Motherland: Fort Salem

We are the Spree.

Hey. Your daddy let me in.

- Did you have school? - I had a half day.

Here. There's a little extra there.

I know you're off to Salem tomorrow, God bless.

Yes, ma'am.

Permanent government vacation till I'm old and grey, if I make it that long.

Well, I just want you to know how grateful we are

for what you do, for the sacrifice you make.

- Truly. - Thanks.

- You can come on through. - Right. Yeah.

- It got worse. - We'll fix you up.

With me now.

Ask, and it shall be given you.

Seek, and ye shall find.

Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth,

and he that seeketh findeth...

And to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

forever and ever.

Thank you.

It's cold. You should come back to the bag.

Can we say goodbye again?

I can't see you again after I take the oath.

Remember? We talked about it.

Come on, we can be subtle.

- Paul. - I need to see you.

This can't be the last time...

Listen to me.

This is when you go to college,

find a girl, get married, everything nice and good.

This is when I go grind our great nation's enemies into dust.

Go.

I should take off.

And don't walk into traffic.

...a cowardly attack on Conscription Day.

Let's go back to the scene right now.

Here's what we know. Sixteen hundred people

are dead today, the result of an unknown bomber who may have fled the scene.

This is obviously...

what happened today redefines

"suicide bomb" in a way that shocks me to the marrow.

The ruthlessness of this attack has all the earmarks of the Spree.

Not to mention the timing, on Conscription Day,

when so many of our bravest are called up...

You know what? This is abusive. Turn that off.

I give up. Cook your own goodbye dinner,

'cause you're in such a hurry to get yourself killed.

Mom, I'm sorry.

I have given this so much careful thought.

I want to help. I want to do something good.

Have you ever thought that maybe I want to get away from here?

Will you imagine for two seconds what it was like for me to lose my sisters...

Mom, I can't do this again.

I spoke to the attorney.

When the call comes, just don't say the words.

That's all we have to do right now.

Tally, Tally!

What did you tell Paul, the poor thing?

I sent him on his way with a little oomph.

You better save some oomph for War College.

Gotta get through basic first.

Don't even joke about that.

You're not gonna let this family down either, correct?

No, ma'am.

Because the first Bellweather to serve in this Army was a slave.

- She deserves better. - Yes, ma'am.

You... are her wildest dream, understood?

This is breaking news.

A terrifying attack on Conscription Day.

- The Spree? - The Army has set up a perimeter.

We do not know if this is an act of terrorism.

No one has claimed responsibility.

It certainly has all the hallmarks...

And when you say the affected, that means anyone

in audible range of the balloon's popping noise?

Correct. The Spree are using sound here

to carry and spread the curse to the general public.

The Spree are a radical militant organization,

whose stateless army wreaks havoc...

Any minute now?

Yeah, pretty much.

This... was your mama's,

and her mama's before her.

Going back and back, passed down through the generations.

Supposed to wear it in combat.

Keep you safe.

I can't lose you too.

Please do not say the words.

If you say the words, they've got you.

Tally. Do you know how hard I worked to get you out of the lottery of death?

Tally. Tally, Tally!

Tally! Tally! You're smarter than this! Tally!

I, Tally Craven, do solemnly pledge

to protect and defend the United States of America against all enemies...

foreign or domestic. I will faithfully serve and obey the rules and articles

for the government of the Army...

of the United States, all secrets keep,

all lawful commands willingly perform as dictated by the Salem Accord.

- Have a great flight. - Thank you.

Next, please.

- Hello. - Hi.

Hi. Welcome.

- I will be happy to help you. - Thanks.

Okay.

We do have a flight to Boston boarding in 11 minutes and it is fully booked,

but I'm sure someone will happily surrender their seat under the circumstances.

- Tell you what, I'll walk you over there. - I'm on the Boston flight.

This young lady can have my seat. Thank you for your service to our country.

She's a witch.

She won't need a return flight.

Thank you.

- You're very brave. - I haven't done anything yet.

I am General Sarah Alder.

Welcome to Fort Salem.

It is a solemn day.

Much like the day, 327 years ago,

when I made a deal with the Massachusetts Bay Militia.

My terms were simple:

honor me,

make a place for me and my kind and we will win your wars.

That was before we were even America.

All of you have answered the call.

Just like your mothers and their mothers before them.

You are the daughters of ancient lines. You are called to greatness.

You have bravely pledged to serve and defend this great country.

I assure you, dark days await us.

We live in a time of ancient hatred and emerging threats.

The Spree are ruthless and savage.

We will need all of you to meet what's coming.

And we will meet it with storm and fury.

You are among your own kind now.

Take comfort in it.

Find strength in it.

A blessing on all of you, a blessing on this place,

this witch's place.

Oh, hi. Hi. Hi.

Welcome to all-suites Circe Barracks, the finest on the base.

I am Drill Sergeant Anacostia Quartermaine.

My job is to keep you alive through basic

so the Military High Council can determine if you go on to War College.

Or not.

Starting this year, you will rise or fall as units.

That means how anyone in your unit performs during basic

is how everyone in your unit performs during basic.

Your job is to be effective soldiers,

displaying at all times those most military of virtues.

Suite numbers on the back of your medals.

Go, meet the rest of your units.

Now, ladies!

- You must be Raelle! - Hi.

I'm Tally Craven,

and this is Abigail Bellweather.

Sounds like we're going all the way together.

Onward to glory, soldiers.

Well, rah, rah, rah. Sounds like a poster.

I assure you, the sentiment is sincere.

Bellweather? Sounds familiar.

Army's crawling with Bellweathers.

I'm good with lower or upper.

No way is that gonna pass inspection.

Cross that bridge, I guess.

- Where are you from? - Chippewa Cession, near Carolina.

Lookin' pretty pale for Chippewa Cession.

My family was there before it was the Cession. Where are you from?

- New York and Annapolis. - How can you be from two places?

- We summer in Maryland, by the water. - We summer where we winter.

Me too.

I'm from Norcal. Sacramento.

I grew up on a matrifocal compound,

so it's really far from the city.

- A what compound? - Matrifocal.

No dudes, like, ever.

Ever.

But lots of heirloom avocado growing conscientious objectors,

weavers, knitters, midwives...

I'm sorry, I'm still on the "no dudes" part.

So like are you a virgin?

Let me see your mark.

It changes when you have sex for the first time.

It gets better, shinier.

- The way it catches the light. - Where's yours?

Literally an inch from my vagina,

so maybe when we get to know each other better.

But is it... is it shiny?

My mom lost four sisters to combat.

When she turned 18, they gave her dispensation.

She didn't have to serve.

The Army said that our line had become unduly depleted.

She reopened the case to get one for me.

And then I ruined her life by coming.

You came when you didn't have to?

That's some heroic stuff, Private Craven.

I... I guess I felt like I did have to come,

- I mean given the state of the world. - The Spree.

Every attack is worse than the last.

I couldn't just watch while innocent people die.

- I couldn't... - You did the right thing.

This was the smallest draft in years.