Scene opens with agents York, Washington, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the Freelancer locker room. South paces angrily in the background.

Minne is polishing his katana as he sits on a bench in front of his locker.

South Dakota: What?! This is bullshit!

MOTHER OF INVENTION LOCKER ROOM. MANY YEARS AGO...

"South, calm down!" North says.

"CALM DOWN?!" South yells. "That's easy for you to say! You already have an A.I. Who the FUCK is she to take away our place?"

"Our turn will come." Wash explains. "They're already put me back on the list for--"

South aproaches him, forcing him down on a bench.

South: What?! Ugh!!

South kicks over the bench adjacent to Wash in frustration.

"Maybe if she would have set her motion trackers." Minne whispers to himself.

"You ever notice how every time you open your mouth you make things worse?" York says to Wash.

"Sorry.." Wash apologizes.

"And TWO A.I.?!" South yells. "Why is she so special?! What's so special about either of them?"

Enraged, South punches Texas' locker open, causing the nametag to fall off. Tex walks in behind her.

Tex: Pick it up.

York: What're you doing in here? You never come in here.

Tex: I've come for Carolina.

Tex turns back to South.

Tex: Pick it up.

The two angrily glare at each other for a brief moment before South picks up a half of the nametag that reads "Tex". She shoves it towards Tex's chest and walks out of the room, angrily punching a wall on her way out.

Minne stands up and opens his locker and sets his sword inside and closes the locker.

North: I...I should probably uh....I better go.

North stands up and quickly leaves.

Tex: Where is she?

York: Look, Texas, I don't know if you're looking for a fight, or whatever it is you want, but now is not the time. Carolina just went into surgery. We don't know when she'll be out so we're headed over to recovery to wait for her.

As York is speaking, Tex walks over to her locker and finds a dog tag. She picks it up and briefly stares at it. York, Minne, and Wash walk up behind her.

Washington: Yeah, Recovery One.

York: Maybe you should come with us.

"It'll be nice." Minne says.

There is a brief pause as Tex continues to look at the dog tag.

York: Let's go. You coming, Texas?

Tex: Yeah, go on York, I'm right behind you.

York and Wash leave as Tex watches them go. She looks at the dog tag one last time and pockets it inside her armor, then closes the locker door.

Cut to the Blue base at Valhalla where Tucker and Caboose are seen talking.

OUTPOST 17-B: VALHALLA. PRESENT DAY...

Tucker: This is the awesome new base? Looks the same as the shitty old base to me.

Caboose: Oh! You are gonna love it here! You know, its like our home away from home, that we can't ever get away from.

Tucker: So, let me get this straight, its just two bases, in the middle of a box canyon.

Caboose: Yes. But on one side, instead of a wall, there's an endless supply of water.

Tucker: Wow. You guys really know how to upgrade. Lemme guess; I bet this time, we've got a tank with eight pedals instead of six.

Caboose: Aw, don't be silly, we don't have a tank.

Cut to the crashed Pelican. Washington walks out from behind it and over to the front where Carolina is investigating.

Carolina: All right, what have you got?

Washington: Not much, a few shell casings, a dog tag...

Carolina: I was talking to Church....

Washington: Oh, sorry, I-

Epsilon appears on the windsheild of the Pelican.

Epsilon: Hey, whats up? Somebody call me?

Carolina: Yea, find anything yet?

Epsilon: Oh, not yet, but the onboard computer program is an old friend of mine; she's doing her best to help me out.

Carolina: Good. Keep it up.

Epsilon vanishes.

Carolina: Wash, is there a reason you're just standing there doing nothing? Get back to it.

Washington: Umm, right...yes sir, boss.

Washington turns and walks away.

Ash looks to the side. "Um, what should I do?" Carolina stares at Ash and he becomes nervous. "I'm just gonna go check on my team." Ash walks off.

Carolina: Can't keep your secrets forever, Texas. Not from me... never from me.

Cut to the surgery room on board the Mother of Invention. Carolina lies on an operating table as two doctors prepare to implant her A.I.

MOTHER OF INVENTION MEDICAL LAB. MANY YEARS AGO...

The artificial gravity is disengaged and Carolina begins floating. One of the doctors holds her steady while the other one brings over a tray and picks up a shot. He gives Carolina the shot and procedes to implant the first of her two A.I.

Cut to the Recovery room. Carolina is lying asleep on a bed while Wyoming sits on a chair next to her. York, helmetless, walks in with Wash and sits down. In the background, Maine can be seen sitting on another bed while being examined by a doctor. Minnesota walks into the room.

"How is she?" Minne asks.

"Should be coming around any moment." Wyoming says.

"What's he in for?" York motions to Maine.

"Probably for all the headaches he's been having." Wash suggests and he turns to York and Minne. "Did you two get them after you guys got Delta and Xi?"

"At first, They went away pretty quick, though." York explains.

"It was the same with me." Minne says.

"The other side effects were way worse." 

"What other side effects?" Wash asks

"You know, bleeding from the eyes, ringing ears..." Minne says.

"Inverted penis." York finishes. 

Wash covers his crotch. "INVERTED WHAT?!" He yells.

York and Minne laugh and fist bump.

"Dude, we're just fucking with you!" York says. "'Kay? Couple of headaches, that's it."

"So what's different about Maine, then?" Wash asks.

Carolina begins to wake up.

York: Hey! She's awake!

York stands over her.

York: How you feeling, champ?

Carolina awakens and suddenly sits up.

Carolina: I want a match. Right... now.

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07-19-2022