If NeoTokyo proper is dimensionally unstable, the Badlands are a complete dimensional mess. Here, the gates are far more frequent, leading to the entire landscape shifting, expanding, contracting, rearranging itself, as well as causing far more arrivals, especially of the dangerous sort. As such, the area is not considered under the jurisdiction of the city and remains largely unpatrolled by the NTSDF and completely ignored by the NTPD.
Inside the Badlands, anything that could be called a 'sensor' is unreliable over long range. Radar, infrared, even the mark 1 human eyeball tend to reveal confusing results over a distance. From space, the landscape itself is forever clouded over and completely impenetrable by any form of sensors. Communication is impossible outside of line of sight except for perhaps by loud sounds and visual methods like smoke signals and flares... but even that can be unreliable.
The lands themselves are incredibly vast and varied. There are vast city ruins, dense forests and even jungles, irradiated wasteland, castles in pristine condition, wrecked starships... and yet, if one returns to what they think will be the same location later, the landscape itself can prove to be completely different upon return.
Within these lands lie countless threats: scavengers, raiders, monsters, anything imaginable. This can be made even worse by elements that otherwise have made it into the city that just prefer the lawless nature of the badlands. It's far from unheard of it come across wandering kaiju, roving bandits, bunkered down survivalists, and even a hovercraft based mecha carrier has been reported numerous times, filled with scavengers calling themselves 'Vultures'.
Despite all the threats and unreliability of the Badlands, many still find reason to return here. Some, like the raiders and scavengers frequently run into out there, simply want a place where they won't be bothered by petty little things called 'laws', where they can operate as they want to for good and ill reasons. Some simply want the challenge of the threats and thrill of the combat they're likely to find out there. But perhaps the most compelling reason that many return is instead the promise of treasure. When anything can be found in the Badlands, there is a great draw for many to head out and seek what fortunes can be found. Perhaps a pile of gold coins. Perhaps a magical artifact. Perhaps even a repairable starship. Maybe even simply a new friend or ally can be found.
One thing, however, always remains a constant in the Badlands: You never know what you're going to find there.
