Fade in to the firefight between the Reds and the Blues

Director: Our records in this matter are impeccable, and I will refer you to them. It is true that we were granted the use of only one A.I. program, yet with special permission to conduct our experiments. That is all we were allowed to do, and that is all we have done. Of course, I am sure that you will agree, that the core mission of any scientific endeavor, is to find creative solutions to... unexpected problems.

Ash is standing next to Church

"Where did these guys come from?" Wash asks as he returns fire back at the Reds.

"I have no clue!" Church yells.

"My friends!" Ash yells.

"Do you think they're working with the Meta?" Wash asks.

"Working with them?" Church asks. "These guys don't do much working of any kind, so...no."

"I feel proud of that." Ash says.

"Look there's Caboose." Wash points out.

"Is he dead?" Church asks.

A grenade explodes outside.

"Hold on. Let me pull up the biocomm. Check his pulse rate.

"Cool." Ash says in awe.

"I can check on the whole squad during combat." Wash explains. "It doesn't work on you for some reason." Wash says to Church.

Church and Ash look to each other then back to Wash.

"Yeah uh ah, sure there's a..." Church starts. "perfectly, logical, explanation for that."

Wash looks to Ash. "And your brain activity is weird."

"Hmmm." Ash hums.

"We need to get to him." Wash says to the two. "My HUD says he's alive but hurt.

Church ducks out and fires at Caboose, then comes back in

"How 'bout now?" Church asks.

"Stop that!" Wash yells. "And you missed him."

"Fuck! Sun was in my eyes." 

Ash turns to Church. "Just admit you suck."

Church turns to Ash and shoots at him, the bullet misses by a lot.

"What the fuck?!" Church yells.

"I prove my point." Ash says

Over with the rest of the Reds.

Sarge: Simmons, keep firing. Don't let up!

Simmons: Yes, sir!

Grif: And get the grenades out there!

Simmons: Yes, sirs!

Sarge: Grif, stop confusing everybody. I'm callin' the shots.

Grif: We're the same rank now, I can do whatever I want.

Sarge: You're not qualified to lead in battle!

Grif: Qualified? How hard could it be? Simmons, you're doing a terrible job, and you should try to win harder. I mean try harder. To win.

Sarge: That was awful.

Grif: (crying) I learned it by watching you.

Simmons: Excuse me, sir.

Grif and Sarge: What?!

Simmons: (sigh) Never mind.

Cut to the Meta watching the fight on a video screen, and changing colour to red

Sarge: (on the screen) Simmons, aim for his bullets! Try to deflect them in mid air. Grif, come here! Your face can be used as a shield.

The Meta walks down toward the battle, and the screen he was looking at starts flashing "Generator Malfunction". Cut back to Wash, Church and Ash.

Wash fires a few rounds at the reds. "We have to end this. Caboose is hurt, he could be losing blood."

"Ah, let him be." Church says. "A little brain might actually be good for him."

"Well what about Delta? The Meta could have grabbed him, or he could be trying to-"

All at once power goes out.

"What was that?" Grif asks.

"What was that?" Church asks Wash.

"I didn't do it." Ash quickly says.

"Oh no."

Power comes back on.

"The Meta!" Wash yells. "He must be powering up. We can't waste any more time with this nonsense."

"I got this." Ash says.

Ash walks out from cover. "Guys. Guys! Stop firing!" The Reds stops firing. "It's me Ash! Your teammate!" A bullet hits him on the right shoulder. "OW! FUCK! Grif you little shit!"

"Ash?" Sarge asks. "What happened to your arm? What did the blues do to you?"

"Uhhhhh....." Ash says. "It was my fault."

"Ash!" Sarge yells "How many times have I told you to not blow off body parts." 

"A lot, sir."

"Now, if you are our Ash and not some blue spy. What is the secure code word?"

Ash clears his throat. "The codeword is: Codeword_Bluessuck1."

"Alright men, stand down." Sarge tells Simmons and Grif.

Grif: Stand down? We outnumber them four to two. That's like a three with a two, that's fifty percent advantage. You carry the one.

Simmons: I don't wanna know how you came up with that, but you're actually right. What do you care though, I thought you loved giving up in the middle of battle.

Grif: Doesn't mean I wanna die.

Sarge: Gentlemen. That's Ash, cause he knows the codeword.

Grif: Everybody knows our code word!

Sarge: Alright, let's try negotiating. Grif, I want you to get out there. See what they want. But first leave your weapons and armor here so they don't feel threatened. Check that; take your weapon and give it to them.

Grif: No. Sarge, you may not think that I'm a good leader, but something about those Blues just doesn't feel right. And I have an uncanny sixth sense. So if you won't help me, I'll just have to get the local Reds to. This guy looks legit. Maybe he can help.

Grif heads over to the Meta, who walked over next to a jeep while he was talking

Sarge: Grif, get back here! You don't know anything about those soldiers. To them Blue could be Red, or Red could be Blue or, they could be an opposite map.

Grif: Shut up, old man, and watch how a real leader works. Hey there, soldier! What's your name?

Meta: *some kind of swooshing sound*

Grif: Huh, sounds like somebody has a cold. Anyway, listen. I need your help with some...

The Meta lifts up the jeep

Grif: ...thing. Wow. That's a cool trick. How did you do...

The Meta turns toward Grif

Grif: Uhm... I uh...

Cut to Church, Wash and Ash

Church: Man. It got pretty quiet out there. You don't think they're really working with the Meta, do you?

Grif runs by, chased by a tumbling jeep

Grif: Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, ooooh God!

Washington: ...No.

"That looks like fun." Ash says.

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07-11-2022