"Colorful Space Marines stop corruption. You know, I really love the picture they used for this thing but I gotta say, I think I like the description even more." Epsilons voice rings out clearly through the hijacked comm channel, startling Felix, Locus, and Control. The basic wavelengths and subtitles from Control's warped audio are replaced briefly by a highlight of an article from Interstellar Daily. "Pictured above, the Red and Blue Troopers of Project Freelancer receive a full pardon from UNSC Oversight Chairman and Charon Industries CEO, Malcolm Hargrove." On it, the Reds and Blues, along with Former-Agent Carolina, are being awarded a full pardon for all actions before and during their hunt for the infamous Director of Project Freelancer.
"I can't imagine you like publicizing that last bit very much though, probably not good for business. Am I right, Chairman?" Epsilon continued, sounding smug as he floated in their little formation with Wash and Tucker at his sides.
At his accusation, the filters disappeared and the Chairman's too familiar voice resonated from the speakers. "On the contrary, you'd be surprised to see what can come of a merger between politics and corporations." Now the visuals had changed to project video of each side, the Red and Blues standing assembled in the new Chorus base, while the Chairman resided aboard a ship somewhere in space. "If you're here to negotiate a surrender, I'm afraid I must inform you that your ship has set sail, quite literally in act." Both parties seemed to entirely forget the presence of Locus and Felix on a third end of the call as they were caught up in the heat of the moment.
Wash spoke up, uninterested in the Chairman's smug and barely veiled threat. "Actually, we were just hoping to read you a letter." Sarcasm dripped from his every word, a hint of what was their letter entailed.
"It's just a little something we put together for ya, considering we'll probably be seeing a lot of each other over the next few weeks." Sarge put in, the older man probably grinning underneath his helmet at the prospect of more fighting in the near future.
Epsilon swung his holographic sniper rifle onto his back, before cracking his knuckles out in front of him as though stretching. "Alright, take it away, guys." Around him, streaks of differently colored lights shot out from seemingly nowhere, and began to coalesce into full sized armored bodies, most only familiar to four of the combined 15 participants.
The fastest hologram to form was a man in dark blue armor topped with an ODST helmet and silver visor, bandoleer strapped across his chest, and an assault rifle in hand. Despite all this, he seemed the most relaxed in the room as he stared up at the image of the Chairman onscreen. "Dear Chairman..." Captain Flowers began, Tucker stiffening slightly as he heard his deceased former commanding officers voice.
"It has come to our attention that you have declared war on the planet, Chorus." A familiar British accent recounted, coming into being next to Flowers. Wyoming placed his arm on the other man and leaned against him slightly and, although he would deny it, was happy to see his friend again. His helmet off, he stood there with his magnificent mustache in full view as he shot a glare towards the Chairman.
This time, Carolina froze in place as a very familiar helmetless Agent came into being right beside her, the scar across his eye crinkling as he flashed her a far too sad smile in support before turning to face the transmission. "We regret to inform you, that this is a really shitty idea." York added, his holographic smile widening as the woman nodded back to him after a few seconds, trying to blink away those now watering emerald eyes that she would never admit that she had.
"Not only have you managed to annoy the people that you failed to kill time and time again, but you've also found a way to piss off an entire planet!" Tex's far too familiar voice shouted out as she faded into being beside Epsilon, slamming her holographic fist into her palm to accentuate the point.
A large swirl of purple and green split off in the middle, forming into two separate persons. "Now, they may not have the best equipment, and they might not be the best fighters, but as you're aware, they have been fighting for a very long time." North's calm voice soothed the others, standing with his own sniper rifle in hand as the memory of Theta sat happily on his shoulder and leaned back against his head.
"But now that they aren't fighting each other, they're more than happy to dedicate all of their time to fighting you!" South announced, standing beside her brother one more time in the face of the Chairman's wrath.
"So, dear Chairman, to you and your idiotic mercenaries, we would like to say..." CT spoke up from where she had formed, stepping forwards slowly to stand with the rest of the assembled team. Back from the grave for one last fight. All the efforts from her treachery during the Project turned to point at an equally corrupt organization that she had trusted in.
"Bring it on, motherfuckers." Tex spoke up, popping her neck with a satisfyingly threatening crack.
The others all rose to their full holographic heights, glowing bright in the previously dark room as they cast the shadows back. "We're not going anywhere." It may have been the angle of the camera right then, but it seemed as though even the Chairman had been forced a step back at this display throughout their speech. Each part timed off perfectly together in sync, much like the team they had once been.
"From your friends, the incredibly badass and sexually attractive, Red and Blue soldiers of Project Freelancer." Epsilon ended with his own definition of formal. Unable to leave it be, he chose to add his own little tidbit to their prearranged speech. "P.S. Suck our balls." Right as he finished speaking, with a few equipment manipulations he cut off their end of the transmission and the screen goes dark.
…
A/N: I couldn't help myself with this story! I thought of this when the season finale of RvB season 12 first aired. Just, imagine how the Freelancers would feel if they saw all that had happened since their deaths, and if they could see the Reds and Blues now. They're doing exactly what the Freelancers had signed up to do; they're out there fighting the fight for the greater good, because that's the right thing to do! I don't know about anyone else here, but I absolutely loved the speech that Epsilon gave, so I combined the two here, and this is what came out of that. A nice little one-shot to read, right? :P Well, I hope it is. I've been working on this since a day or two after the episode aired, using my own transcript of the speech that I'd written out that night. So yeah, hope you enjoy, and reviews are very much appreciated!
