A/N: Welcome to my craziness...and the fact that ya know, I am in utter denial about certain characters being dead. So yes, this is au. Set time-wise roughly around S13. Timing might seem off in some aspects because I write more often than episodes are released, so apologies there. Anywho. Please enjoy. Will do my best to keep updating since ya know...I have maybe over half written already lol, but we'll see how it goes. Enjoy!
"Area maps out clear if you want to catch some rest with the others. The mercs shouldn't be of any concern tonight."
Wash rolled his shoulders to loosen them up a bit before glancing over his shoulder at his team. They were all spread out around the large cavern. It was easy to convince them to rest for the night after traveling all day. One speck of color caught his eye in a secluded corner. They were sitting propped up against the wall, one of the hands twitching every now and then.
"She's having more frequent nightmares," the voice next to him stated quietly. Wash turned his attention back to the opening of the cave, the small ghosted AI appearing in front of him again. "She won't tell me what about."
"And you don't have access to them?"
"Hey, just cuz I use her storage unit, doesn't mean I actually have access to all of her inner thoughts," Epsilon, or Church as he preferred, shot back. "Probably something to do with the Director or something. It's not like you guys had it easy with the whole Project Freelancer thing."
Wash snorted, "That's an understatement. Anyway you could boost my signal a bit?"
"What for?"
"I need to see if I have any messages."
"Who'd be messaging you?" Church asked curiously.
"Someone off planet."
"What, like a reinforcement type?"
"You could say that," Wash chuckled.
"Who is it?"
"Can't tell you."
"Why not? I could just read through all your messages if I wanted to. You know that right?" Church added as Wash watched him playing with the signal across his screen. Wash rolled his eyes. He knew the AI had a point, but he couldn't risk Carolina finding out. At least not yet. "Come on, Wash. You know you want to tell me."
"Wish I could."
"So more secrets," an exasperated Church replied. "I should just crash your whole system just to spite you."
"It's a need to know sort of thing unless you want someone to go ballistic on you as well when they find out you knew." The AI was silent. Wash took that as a bit suspicious. He let out a sigh, "Let me guess…you made good on your threat."
"Uh…anyway you think I can delete that from my memory?"
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Wash chuckled as he read through the newest message from his correspondent.
"You can't keep that from her forever."
"I know, but the timing is off. Besides, what do you think she'll do once she knows that information?"
"Killing spree."
"Yup and then where would our little rag-tag team be? We have to finish up the mission here first. This is a little more important, don't you think?"
"She's not going to see it like that."
"Just...just don't tell her."
"Whatever dude. Are you done? I can only stretch the signal for so long before it starts tiring me out."
"Got enough so I can make a call?"
"If it's a quick one," the AI huffed. Wash stepped outside more so that his voice wouldn't carry back into the cave before telling Church to send through the signal. He was surprised his equipment worked out here, but then he remembered the little tricks that Epsilon had been picking up through their travels. The line connect a few moments later.
"It's about damn time you check in!" the familiar voice scolded on the other end. "I was getting ready to come search you out myself!"
Wash chuckled, "Kinda hard to touch base when we're at the other end of the system with hardly any signal."
"And you didn't take me with? I'm insulted."
"And blow your cover? I wasn't aware you were done hiding out and ready to take things to the next level if you don't' die in the process."
"Not until the whole Director-Project Freelancer thing blows over. Figure I keep my head low enough, make a few arrangements, and then it'll be safe enough for me to make my grand entrance. So where are you anyway?"
"Some planet called Chorus. Ship crashed here and we all kinda got involved with a situation."
"Yea? What kind of situation? Everyone ok?"
Wash knew who the implied everyone was and smirked, "She's fine. And it's a complicated situation. One which I don't really have the time to explain over a radio call, but shortened version, we got space pirates who are trying to get their hands on not just freelancer tech, but alien tech as well. Tucker here activated some sort of alien temple thing again-"
"Who's Tucker?"
"That's the most concerning thing right now?"
"Ya might want to wrap it up," Church warned.
"Listen, I'm about to run out of my boost here-"
"Those uh, space pirates you mentioned…you wouldn't happen to know where they are as of right now would you?"
"No. Why?"
"One of UNSC's prison ships was hijacked. Apparently aborted a crap ton of prisoners before making off with the rest."
"Yea, you're point?"
"My point, the ship hijacked just so happened to have an old friend of ours on board."
"Wash, buddy, can't hold it much longer," Chuch panted.
"Listen, I have to go. If it makes you feel better, dig up what you can and get it to me. I'll try and check in again as soon as my boost is recharged."
"Sure. Be care-"
The line went dead. Wash sighed.
"Sorry…I warned you."
"I know. Thanks. Go ahead and get some rest. I'll be up for a while yet."
Carolina jerked awake, gasping. She unbuckled her helmet and lifted it off, the cool breeze hitting her face. It was easier to catch her breath and wipe off the sweat this way. The panic in her chest eased a bit and she worked on taking a few deep breaths to steady herself some more before looking around. The sim troopers were camped out around the cavern. Not seeing Washington anywhere, she looked up to the entrance to see his familiar armor leaning against the opening.
She pushed herself up once her heart-rate had calmed and put her helmet back on. At least it hadn't gone flying across the room like the last time she had one of those crippling nightmares. Just the thought of it brought a new panic to the surface. She quickly squelched it before stepping forward, unsure of where the flashes were coming from anymore.
They'd been happening on and off since she and Epsilon had confronted the Director, the flashes increasing each time whether it be in potency or how often they were happening. What frustrated her more wasn't the crippling mess they left her in for a few moments after waking, but the fact she couldn't make anything out in them. Or remember what it was that had sent her into a panic in the first place. She knew the AI felt there was something she was keeping to herself, but she knew it would probably just set him into a panic if she told him.
Hearing her approach, she saw Wash's helmet turn to look over his shoulder. She walked up and leaned against the opposite wall and looked out over the land.
"How long have you been up?" she asked when Wash said nothing.
He shrugged, "A while. Church has been keeping me company."
"I see. Well, if you want to get some rest, by all means. I'm up now."
"Not worth it at this point," Wash said glancing back into the cavern. "Kimball touched base, said we should get to the meet up with the doc as soon as possible."
"She got back with her samples already?"
"Apparently. But there's another one of those things not too far out and we're to meet Grey there."
"Are they expecting the space pirates to show up or something?"
Wash shrugged, "Hell if I know. But maybe she prefers us as backup since she finds us all so fascinating to begin with."
Carolina scoffed, "Heh, maybe. And here we were almost back to base."
"You wanna wake them up, or should I?" Wash asked turning to look back at the sleeping group.
"Be my guest," Carolina gestured at the room. She watched as he roused each one, some flailing about at the displeasure of being woken up. She had to admit though, she was impressed by how much Wash's leadership capabilities had improved since their time on the MOI. It hit her that he was all she had left from then, everyone else having been killed at some point. "Epsilon." There was silence. She rolled her eyes. The AI was probably lost in some sort of encryption. "Hey, get out here Church."
"Wha-" was the sluggish reply as he appeared in front of her. "Sorry. What's up?"
"Wash got orders to move out. We have to meet up with Dr. Grey at the other alien site. I need you to map out a course for us to the location."
"Consider it done."