonna come on down to the surface of this planet because I had a vision that there was somebody down here that had been left for dead. Then Sinisterly bring you back from the brink. And then offer you water like the mustache twirling Judas I am.

Good golly gosh I’m so darn evil. Not like the heroic patriots that left their own guy for dead because otherwise they'd have to slow down the shadow ore harvest by thirty seconds. They’re the real heroes here.

I know your planet. They launched a rebellion, what, three-four hundred years ago? It didn't go so great though. So now they have to give half of their children up to the galactic triad to become powerslaves.

How do they decide that? Is it a lottery or do they send the kids that do bad on their spelling tests?

Oh it's “necessary” huh? Gotta do your part to fight off these spooky scary aliens You ever even seen an alien kid?

No? Well you can look around, you’ll find their graves all over this rock.

There used to be a civilization on this planet. They were pretty primitive maybe, sure. Iron age tech level. But they had a society, struggles, culture, religion, dreams. No different from you, me and Bobby Mcgee, but now? They're just bones.

They were in the way of the war machine and they got destroyed for it. They never even knew what was happening. Was that “Necessary”? Who was the threat there?

And look what they done to you! They took you out here to process shadow ore. It mutated you bit by bit so they lopped you to pieces. Made you a cyborg. And for what? To harvest something they needed to build weapons! Because heaven help that there be a world in the galaxy outside the grasp of the pious and the powerful.

You could have been something! An astronaut, a scientist, a priest! Whatever you wanted, but they burned you up for their pride! This planet should have grown and flourished. Become a world worth living in. Instead it's just a tombstone, floatin in the void.

This war we’re fightin. It exists because they want it! Prosphina, Despoina, Kore, and all their little theocrats, They want this war. And the Mutroids, the Apostates, the Loyalists, the Skycrawlers, the Moonriders, the Summoners, the Powerslaves and countless others whose names are lost to us. They all suffer for it.

Look at the sky! Number the stars and tell me there's not enough universe for everybody.

Look me in the eyes and tell me that! Tell me why you have to be a powerslave!

Don't turn away from me! I’m trying to help you, you stubborn fool! You don't have to fight this war. You don't have to die on this rock!

Deep Breath. Composed

Look, you have two options. You can come with me. Or I can leave you with this.

Bag thuds to the ground

It's a survival kit. It should have everything you need to stay alive until the triad comes back,

Let me give you some advice though. I can see three possible futures for you more or less. The virus has shown me

There's the future where you die out here before they find you, There's the future where they do find you and you do the same stuff you were doing before they leave you for dead again, but possibility no. 3?

That's the one where you come with me. And that's where stuff starts to get exciting. You can join me, and take the fight to them. Or you can go so far away nobody will ever find you. You can be anything you want. Just drop that heavy load and come with me.

Heh, I see you found the laser pistol I put in there. There's also a box of double A’s, so you should have enough ammo to keep the Kraal beasts at bay for a while. Assuming you are stubborn enough to stay here.

Oh I see what you're thinking. You’re gonna shoot me. Pretty bold move. You ever even handled one of those things?

Let me give you some advice, if you want to hit me, don't do anything cute and tricksy.

Just aim right. Between. The. Eyes. Straight and true.

Better be careful quickdraw. You only get one shot.

Laser noises!

The dust settles. The speaker has shot the pistol out of the listeners hand

Not bad pardner. Not bad at all for a tenderfoot. But today’s not the day I yee my last haw. Ive shot laser pistols out of more hands than I can count, and let me tell you wandering alone in the stars has taught me how to count really high.

Speaker walks around the fire, and the listener is worried they're going to go for the kill.

I told you I know how I die, and this? This aint it. Not even close. For one thing there's no Zebra.

They lean down and put their guns away

What's the matter desperado? Think I was gonna go for the kill? That’s not how I roll. I’ll be taking this for a while though.

They pocket the gun Listeners systems begin to power down again (they used too much energy)

Look at that. Too much excitement for you I guess, you're going back into sleep mode. Don't worry. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll keep an eye on you. Why don't you sleep on what I’ve told you?

They sit back down and begin strumming their instrument again.

You don't have to be a powerslave, you don't have to carry this burden anymore. You can come with me, and live in peace. Sleep on it.

Sayonara for now, Pardner.