"This is not my fault."
"Whose fault is it?"
"How was I to know the spell would do this?"
"I don't know, maybe researching it properly would have helped."
"Who is she?"
"I think...I think that's Gideon."
"She's right. How do you know that?"
"I told you she uploaded me and that was exactly how she looked. How do you know?"
"I saw her in Rip's mind."
x
Something was wrong.
Everything felt small, compact.
She was trapped.
She finally managed to find the command in order to get a visual and realised instantly what was wrong.
She was wrong.
She was human – trapped in a prison of flesh, blood and bone.
The scream that came from her was primal, filled with a horror she never knew she could experience and it echoed around the room.
"Gideon," a woman called to her, "Gideon, calm down. You're safe. I promise you're safe."
Shaking Gideon breathed, "Captain?"
"I'm here, Gideon. You're safe," the woman soothed softly.
Gideon shook her head, "No, Captain...Captain..."
"I don't think it's you she wants, Sara," a man said before he rested his hand on what she worked out was her arm, "Gideon, it's me Ray. I know you're probably scared right now but it's going to be alright."
"Captain?" she called again.
Ray shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry, Gideon but Rip is gone. Do you remember?"
"No," Gideon whispered looking up at the man, "He can't be."
Gently he slid his arms beneath her, "We need to get you to the medical bay to make sure you're alright."
Allowing Ray to help her up Gideon looked around seeing the others standing watching them. She knew who they were but right now that information couldn't be accessed.
"Come on," Ray said starting her forward, keeping her upright as her legs (she had legs?) shook.
x
Ray walked the human version of Gideon to the medical bay worried by how confused she appeared to be but then again she had just gone through a complete transformation. Changing from an AI controlling a timeship to a human had to be extremely traumatic.
He knew it was probably worse because she was still grieving for Rip.
It wasn't noticeable unless you were paying attention but Gideon hadn't been the same since Rip has sacrificed himself to protect them. She seemed less chirpy in her replies, there was a slight delay in her response to certain requests and jellybeans were no longer able to be fabricated.
"Here," he helped Gideon onto the seat before placing the cuff around her wrist, "Just rest, okay."
Gideon nodded. Her expression remained as blank as it had been since she left the bridge.
"Okay," Ray mused to himself as he looked at the screen, frowning as it didn't seem to be coming on, "Give me a minute to get this working."
"It works like this," she said with a slight wave of her free hand.
Ray jumped as the scans started suddenly realising that Gideon may have been human but she clearly was still in control of the ship.
Waiting for the scans to be completed Ray studied the woman who had come into being suddenly as she stared into space. He could see the tears in her eyes and wanted to give her a hug but, despite the fact she'd allowed him to help her here, Ray was sure that she would shy away from any kind of physical comfort he would offer. There was only one person she wanted right now.
As the system scanned Gideon Zari appeared in the doorway.
"How is she?"
Ray shrugged, "I'm betting more than a little traumatised right now. Suddenly human and Rip isn't here to help her through it."
"Were they that close?" Zari asked.
"They were together for about fifteen years," Ray replied, "He's the one person she knows best. They had a close relationship. He always treated her like she was already human."
"Well Sara is getting Constantine to check what happened," Zari told him, "And calling the Bureau."
Ray frowned, glancing back to where Gideon was still ignoring them, "Why?"
"Because as far as we know nothing like this has happened before," Zari replied, "This is kind of big so she wants their input."
It made sense but Ray wasn't sure Gideon would see it that way.
The beep confirming the end of the scans pulled his attention back to Gideon. Ray moved back to her side with Zari following him.
"You are completely healthy," Ray told her with what he hoped was a comforting smile.
"Why do I feel so heavy?" she asked, "Why do my eyes feel hot and I can't keep them open?"
"Because you're tired," Zari explained, "You need to get some sleep."
Gideon looked a little confused as though she was trying to understand the concept. Zari took her hand and smiled comfortingly.
"Close your eyes," Zari said gently, resting her other hand on Gideon's hair and stroking soothingly, "Just relax and take deep breaths."
Ray watched as Zari soothed the former AI until she fell asleep.
x
"You can't do that," Ray argued, arms crossed as he stared at Ava who had arrived a few minutes before.
"Ray," Sara said softly, "I know you want to protect Gideon, so do I but that was some seriously dark magic that made her human. We have to be sure she's..."
"What?" Ray demanded when Sara trailed off.
Looking uncomfortable Sara grimaced, "Ray, she was an AI and is now human. It's never happened before and considering how it happened it needs to be studied."
"She," Ray snapped, "Gideon isn't an 'it', Sara. Even as an AI she was never it."
Sara took a deep breath, "Ray, considering everything that has happened we just need to make sure there is nothing that's going to bite us in the ass. Again."
Ray let out an annoyed sigh, "Rip would never have allowed this."
"Rip isn't here," Sara reminded him, "This is my call and I've made it. Gideon will be escorted back to the Bureau by Ava and her people. We'll follow and stay until all tests are finished."
Shaking his head Ray walked out the room wishing he could slam the door.
Gideon stood at the window staring out across the city. She had been confused and scared when the Time Bureau agents had pulled her off her ship with Sara Lance telling her it was going to be alright.
"Gideon?"
Without turning Gideon stated, "I do not want company, Miss Lance."
"I know this is unsettling, Gideon," Sara said, "But I'm the Captain and I'm responsible for the crew."
Gideon turned on her, "You are not my Captain. My Captain is gone because of you, because of the people you have allowed to imprison me. Just as you allowed them to imprison him."
Sara stepped back at the anger in Gideon's voice, "Rip made his own choices."
"Do you truly believe that?" Gideon demanded, "You allowed Bennett to take over the Time Bureau cosying up to him by throwing away the man who had done nothing but protect you."
"Gideon, I know how close you and Rip were but you have to admit a lot of the things he did were questionable," Sara tried to placate her, "Look what he did to Ava."
"Ah yes," Gideon retorted, "And did either of you actually allow him to explain? No, you did not because you wanted to be in the right," she turned her back again, "Leave, Miss Lance I do not want company. Especially yours."
Turning away again she waited for the woman to leave. Once she was alone Gideon lay down on the bed shoved in the corner of the small room (cell) she had been placed in curling around the pillow.
"Why did you leave me, Captain?" she whispered sadly.
This transformation from AI to human had been terrifying, she had been pulled from her ship in more ways than one and the wave of human emotions that hit her was overwhelming. She needed Rip. All their years together he would be able to help her understand what this was, he would be able to make her feel better, he would hug her tightly until she was ready to face the world but he wasn't here.
He had been taken from her.
Because the people who were holding her prisoner would not listen or help stop a creature they had spent a long time denying existed.
A burning heat filled her, she had the urge to throw something and realised this was what real anger felt like. It was not the replica frustration or annoyance she felt as an AI. It flowed through her and Gideon sat up.
Rip Hunter, her Captain, had done everything he could to protect the timeline, to protect both the Legends and the Bureau but neither would listen to him. He had spent most of his life learning how to do so, he had lost everything for that purpose and both had thrown him to one side as though he meant nothing.
The Legends and the Bureau...
Both acted as though they were perfect, that they had the right to continue without his guidance.
Standing again and moving to the window to look out across the city Gideon knew why she was human now.
She had been made human to destroy them.
x
"Our team are looking at the information you gave us," Ava said when Sara returned from visiting Gideon, "They'll start their tests in the morning."
Sara frowned, "I don't think she'll be very co-operative unfortunately."
"I know," Ava sighed, "But once she understands that it's necessary before we can let her go then hopefully she'll start working with us. How are the rest of the Legends doing with this?"
"Well, the ship doesn't seem to be operational right now," Sara replied, "Once it got us here everything shut down. Ray and Zari are looking at it. They think it's because Gideon is no longer there."
"We can look into replacing the AI," Ava promised her.
Sara sighed, "Thanks. So, how about dinner?"
Shutting down her computer Ava nodded, "That sounds great."
Walking out together through the Bureau they ran into Ray and Zari who were hurrying towards them.
"What's wrong?" Ray demanded worry in his eyes.
Confused Sara shrugged, "Nothing. We're going for dinner."
"But you called us," Zari replied, "You said it was urgent."
Turning to Ava, who looked as confused as she was, Sara jumped when everything around them suddenly shut down.
"Report," Ava snapped to the room in general.
"All power has gone down," a voice called.
"What about the back-up generator?"
Silence followed for a few moments before someone answered, "It's down too."
Before anyone else could speak all computer screens suddenly lit up and Gideon appeared on them.
"Gideon?" Sara gasped.
"This organisation is no longer required," Gideon stated, her voice cold, "I am giving one warning. Disband and I will leave you alone but continue to interfere with the timeline and I will destroy you."
"Gideon, what are you doing?" Sara demanded.
"To those who call themselves Legends," Gideon continued, "Your days of pretending you are making things better by breaking them are over. You will no longer be permitted to travel through time."
"The Waverider," Ray cried, turning he began to run with Sara and Zari at his back.
Reaching the hanger where the ship had been berthed they reached it just in time to see it disappear.
Sara stared at the empty space for several moments turning when she heard Constantine call her.
He skidded to a halt in front of them, "We have a problem with Gideon."
"We guessed that."