SYNOPSIS
A gifted engineer, Kade, was born and works within the city walls of Neo Haven: the last remaining mega-city, built-up above Earth’s toxic atmosphere.
Kade spends his sleepless nights on his modified radio, attempting to contact his estranged father–gone a decade ago. Kade resents his father for abandoning him, but still holds on to hope that he may still be alive. Kade’s girlfriend Tetra–a proud Neo Haven soldier and staunch humanist–reminds Kade to focus on the battle at hand.
After a power outage blacks out Neo Haven, the city’s leader, Kuro, tasks Kade with fixing a generator in the lower city. During their mission, Kade and the soldier escort–including Kuro’s son and Kade’s best friend Luca–are ambushed by two enemy androids known as COGs.
Easily overtaken, the surviving soldiers are taken hostage by the COGs. We learn that the COGs want access to The Cord–a long spire at the heart of Neo Haven that stretches endlessly up into space. We understand that Neo Haven was built by humans and COGs during a time of peace–and that The Cord is the only way for COGs to return home. The COG leader –Miko–tells Kade that she knows where his father is. That he’s alive. And that he needs Kade’s help.
At this point we cut to an Old Man scavenging the outer wastelands for mechanical parts. Back in his hermit home, Old Man adds the component to a broken-down COG. He inserts a green disk into the back of the COG’s head: a human face materialises on the android faceplate. We understand that these green disks hold human “souls.” We notice that the Old Man has a green disk dangling from his necklace, close to his heart.
Kade, denying his better judgment, chooses to trust Miko and find his father. Tetra urges him not to go–claiming that the COG is manipulating Kade’s emotions. But he’s stubborn. Tetra decides that she must accompany Kade in order to protect him, while having ulterior motives to sabotage the COG stronghold.
The trio attempt to escape Neo Haven but soldiers–led by Kuro and Luca–try to stop them. In a highspeed chase that quickly turns bloody, Miko kills Kuro–leaving Luca fatherless and bent on revenge to destroy all COGs.
With Tetra seriously wounded from battle, the trio escape the city walls and venture into the toxic wastelands – as Kade’s suspicions of COGs begin to rise.
At the same time, after a series of trial and error, Old Man repairs the COG body and sets out for Neo-Haven. Finally ready to reconcile his past.
Kade loses Tetra and must face the devastating choice: to upload Tetra to a disk or to let her go.
As Luca’s forces close in, and while trying to locate his father, Kade must decide which side he is on – in this turbulent world of man and machine.
Old Man has already made his choice.