Setting the scene

Mars: War Logs takes place on the planet Mars some time (likely a century or thereabouts) after an ecological event of some kind (the game is intentionally vague regarding the larger world etc.). The protagonists are soldiers from the guild (guilds are geographic and political entities functioning as nations that control access to water) known as Aurora. They were captured during battle with a neighboring guild, Abundance.

In addition to the guilds and their leaders known as Dowsers there is another powerful group on Mars, technomancers. They're de facto wizards that use (apparently) cybernetic interfaces in the form of gloves to channel some kind of natural ability. At some point during their youth technomancers are rounded up and taken to a location known as The Source (it's not entirely clear if this is a politically neutral location where all factions send technomancers or each faction has access etc). In addition to the politically powerful Dowsers, Guilds and technomancers a fourth faction, mutants, referred to as Dust also live on Mars. There are some Dust known as Descendants that were born mutants and are considered traitors and born unclean by Aurorans (Abundance citizens do not treat Dust well either it's implied that Aurorans treat their Dust slightly better on average). Other mutants are created by direct exposure to Mars' dangerous sunlight though there are some that mutate later in life and have not had such exposure. All mutants are expelled from human society and join the Dust unless they choose suicide first.

The armies of Mars fight with nailguns and hand to hand weapons supplemented by technomancer units. The prisoners in Camp 19 and average Aurorans create their own hand to hand weapons. Money is based on serum a substance that exists in the bodies of most people, it can also be used to heal. In normal combat Roy and Innocence's enemies are disabled or knocked unconscious, however, Roy can choose to finish them off by forcibly removing their serum.

Shortly before Innocence and Roy (Roy is from Aurora and was given the name Temperance at birth but chose the name Roy, Aurorans are named after virtues) escape from Camp 19 Roy reveals he is a renegade technomancer. Parallel to their escape and journey home Aurora wins the war against Abundance but there is an unexplained shift in political power with the technomancers becoming ascendant and newly peaceful Aurora becoming a fascist state with armed soldiers manning checkpoints in important locations like Shadowlair and Green Hope.

Innocence Smith had no business in Camp 19. Roy could smell the fear on the kid. Roy was standing at the entrance to the sand pit looking down on Innocence and the vile piece of shit threatening to rape the boy in the pit below. Afraid and wide eyed the boy kept his feet.

Roy, glaring down at the atrocity about to occur, slammed the bands on his wrists together drawing the would-be rapist's attention.

The fat fuck glared back at Roy and talked big. Twice more Roy rang his challenge and twice more the bastard shined it on. So Roy and the boy took to guards ended it or Roy might have finished the monster where it lay. The boy, Innocence Smith, thanked him.

Roy studied him trying to decide if the boy could be useful. He was clearly too young for war, too young to leave home, and sure as hell too young for Camp 19. So Roy took him under his wing, roped him into the escape plan he had been plotting for weeks and hoped for the best.

It took days to gather the intel, allies, and equipment they needed. It cost lives, human and Dust, but it was worth it. At the end they were free and heading home to Shadowlair. During the course of planning and executing the escape the boy had become Roy's shadow. Wide eyes full of trust and determination dogged Roy's every move and word. At night the boy would unconsciously huddle against Roy as his nightmares of the war raged. Roy, never a good sleeper, would hold the boy until the worst of the dreams were over and the man-child was truly resting before sleeping himself, if he slept at all.

It took weeks of hard travel to get back to Shadowlair. Roy grinned to watch Innocence's tired features light up as they reached the city and approached a checkpoint. Innocence longed to see his familiar street and family shop, hear his parent's voices...mostly he wanted to feel safe again and he could feel that in his home he was sure of that.

Roy, older and hardened, knew that what would remain after Innocence's experience in the war and the camp would be hollow echoes of the past but they would do. He kept his mouth shut and focused on keeping an eye out for trouble and their heads down.

The war had changed Aurora and Abundance in equal measure. While troops had technically been withdrawn Roy couldn't remember seeing so many military personnel in city streets during peacetime. It set him on edge.

He caught Innocence's arm as the boy surged ahead of him.

"Easy kid we have all day. Keep it low key."

"Right, sorry Roy."

"It's okay you have a right to be excited." Roy soothed and flashed one of his rare smiles.

Roy had earned his place in the world and his standing in it. He had fled the Source and gone Renegade rather than return and live in their gilded cages. He had fought in the war to protect his guild then fought to free himself from the camp before they realized what he was. He survived and was content with his life because it was his but Innocence…he deserved more than Roy knew he could give. Innocence deserved a chance to roll back the clock and finish being a teenager before the crucible of bloody horrifying combat, of imprisonment and worse.

It couldn't be. So instead of mourning the impossible Roy would work to give Innocence the best of the possible. Restoring the kid to his family was a big part of that. Innocence did well, he stayed calm and cheerfully relayed facts about the neighborhood and city to Roy.

"You ever been to the slums kid?"

"No, I never really left my neighborhood. I'm looking forward to learning more about the rest of the city."

"There's some nice parts believe it or not, or were, I'll take you there sometime." Roy had spent what little of his early life had been free of the Source in the slums.

They approached a guard post and Roy took a deep breath and gestured for Innocence to stay behind him. He could hear the boy's held breath, almost feel him grip the haft of his makeshift axe.

"Hey uh I know this is going to sound crazy but we don't have ID. We escaped from an Abundance prison camp a few weeks ago."

"Escapees huh? I guess that explains the clothes. Did you know a prisoner named Prowess?"

Roy swallowed and licked his lips, spotted Innocence out of the corner of his eye and tensed slightly feeling his power settle into the glove he wore.

"Yeah, the name rings a bell."

"He's my sister's fiancée, do you know how he was doing?"

Roy thought quickly. He had been forced to kill Prowess during the escape.

"I don't know. There was a lot of chaos during the escape."

"Damn. Well, at least he was okay a few weeks ago anyway. Look I'll do you a favor and let you two in but get some legit ID okay?"

"Consider it done, thanks." Roy said and the gratitude in his voice was entirely genuine.

Behind him Innocence eased his hand off his weapon and fell in at Roy's side.

"That was close." The boy whispered when the guards were out of sight.

"Yeah let's hope it doesn't bite us in the ass later. This your neighborhood?"

"Almost, it's not far now. I used to play here one street over is my parent's store. They were in the militia before I was drafted I'm sure they'll help you Roy."

Roy didn't reply, he could smell stale smoke in the air. The distinctive reek of a habitat burn, the standard Martian construction materials didn't burn easy usually an accelerant was needed and it inevitably created a days long reek. Something had burned here recently, maybe as long ago as a month ago.

He figured if Innocence's people were alive they probably would try to help him, though he wouldn't blame them if they tossed him on his ass. Saving Innocence might buy him some new clothes, supplies and maybe a friendly helping hand or two but he would never be able to settle anywhere. Renegade technomancers weren't the kind of friends sane people with options made.

Innocence stiffened for a moment then burst into a run as they entered a new street. Roy easily kept up noting the boy didn't seem winded by the sprint either. he found some satisfaction in that. Keeping them both healthy and strong hadn't been easy on their journey back to Shadowlair. The boy staggered to a halt and doubled over in front of a burned out shell of a building at the end of the street. Twisted girders and the remnants of walls reached up to the Martian sky like skeletal fingers. Roy felt a soft blanket of remembered grief settle over him. He reached out to the boy intending to put a comforting hand on his back then hesitated and withdrew his hand.

Innocence wasn't his son and more importantly the boy would have to be tough to survive what was coming. even tougher than life in the camp had made him. For a moment Roy regretted protecting Innocence so thoroughly at the camp, maybe some of the pain he had spared Innocence would have hardened the boy and made this grim sight easier to handle. Looking around nervously Roy noted the sudden desolation of the street around them.

"My parents are dead aren't they?" Innocence asked in a stricken voice.

"I…yeah kid, probably. Look I know this is hard but we have to get out of here. Whoever did this may have someone keeping watch."

"I…okay Roy you're right." No sooner had Innocence finished speaking than a squad of Auroran troops arrived. Roy didn't need to speak. The boy fell in behind him, a second shadow, like always.

Roy lashed out with short bursts of lightning from his gloved hand that staggered the troops then slipped in with his bat and battered them into helplessness with well-aimed blows. Innocence watched Roy's back, blocking blows and landing a few savage counter attacks when the opportunity presented itself.

Roy grunted and went to one knee as a nail punctured the thin plates of his makeshift combat gear. It punctured the flesh below his right shoulder blade restricting the range of movement for his right arm. The injury stung like hell and blood flowed freely but mostly it served to hamper his aim and the power of his blows. He watched as Innocence bludgeoned the nailgun wielding soldier and dropped the last one with a vicious strike to his knee.

"Roy you're hurt." Innocence said breathlessly.

"I'll live, search them, quickly we have to get outta here." Roy said through clenched teeth as he got to his feet.

Innocence bent to the task without further questions. Roy was grateful when the boy snagged four syringes of serum. The nail had worked past his armor and further into his flesh during the last of the fight. they didn't have time to pry it out now which meant infection was a certainty. Without at least one of those syringes Roy would be dead in a few days and it would be an ugly death.

"Syringe." He said softly as Innocence helped Roy to a low portion of wall they could vault. Innocence slipped two syringes into the thigh pocket of Roy's battered prison uniform. The boy clambered onto the wall and half dragged Roy after him. As they dropped down on the other side Roy winced to see he had left a smeared trail of blood.

"Have to stop the bleeding it's too easy to track." Roy grunted.

"Among other things." Innocence said slightly reproachfully as doubled over trying to catch his breath. Blood loss was taking a clear toll. Roy laughed and allowed Innocence to steer him into an alley. It would do for the few moments it would take to pull his upper armor off and patch the wound, take a syringe and suit up again.

"Keep an eye out." Roy said and began shrugging off the makeshift plates of armor they had sewed into his uniform and Innocence's on the trail. It was a poor attempt at defense but had bought them enough time and room to save their lives more than once. He made a mental note to get better equipment as soon as possible.

Roy managed to snag the head of the nail – what little head there was – with his fingernails and jerk it free. The hurt was raw but somehow clean blood immediately flowed again then stopped quickly. Most humans on mars clotted quickly, a side effect of adapting to an environment where water was rarer than on Earth. Only the constant chafe of the nail in his flesh had caused the dangerous bleeding. He wiped at the wound, decided the syringe would be enough to keep it from opening up again, then jammed one of the syringes into his torso near the injury. He gasped winced and tossed the now empty syringe aside and started to suit up again.

"Where should we go?" Innocence asked as he continued watching the street and nearby shops for signs of observers or more soldiers.

"I used to have a place near here, in the slums, be a good place to hunker down." Roy whispered as he finished settling his clothing back in place.

"Right, good plan." Innocence said hollowly.

"Come on." Roy grunted and lead the way. They were jumped twice more before entering the slums. The second encounter nearly took out Innocence. The boy avoided getting his head smashed in by an Auroran bat by a fraction of a centimeter. Enraged Roy had cracked the offender's skull. The man had been breathing as they limped and staggered into the slums but Roy didn't think the poor bastard would make it.

Innocence had been surprised that Roy didn't kill the people that attacked them. While he had likely been about to kill Fatso when they had first met it had been more due to the monster's track record than anything else. Roy didn't take the soldiers' attacks personally. Innocence wondered if it was because Roy had worn the same uniform or maybe the renegade just found all life sacred. Well, all human life, Innocence had seen his guardian mow through a pack of moles like a berserker in a blood rage.

Innocence couldn't remember being so tired or enraged. His eyes burned but he couldn't cry. Roy was limping badly and needed Innocence's help to get by. They wouldn't be able to endure another confrontation.

"How far is your place?"

"Half a block."

"Okay come on not far then." Innocence said and hauled Roy to his feet. Roy pulled out the second syringe and jammed it into his thigh. He and Innocence waited for a full two minute count then started out again. Roy could feel the fiery itch of the boosted serum bonding with his system and going to work. By the time the door to his hidey hole was visible he was walking normally. Innocence dropped back a bit and Roy kept a grip on his weapon.

Someone was passed out on a table in the entrance way. Roy ignored the prone figure, hoping he was unconscious and not dead, and lead Innocence further in and around a corner to a ladder. Without speaking he started to climb. He glanced around but couldn't make much out in the dim light, or maybe it was the lighting combined with his exhaustion. Either way they didn't see the quartet of angry squatters reeking of stims and rancid sweat until they were charging at the duo swinging weapons. Roy shoved Innocence back and away to ensure the boy had room to swing his weapon clear of Roy's own weapon. Then Roy lurched forward and tore into the group.

Between the two of them it was short enough work. Longer than Roy would have found acceptable normally but considering how utterly fucked their day had been it would do.

"Come on, there's an actual room over here with a bed. Or there was." Roy sighed and lead Innocence to a sealed door. It slid open slowly to reveal a rickety, dusty bed. Roy entered with Innocence and helped the boy close the door.

"Make sure it's locked." Roy said absently. He was kneeling next to the bed pulling something out from under it.

"It's a miracle." He mused and revealed a crate with medical supplies and several packages of nails that would fit the ubiquitous nail guns carried by thugs and military alike.

"Roy…thank you." Innocence said.

"We'll rest up here for a couple days once we're ready we'll find out what happened to your parents."

"I…you've heard the rumors about the resistance?" Innocence asked.

They both had during their trip. The end of the war had somehow resulted in a shifting of power. The Dowser still ran the guild but the technomancers had gained unprecedented power as well. Previously banned from most political offices and relegated to support roles and strike forces in the military they were now publicly acting in capacities and seizing powers that had been beyond them before. The crackdown on movement was dictated by the Source and enforced by Auroran troops and technomancerse. The resistance had been formed by citizens fed up with the change in power and the crackdown on citizen's rights.

"You want to find them?"

"They'll know what happened to my parents. If it was just them…"

"No, this wasn't personal it's too big for that. What exactly did your parents do in the militia?"

"I don't know for sure, I never paid attention. I didn't care about politics or the war until I was drafted. People were always coming to see them… I wish I had paid attention I wish I had told them to stay out of it. I've never felt this way before Roy, I'm so angry I can barely think and I can't even cry."

"That's…normal Innocence. In a few hours it'll die down, you'll stay angry but the tears will come too. I'll help you find out what happened, I'll help you find the Resistance too, but only if it's what you really want. You can have a different life now maybe even be happy leave the war and the shit behind."

"No. Thank you Roy but I can't just walk away." Innocence said softly.

"Yeah…yeah… I know…" Roy sighed.

He stripped off his filthy clothing and piled it in a corner. He used a precious pre-moistened wipe to check the nail gun wound – fully healed – then a second to wipe down. He passed the packet to Innocence then stretched out on the bed and was asleep in minutes.

Innocence picked up a dusty blanket from the foot of the bed and took it outside the habitat to shake it out. Satisfied it was as clean as a good shaking would get it he returned to the habitat and draped it over Roy.

Roy never snored though he talked in his sleep sometimes. Usually it was nonsense sometimes it seemed to be Auroran names, Tenacity and Charity were pretty common.

Innocence left Roy sleeping and slipped away past the dead or sleeping man in the foyer and out on to the street. He stayed out of sight, content to watch the ribald life of the slums and let his aching raging soul settle.

Some hours later tired of the banality of the street he returned to the habitat. Roy was still sleeping; he hadn't stirred from his position. Cold, tired, heartsick and lonely Innocence kicked off his own filthy things cleaned up, snagged a second blanket from the crate and curled up on the narrow bed with Roy.

Roy's steady rough breathing was as good as any kind word at comforting the frightened boy.