ANCIENT ALIEN TEMPLES. PRESENT DAY

Cut to Tucker, flanked by Simmons and Grif

Tucker: So, uh, how do you feel?

Cut to Carolina's Mongoose which springs to life at the questions. Epsilon's voice speaks through the Mongoose.

Epsilon: I feel like running over each, and every one of you.

Tucker: So pretty much the same as before.

Epsilon: Yeah. Pretty much.

Grif: Y'know Simmons? I think I'm gonna let you call "Shotgun" on this one.

Grif runs off

Simmons: Fuck that!

Simmons also runs off. Epsilon's AI form appears on the windshield of the Mongoose.

Epsilon: Man, this sucks!

Tucker: What are you complaining about? You finally got your own body.

Epsilon: My own body? Tucker, I'm a fucking tonka truck!

Tucker: Okay, yeah, but you could literally pick up chicks with this thing!

Epsilon: Oh, yeah, because every girl just dreams about settling down with Optimus Prime - HONK!

Epsilon flashes as the Mongoose's horn goes off. Epsilon turns around as Caboose stands up from behind the Mongoose.

Epsilon: Caboose! Don't do that.

Caboose: Sorry.

Sarge runs in front of Tucker

Sarge: Alright, places people! Here they come!

Sarge runs away as Epsilon vanishes

Caboose: Don't forget to shout "Surprise!"

Tucker: Caboose, shut up!

Carolina, Minnesota, and Washington run over the hill to where the Blues are.

"I'm gonna go over to my team." Ash tells the two Freelancers.

Ash goes over to the reds.

Carolina: Tucker, bring Epsilon over here. I've got some questions for him.

Tucker: Goddamnit.

Cut to the Elephant, where Carolina speaks to Wash who is inside using a computer.

Carolina: Any luck?

Washington: I think so.

The screen displays the Project Freelancer emblem which spins and reveals several pictures, among them, Epsilon's former Monitor body.

Washington: Alright, data pad accepted. Looks like we're in business.

Tucker runs up behind Carolina

Tucker: So, uh, what do you need Church for?

Carolina: I just told you.

Tucker: Oh... yeah, but I mean you could talk to me instead! 'Sup girl?

Carolina: Why on Earth would I ever want to do that?

Tucker: Well, you know, we're a perfect match. We're both super good-looking badass rebel loners, and we've got the same color armor! Greenish-blue.

Carolina simply stares at Tucker.

Tucker: Uh, aquamarine? Turquoise? Hey, what the fuck color is this anyways?

Washington: Listen, it's important that we figure out what's on C.T.'s data pad. It might be our next clue to finding the Director.

Tucker glances at the screen.

Tucker: Hey I know that thing!

Washington: Wait, you recognize this artifact?

Tucker: Hell yeah! It was the biggest pain in the ass!

Caboose runs up behind Tucker

Caboose: Ah, it's Church! Yeah, he had lost a lot of weight.

Carolina: What?

Tucker: Oh yeah, Caboose transferred Epsilon from a memory unit into that thing a long time ago.

Carolina: Where is it now?

Tucker: I dunno, who cares?

Carolina: I do.

Tucker: Oh. Well in that case, uh, Caboose tell her where it is.

Caboose: Right. Yes. Okay. Right. Yes. I will do that...yes...right...now.

Cut to the Reds, standing not far away.

Ash is standing next to Simmons.

"Well, Sarge, you've always wanted to watch a Blue die." Grif says. "Looks like you're going to get your with after all."

"This is going to be awesome." Ash says.

"Actually, Grif, it's always been my wish to watch you die." Sarge explains. 

"Oh, right." Grif says.

Sarge: Yep. Every night after you boys would retire to your bunks, I would climb up to the top of the base and just wait. Hoping I would see a shooting star. So that I could wish for your violent, and unbearably painful demise.

Grif: Okay, you can stop now.

Sarge: I even even had a little jingle to go along with it.

Grif: Please don't.

Sarge: (singing) "I just wish that Grif was dead!"

Grif: I hate you.

Simmons also starts singing

Sarge: (singing) "Put a bullet-"

Sarge stops, noticing that Simmons had also started singing.

Simmons: (singing) "Put a bullet through his head!"

Grif: What the-? Simmons how do you know that song?!

Simmons: Oh, it's been in my dreams for years! Now it all makes sense! Oh thank God!

Grif: What?!

Simmons: I thought I was crazy when I woke up with that rifle in my hands!

Sarge: Heheheh, well ain't that the power of music!

Grif: Simmons! Why didn't you tell me about this?!

Simmons: Oh, shut up. It wasn't even loaded.

"Mine was." Ash says and Grif turns to him. "Mine's always loaded. Ready to take Grif out at a moments notice."

Over with Carolina.

Carolina: How can you just leave an ancient alien artifact on the floor of a warehouse?!

Caboose: Okay, hold on, I mean, to be fair, you know, he had already broken it.

The screen flashes repeatedly and an error message appears stating: "DATA CORRUPTED END OF FILE ERROR CODE 32165206.35".

Washington: Uh-oh, that's not right...

Carolina: Ugh! I can't believe we came all this way for nothing!

Carolina runs off. Wash turns to the other Blues.

Washington: You guys are not making my life easy right now.

Tucker: Do we ever?

Washington: Good point.

Cut to Carolina followed by Wash underneath one of the temple structures.

Washington: So, what's the plan now?

Carolina: There's an island nearby that I want to visit. Shouldn't take more than a day or so.

Washington: That old fortress? Carolina, I'm not sure there's a-

Carolina: Wash. Trust me on this?

Washington: Right. You should probably listen to your instincts.

Carolina: You stay here and keep the sim troopers from causing any trouble. I won't be long.

Cut to Carolina, driving away on her Mongoose. Wash can be heard adressing the group.

Washington: Alright, everyone move into the temple. It'll be getting dark soon.

Tucker: Hey, Wash, where exactly is she going?

Washington: She lost something. I think she just needs some time to try and find it again.

Fade to the Freelancer training floor where Carolina makes her way to the center. The Chairman's voice is heard in the backround.

FREELANCER TRAINING FACILITY. MANY YEARS AGO...

Chairman: (voice over) Dear Director, the loss of military equipment is a severe infraction. I should not need to remind you that all UNSC property, especially our more experimental technologies, must be kept from the hands of our enemies at all costs. In these trying times, vigilance is paramount.

Carolina reaches the center of the training floor. She is soon surrounded by two rows of rotating green targets. Carolina readies herself and begins to expertly punch and kick the targets, turning them red. Cut to York, who oversees Carolina's training, whilst unarmored and with a coffee mug. He yawns as North, also unarmored walks up behind him. North pats him on the shoulder. 

Minne, still in armor, walks in with a coffee mug in his hands.

"Still training at this hour?" North asks.

"Yeah. She's been like this since we got back from the last mission." York explains.

Minne sets the coffee mug on the table next to York. "Brought you another."

York nods to Minne. "Thanks."

"You've gotta be kidding me, she's always been like this." North says.

"Well, yeah." York starts. "I mean, she never did know when to stop. But now it's like she doesn't know how to stop. Always training. I guess the leaderboard beckons."

York, North, and Minne look at the leaderboard. Tex is still number one, while Carolina is number two. Minnesota is still number three.

North turns back to York. "You know, you don't have to watch over her."

"Could say the same to you about South." York says to North.

"That's not really an answer."

"So what are you two doing awake?"

"I've been trained to stay up for weeks on end." Minne says.

"Theta." North explains. "Couldn't sleep. And if Theta can't sleep-"

"Ah. One of the side effects they don't tell you about." York says.

"There's that too." Minne says as he goes over to the window and looks down to Carolina.

York continues. "Having someone else's voice in your head sure does take some getting used to, doesn't it? Delta's always running his probabilities."

"Well that seems annoying." North says.

"He says it's fun. You know, did you know that statistically, you're as likely to get hit by lighting as you are to die in a Pelican crash."

"Seems like it would be higher, considering our line of work." North says. "Guess I'm due for a few lightning bolts."

The three Freelancer laugh.

F.I.L.S.S: Round complete. A six-point-three percent increase in efficiency that round Agent-

Carolina: Run it again F.I.L.S.S.

F.I.L.S.S: Resetting training room floor for next round.

Carolina begins to take out the targets yet again.

"Is Theta... up late often?" York asks.

"You're wondering if he gets scared a lot." North says.

"Yeah, guess I am."

"Well, it happens. Mainly at night." North explains. "He likes when I walk the halls. When we were kids, my dad would have to drive South around in the car to get her to fall asleep. It's kind of the same thing."

"What about you, Minne?" York asks Minne. "Does Xi get scared?"

Minne turns to York. "She doesn't get scared, that at least I know of. She's really good at hiding her emotions. But I can feel her emotions, she's afraid of being alone. Even when I try to sleep I can't because of her not wanting to be alone. So I keep her busy with combat scenarios and how to deal with them."

"I wonder if they're all like this." York starts. "The A.I.s, you know. Jittery, nervous - no, not nervous."

"Anxious." North says.

"Yeah, anxious. It's like Delta thinks something bad is always about to happen. I don't get it. What do they have to worry about?"

"Er, Pelican crashes, lighting strikes - hey, maybe they know something we don't."

North yawns.

"Why don't you just pull him for a night." York says. "Get yourself some sleep."

"Pull Theta?" North asks.

"Yeah."

"He gets even more scared when I do that. I feel obligated to help."

"I see why they picked you."

"Yeah."

"Well, he has to face his fear at some point." York explains. "If they want to be human, that's a good place to start."

"What can I tell you?" North starts. "I guess... some things are just harder to face than others."

Minne rolls his right shoulder.

"How's the shoulder, Minne?" York asks.

"It's really sore." Minne explains. "Haven't been able to rest it with all this training and missions."

"Do you ever take your armor off?" York asks.

"I once saw him in the shower with it on." North says.

"Hey, how else am I supposed to get it nice and shiny." Minne defends.

North and York laugh.

"I better get going, I can feel Xi starting to get nervous." Minne says.

"Good night, Minne." York says. "Night North.

"Don't stay up too late." North says. "You need your rest."

North and Minne walk away.

F.I.L.S.S: Round complete

Carolina: Run it again.

F.I.L.S.S: That last round showed a three-point-six percent increase-

Carolina: Just run it again!

F.I.L.S.S: Resetting training room floor.

Carolina attacks the targets once again. She completes it extremely quickly.

F.I.L.S.S: Round complete.

Carolina: Run it again.

Cut back to York who lays back into his chair.

F.I.L.S.S: Resetting training room floor for next round.

York: I think we all could use some rest.

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07-19-2022