Episode 1 Revised.

PILOT:
In January of 2031, Lt. Masayuki Sakamoto is a medical officer with the 4th Infantry Battalion in the recaptured Reno, Nevada. One night, while in surgery, he receives orders direct from High Command to return to Canada via the I-80 causeway. As Reno is a heavily-contested front, Masa requests safe passage for his family, but it is denied. With promises to return within a month, Masa departs from Reno with the next convoy.

After 1 week, Masa arrives at Lake X, the heavily-guarded headquarters of the Northwest Resistance, otherwise known as Tac-Rec. He reunites with his parents and siblings, but before he can share tales of his own exploits, he is quickly summoned to the command bunker, where he is given his orders by Admiral McKenzie and his staff.

The mysterious figure known as "The Captain" has apparently resurfaced in the Black Hills of South Dakota, untouched by nuclear contamination or SkyNET interference, but characterized by violent warfare between the local Resistance and the resurgent Lakota Indians, who considered the Black Hills sacred as their ancestral homeland, stolen from them in the 1870's; while a ceasefire has gone into effect, the agreement's enforcement varies widely. The Captain, a charismatic man not known by name but highly regarded as one of the elite Marshals, vanished without a trace 5 years prior during an expedition into Wyoming, and was presumed dead after a SkyNET airstrike. Masa's former commander, Seth Hunt had also disappeared in search of him, but was rumored to be present in the Captain's company.

Having served under both Seth Hunt, and the Captain (and being the last surviving man to do so), Masa is tasked with leading an expedition into the Black Hills, under the guise of a humanitarian envoy, as per Tac-Rec's brokered ceasefire agreement. While Masa was indeed expected to mete out essential foodstuffs to the civilian population, he was also expected to confirm the duo's survival and secure their evacuation from the wartorn region. In spite of Masa never having led a combat command and despite spending most of his life as a doctor, Masa is promoted to the rank of Captain and placed in charge of the entire operation.

After being reassured that Tac-Rec will hold no responsibility in the event of his death or capture, he is packed into a convoy and sent to Alberta. Before he leaves, Masa says goodbye to his family, and his father presents him with his grandfather's sword from the Japanese Army.

He first arrives in the home territory of the Lakota Confederacy in Montana, a reservation town called Lame Deer. In Lame Deer, The Lakota are somewhat friendly to Tac-Rec representatives and have agreed to provide a scout and additional supplies as a token of good faith. After bartering for additional supplies and gathering rumors, Masa learns that the Lakota in the Black Hills have begun to gain the upper-hand in the war, and that the 45th are in danger of being pushed out of the area. The war parties are also much more hostile to any non-Lakota in the area, including Tac-Rec themselves, and have begun to splinter into tribal factions based on favorite commanders.

After leaving Lame Deer, the search party consists of 10:
Masa, as Captain, is considered the fireteam leader, but officially is listed as a diplomatic envoy.
Sonya Adams, a 20-year-old Lakota scout, is Masa's interpreter, guide, and assistant. She is considered jumpy and inexperienced, but she possesses the greatest knowledge of the Black Hills out of anyone in Lame Deer.
"Rook", an accomplished knife fighter, Reaper, and friend of Masa's.
Rex Lionel, a Reprogrammed T-800. As the Lakota vehemently target all drones, Skynet or not, Lionel is a captured infiltrator that had attempted to replace a Sergeant. He is rumored to be defective, as his technician complained that he would not immediately follow directives.
5 84th aid specialists, who are genuinely tasked with humanitarian aid as per the "official" mission.

The group stops in an abandoned barn for the night, but as they begin to cook dinner, they come under heavy attack from a Skynet patrol, consisting of multiple T-800's and T-600's. The group manages to hold the patrol off, but it becomes quickly clear that they are about to be overrun. At the last possible second, the patrol retreats, beaten back by a reaction force with humvees, plasma, and M2 Brownings. The Humvees pull to a stop, training their weapons and spotlights on the party.
End of Pilot.