(For those who didn't know. Cal, Ash's sister, is an actual character in the Halo universe. She's from Halo Legends, The baby Sitter. Also Ash's name came from his spartan tag.)

Washington: (voice over) Journal entry "one-zero-one."

Fade in to a canyon. The camera pans down to reveal a communications tower and soon other areas of the canyon.

Wash: (voice over) It's been a while since I've done one of these so, uh, let's get caught up to speed. Everything can be traced back to Project Freelancer, a military organization gone horribly wrong. The men in charge were corrupt and the soldiers who followed them were blind...Guess which side I was on? Eventually it was the project's own creations that tore it to pieces, and I was the one sent out to pick them up. I recovered weapons, armor, and A.I. fragments all in an effort to keep the wrong people from getting them first, but I was too slow. Everyone fought over the remnants of Project Freelancer. I didn't think I could believe in anyone anymore. But then... I met the Reds and Blues.

Camera pans over to Sarge approaching Caboose on a bridge

Sarge: Hey Caboose!

Caboose: Hello.

Sarge: We've got a proposition for ya.

Caboose: For me? Oh, well you shouldn't have.

Wash: (voice over) They had been used by the Freelancers just like I had. They were cannon fodder in a conflict with no purpose. But more importantly...

Camera pans over to Sarge and Caboose talking to Tucker

Caboose: Tucker, the Reds gave us a proposition. We should really send them some sort of thank you basket, like... fruit.

Tucker: Proposition just means a choice, you idiot.

Caboose: Oh... We will take the fuzzy one.

Sarge: But you don't even know what the proposition is yet.

Caboose: Well then we don't know that it isn't fuzzy then do we?

Wash: (voice over) ...They were just stupid enough to trust. Together, we were able to put an end to everything. The Freelancers, the A.I., even The Director of the whole operation... they're all gone. And as for us, well... we're ship wrecked. Crashed during our ride home, and if we're not rescued soon. I have a feeling something else might find us first... This is Agent Washington signing- (loud explosion) Oohhh, what now?!

Cut to Sarge in a tank, firing at Red base.

Ash is next to Simmons.

Ash's armor is Crimson with white trims. A knife in a sheath is attached to his upper right chest and he's holding a Plasma Repeater. Ash also has a robotic left arm.

Ash was once known as Agent Minnesota of Project Freelancer, and he was a Spartan, Ash-142, and he had a sister named Callie, Cal-141.

But when the Mother of Invention crashed on the snowy planet of Sidewinder he had a battle with the Meta, which he lost and he ended up bleeding out in the snow.

But the Director had different plans for him, getting a medical team to stabilize him, he has Ash's implants removed and his Augments "Nerfed" 

So Ash with losing so much blood and having operations done on him in the messy state he was in, he ended up with Brain damaged and memory lose. Making him crazy and insane for the most part.

Ash's favorite things are weapons, explosives, and his A.I.

With his sister dead, Xi is the only "Family" he has left other than the Reds.

Xi, Ash's A.I. the Alpha's surprise, is on his shoulder. Her nickname is Emily.

"You missed, sir." Simmons says.

"Dag nabbit, who in Sam Hell set this thing to inverted?"

"Well sir, statistically most users enjoy a--"

Sarge starts to grumble in frustration and impatience.

"Ye-wlll, uh-um, ehh-err...I-I-It was probably Grif, sir." Simmons says.

"Nice save." Ash says to Simmons.

Emily sighs.

Grif exits the base. "Hey! What the fuck is going on out here??"

"Who's firing at our base?" Grif yells.

"We are!" Sarge yells.

"You are...?"

"Our base is in desperate need of renovations." Sarge explains. "Figured I'd tear down the East Wing, and put in something nice and decorative... Like a mortar cannon."

"YES!" Ash yells in excitement. "Mortar cannon is a great idea!"

"And it didn't occur to you to warn me before you started blowing holes in the side of the wall...?" Grif yells at Sarge.

Sarge just stares at Grif. The fires the tank and the round lands next to Grif.

"Oh, COME ON!" Grif yells as he moves back into the base.

"I don't think this is very efficient." Emily says.

"Direct hit, sir." Simmons says to Sarge.

"No, it wasn't..." Sarge says with disappointment. 

Wash runs over to the Reds.

"What are you three DOING??" Wash yells.

"Well if it isn't our good friend, Agent Washington." Sarge says.

"Don't try to butter me up." Wash says. "Also... please refrain from pointing that at me..."

"Fine." Sarge says and he aims the turret away.

"We were just borrowing the tank for a little construction work." Simmons says.

"I like this way of construction." Ash says.

"Really...?" Wash asks. "And which one of my men authorized this...?"

Simmons and Ash stare at Wash.

"It was Caboose, wasn't it...?" Wash asks.

"Probably." Caboose says.

"Definitely." Emily says.

Wash sighs. "Sarge, get out of the tank."

"Not a chance, Blue!" Sarge yells.

"Possession's nine tenths of the law." Sarge explains. "The other tenth is a tank. I've got both." Sarge aims the turret at the base. "Besides, we need it to upgrade our quarters."

"Your quarters are fine!" Wash says.

Grif comes out of the base. "Yeah! Now get out of the tank, you senile ol--" Sarge fires the tank at Grif. "FUCKING son of a bitch!"

"Finger slipped." Sarge says.

"Out. Now!" Wash orders.

"My turn!" Caboose says.

Wash looks at Caboose. "Please be quiet..."

"My turn." Caboose whispers.

Wash walks over to Sarge as he gets out of the tank.

"This is an outrage!" Sarge exclaims.  "Blue Base is built directly below the crash site. You've got an unfair advantage!"

"Sarge, the Reds and Blues aren't fighting." Wash explains. "We're just camped in opposite ends of the canyon in..." Wash's confidence starts to dwindle. "Color... divided... teams... while heavily armed."

"True." Sarge agrees. "But have you ever considered that fighting is just in our nature? It's almost instinctual! If we're not constantly trying to stab each other in the back, we'll surely die."

"Dear god, I hate you..."

"That's the spirit!" Sarge chuckles.

"We may not be fighting, but you're still way closer to the food storage than we are." Grif says. "And that is something I will not stand for..."

"And the weapons locker!" Ash yells.

Simmons turns to Grif. "You won't stand for anything, fatass..."

"...If you were a few feet closer, you'd be sorry." Grif says.

"If we don't ration our food, we'll all be sorry." Wash explains. "We have yet to get our communications dish online, and if we run out of food before we can radio for help, we're screwed."

"Busskill." Grif says.

"So lame." Ash says.

Wash turns to Ash. "Hey, Minne? May I speak with Xi for a few moments?"

"Only for a few." Ash says.

Xi flashes over to Wash's shoulder and they both walk away.

Wash and Emily are alone and she grows to Human size and stands in front of Wash.

"Yes, Agent Washington?" Emily asks.

"I thought you were gonna help bring Minne's memories back?" Wash asks.

"I'm trying, but..."

"But what?"

Emily sighs. "Ash's mind is very fragile, to the point that I'm surprised he isn't more insane than he already is. Or even brain dead."

"This means?"

"I've tried to bring back his memories but every time I try, It nearly kills him. I've only been able to bring back fragments of his memories. And there's also another thing."

"What?"

"It's like Cyprus Ash and Agent Minnesota are two different entities." Emily explains. "And every time I try to bring back Minnesota, his mind starts to attack itself."

"So you're saying?"

"Yes, Wash, Agent Minnesota did die on Sidewinder that day. What ever the Director did to him it really messed up his mind."

"Damn.... Is there anything you can do?" Wash asks.

"I can keep bringing in fragmented memories. Till I can't. But if I do, one day we might not even recognize him. His mind would have torn itself apart."

Wash sighs. "How are you taking this?"

"I'm doing fine. I'm just glad I'm not alone anymore." She suddenly glitches.

"What was that?"

"What was what Agent Washington?"

"You were glitching." Wash explains.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Emily says and she walks away. "See you later, Agent Washington."

Wash walks over to Caboose. "Come on Caboose, we need to go have a chat with Private Tucker."

Wash and Caboose leave for Blue base in the tank.

Ash is standing next to Simmons with Xi on his shoulder.

"There goes the revered leader of the Blue Army..." Simmons says. "What--a--dick..."

"Fine, we don't need that tank anyway." Sarge says. "As many great twenty-first century movie trailers once said... 'This, is only the beginning...' And then text would appear on the screen. And the music would cut out abruptly. and they'd say one... final line of dialog to leave the audience with the ultimate sense of excitement!"

"Like what?" Grif asks.

"...I don't know."

"I wanted to drive the tank." Ash says.

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07-20-2022