Five versions. Five versions of this chapter were written. I know the scenes I wanted, but having them work the way I wanted was terrible. So, hopefully, everyone enjoys this.
Chapter 10: All Things Come to an End... And Then Begin Again...
Sidewinder: Abandoned Project Freelancer Facility – Crash Site of Mother of Invention
Present Day...
Snow fell gently over the mountain as the teams investigated the destruction of the cliff on Sidewinder, covering everything is a light layer of white. Debris and chunks of ice littered the landscape, from the pieces of a vehicle to the side of the mountain laying over the plain. Cracks and fissures separated two parts of the mountain, leading right up to the cliff's edge. Carolina knew that cliff well enough, having fallen off it several years before. A fate Maine now shared with her.
The former Mother of Invention, which had been restructured into a Freelancer facility, was dented in places from the explosions and falling debris, but otherwise stood intact. A shame if you asked Carolina.
But it wasn't the Mother of Invention that held Carolina's attention. It was Tex.
Laying in the snow at her feet was the toughest, biggest, baddest Freelancer of them all. At her feet was the enemy she'd always hated. Her helmet was shattered, not unlike York's after Texas had first arrival to the Freelancers, where the Meta had stabbed her with the memory unit. Carolina felt the bitter sensation of regret. She hadn't been the one to kill Texas, nor the Meta. She hadn't been able to save Maine, she hadn't been able to do anything.
"Why you, Texas? Why did it always come back to you?"
Behind her was a commotion. The Reds and Blues were being interrogated about the fall of the Meta – considering her knowledge of it, "fall" was literal – and she noticed one the light blue one standing stiff to the side. Was this the Church she'd been trying to get a hold of? Was this the Alpha?
Moving closer, Carolina was careful to stay indistinct. No need to have the entire U.N.S.C. know an escaped prisoner was on the loose. They were answering a few questions about Maine and the light blue one didn't answer for several minutes. When he did, Carolina's eyes narrowed. Turning to the body just feet away, she looked back and frowned. Wasn't that...?
"So, casualties are that of the Freelancers Texas, Washington and Maine?"
"That is correct." Washington answered, his voice hitched just slightly. Was he getting a kick out of this?
"All right," the soldier questioning them said. "We have a couple other people that need to talk to you, take your official statements."
The aqua blue sim trooper scoffed. "Then what the hell was this? Unofficial statements? What, do you work for the school newspaper or something?"
"Whatever," the soldier said. "Just stick tight."
"Any ladies around? I can stick tight to them! Bow chicka bow wow!"
"Jesus, you guys are idiots." the soldier mumbled as he turned to leave.
"Why don't you say that to our faces?!" the orange one yelled.
"Grif! Shut up! You'll get us all in trouble!" the maroon trooper said.
"Uh, dude. We just killed the most freakishly inhuman guy in the universe. I think they'll deal."
Carolina shook her head. How in God's name had they done it? These guys were useless, and yet they'd defeated the Meta with no casualties to their own forces. Only Texas had died, and even that was a stretch, considering.
Catching movement to her left at the front of the facility entrance, Carolina turned to see the Chairman walking around, receiving updates as to what had happened. He'd arrived shortly after her own transport, commanding the soldiers to locate Agent Washington, collect all equipment pertaining to the incident, and to question the soldiers who had lived through the battle that had taken place here.
He stood straight, his lips pinched and snow hitting him hard in the face. She moved closer to hear any information she could gather from him. She had a feeling knowing as much as possible about the Chairman was a smart move. Making sure to stay just far enough away that he and the other soldiers didn't notice a difference in her armor to those around her, and keeping her adaptive camouflage up was paramount.
"To the Director of Project Freelancer," The Chairman started, his hands behind his back, his head up, overlooking the destruction of the Freelancer facility and surrounding terrain on Sidewinder. "I write to inform you that by the authority of this Subcommittee, officers have been dispatched to place you under arrest, and we expect your full cooperation. Congratulations are in order, I supposed. When they write the new morality protocols for dealing with A.I., I'm certain they will name entire sections of the doctrine after you. It seems that you will earn your place in history after all, dear Director."
He turned to the soldier at his elbow and said "Write it up and have it ready to sign and send within the hour."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldier who had been speaking to the Reds and Blues stepped forward. "Sir, the soldiers here say that Washington died in the fight. Otherwise, they give a pretty straight forward account of what they witnessed. But they claim not to know what happened between the Meta, Washington and Agent Texas."
"That is disappointing, to say the least." the Chairman said. "Take everything and store it away until further notice. Will your men be able to retrieve the Meta?"
"Yes, sir. We have men down there now, shouldn't be long."
"Good, good. You are dismiss–"
"Sir!" A soldier yelled, running up to the small group. "The simulation troops just took off in one of our ships!"
"Let them go." The Chairman said, waving his hand dismissively. "I doubt they will pose much of a problem in the future."
Carolina looked out at the Hornet flying erratically off into the sunset. Looking back at the other three, the Blues, who were making their own way to a second Hornet,Carolina used her speed and camouflage to get to the second Hornet just as the Blues were stepping onto the second transport. She grabbed on, holding tight and using her grav-boots to stay on the ship as it took off unsteadily.
"We seem a little heavy." Washington said, trying to balance the weight.
"Hey, its not me. Maybe Grif put all his snack cakes on board."
"Oh my God," Caboose , the blue from Rat's Nest, said in a deep seriously voice. "I forgot my mittens! Washington! Turn around! I forgot them!"
"Not again, moron!" the aqua trooper said. "Seriously, dude, how many times are you going to forget you have armor on!"
"At least five more times." Caboose said deadpan.
"Oh my God, shut up."
"Both of you can it!" Washington snapped.
He soon got the Hornet under control and Carolina stood in the back, watching the three. This was a huge mistake, but she had a feeling if she was going to get the Alpha, she needed these three. Though the memory unit had been at the crash site, there was no way she'd be able to grab it and run with that many soldiers around and as unstable as it was. And with the Chairman sending it to storage, she needed help.
Why not get the guys who'd have an interest in her cause?
Hours later, after the Reds and Blues had landed to go over a better plan of action, Carolina let her camouflage drop and stepped forward. Washington was the first to see her. He froze, just staring at her before saying "It can't be..."
"Hey, there, Washington. We need to talk."
Mother of Invention
Many Years Ago...
"There was an incident.."
Carolina hissed as she slammed down her glass.
The others had left hours ago, each having given the remain crew of the Father of Innovation their condolences. They had stood in the chilled room with five caskets, each with the Freelancer symbol and a state engraved on the sides as the Counselor had said some final words. He'd spoken of honor, duty and making things better with their sacrifices.
Didn't exactly feel like things were better when the first official casualty of Project Freelancer wasn't one individual... it was an entire team.
Two days ago, the team from the Father of Innovation had gone on a mission, a mission Carolina had yet to hear any information on, that had gone wrong. During said mission, they'd been found and executed by what they were told were a group called the 'Insurrectionists'. Agents Michigan, Virginia, Louisiana, and Missouri had been found and confirmed dead. Agent Alaska was nowhere to be found, but the Director had told them it was unlikely she'd be taken prisoner and had likely be lost to space.
Only a week before Alaska had spoken to her, talking about the trainees, gossip from the ship. She'd seemed off, though, saying she'd had a bad feeling about the mission they'd been preparing for. "There are a few details that don't seem right, Carolina. I don't know... My gut tells me something is up here."
Before they'd ended their conversation, Alaska had asked Carolina to look after everyone, including Maine. The two had ended whatever relationship they'd had easily and peacefully. Other than being a bit protective of the tank of a soldier, Alaska seemed just as unfazed as Maine.
Carolina knocked back more whiskey.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
Looking up sharply, Carolina's sight spun for a split second before refocusing. At the doorway stood York, dressed in his bright purple "People Like Grapes" t-shirt, black pajama pants and blue bear slippers. His brow was furrowed, concern in his eyes.
"Broke into the Director's quarters." She sipped the whiskey and set the glass down with a soft tink.
"Jeez, C. If he finds you with that, you'll be definitely get a stern talking to." He voice lightened, almost sounded amused by the thought. He appeared at her elbow the next second, sitting down beside her on the mess hall table bench with an empty glass.
"You'll get in trouble if they find you in here with me and a stolen bottle, York." She warned softly.
He shrugged. "Screw it. If we get caught, they can blame me, since I'm the one that breaks into stuff for a living." He poured amber liquid into his glass. "How'd you manage to get into his rooms? I doubt I could even manage that."
Carolina cleared her throat. "I, uh... I know his password." With that, she drank.
"Huh." He thought for a second, the drink raised, but he didn't sip. "Was is 1-2-3-4-5? 'Password'? It was 'Access Code', wasn't it? It's always something that easy."
"No wonder you can't pick a lock to save your life," she joked.
"Hey, I can do it! I just... choose not to..."
"Yeah..." She snorted, amused. He always had some silly excuse for failing at locks.
The mood changed quickly, both going quite for a few moments. Their thoughts seemed to have both turned to the news and events of recent days. York held out his glass. "To the fallen."
Carolina nodded slowly before clicking her glass to his. "To those we say goodbye."
They drank.
They sat in silence for a time, drinking. After several minutes of staring at her glass, Carolina confessed, "You know... Alaska told me she didn't want to go on that mission."
He turned his head toward her. "Why'd she say that?"
"I don't know. She said her gut was telling her not to... You know what I said?" He shook his head. "I told her to ignore it. To ignore it!" Carolina laughed bitterly and shook her own head. "I always follow my gut when it tells me something's off. I go with my instinct when it comes to missions, and I told her to go on this one."
"Carolina... This wasn't your fault." Reaching up, he rubbed her shoulders. "The Director would have made her do it anyway. You can't blame yourself for this."
She stared at him for a moment then nodded. "I know. Its just... Losing all of them? Its... I realize I could lose all of you that quickly. One mission goes wrong and –" Instead of continuing, she shook her head, fighting both the thought and the sting of tears.
"Don't think that way," he murmured, running a hand over her hair.
Nodding, she leaned toward him, resting her head on his shoulder. For half an hour, York sat with Carolina against his shoulder. She'd fallen half-asleep moments after laying her head down, but he knew if he kept her like this much longer, tomorrow would be a hell of a day on both their necks. Patting her awake, she jerked up and looked around, dazed.
"Common, C," he said, lifting her from the bench. "Let's get you to bed."
Straightening, she shook her head as he tried to lead her from the mess hall. "I can make it on my own. I don't need help."
Grabbing the bottle of whiskey then taking hold of her elbow as Carolina teetered to the side, York smirked and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, half-helping, half-dragging her toward her room. "Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say." He stumbled and only holding onto her kept him from pitching forward himself. "Um... maybe we both need help."
When they reached the hall the Freelancer dorms were, York opened her door and pulled her in, sliding her down onto the tiny cot, tugged off her boots then turning her to lay down. Sitting on the edge beside her, York smiled down at her hazy eyes and pouting mouth. "You really need to cut loose more often," he said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I bet if you were drunk under other circumstances, you'd be quite the party girl."
She shrugged. "I've been told I'm a real drag, sober or drunk."
"Figures," he murmured.
York stared down at her, seeing not for the first time the soft lady he knew was hidden under all the sass and tough exterior. Over the last several months, there had been so many times he'd just wanted to stop and stare at her like he was now. He'd catch sight of her in the locker room and damn near have a seizure seeing her, hair wet with either sweat, fresh from a fight, or fresh from a shower. She tended to wear simple tank tops when not in armor, and it always over-heated his brain. Her bare arms, which could put him in a choke hold with little problem, were toned and damned if didn't find them just as sexy as everything else.
Hell, seeing her at all tended to make him crazy.
The day they'd met was forever ingrained in his memory, as was their first day of training. When they'd started to settle in their new quarters she'd warned him: "Nothing can ever happen between us. This has to be professional, York." Seeing her on the Mother of Invention, he'd known that would end up being the case... But damn if sometimes it wasn't disappointing.
"You won't lose us, C," he promised. "You definitely won't lose me."
When nothing but silence answered him, he stood and walked out of the room, the door closing behind him.
Freelancer Offsite Storage Facility
Many Years Ago...
"Beginning playback..."
Carolina stood silently outside the room, hearing Allison's voice for the first time in several years. She knew this video. Knew if very well. The final footage the Director had taken of his wife Allison before she'd gone to war. The last video of her mother.
She'd only been a child when Allison Church had died in the Great War, killed by the enemy on some far-off planet in space. Most every memory she remembered about Allison were from the videos he'd taken over the years. Some were from their basic training days, shortly after he and Allison had met. The Director, then only Leonard Church of the U.N.S.C., was in love. He'd found her whenever he could, took pictures, video, surprising her and sneaking up behind her. She'd always been the focal point of his videos. Every time, instead of pushing at the camera, or frowning, or being upset, every time Allison would notice the camera and smile. Her head would tilt to the side and she'd get such a sweet look in her eyes.
As a child, having just lost her mother, that had been a positive thing. Carolina had gotten to see so much of Allison from those videos. She'd learned so much... Until she's grown older, and realized just how many things he'd missed in her life, in Carolina's. Carolina had been ten when he had begun dedicating his life to research in A.I. Instead of active military, he'd become a driver in advancing new technology to help fight the war. An inspiration to her, even if he missed a school play or five.
At sixteen, she'd expressed her desire to join the U.N.S.C. Carolina had wanted to be like her mother and to work one day with her father. She'd looked up to him.
To this day, Carolina could never tell if, in that moment, he'd been angry with her, proud, or scared. Angry she would choose to put herself in danger, as Allison had. Proud to be following in her mother's footsteps. Or scared she'd end up just like Allison, taking away from him the one living thing remaining of the woman he'd loved so much.
"Put that thing down! You're going to make me late. They're waiting for me."
The memory of that day... It haunted her.
In those days, Allison had been the coolest mother a girl could have. A bad ass alien fighting super soldier. A soldier who didn't just shoot a gun, but could bring down a grown man and put him on his knees with the flick of her pinkie finger.
But on that last day, Carolina, at six, had watched from the car as her mother and father walk into the base where Allison had been about to be shuttled off, waving wildly until they disappeared inside. She hadn't been allowed in the area, so her father had filmed the last moments, though he'd have likely done in regardless. At least she'd had this video to remember.
She'd thought her mother was going on an adventure. An exciting journey where she'd go off, fight aliens and save the day, like the in the movies. She'd come back with that sweet grin of hers, pick Carolina up and they'd hug.
But none of that had happened.
"Hello, Director."
"Hello, Carolina. Would you like to watch this file with me?"
She didn't need to look up at the face on the scene, staring into the camera before issuing a light threat and turning away. An image she'd seen hundreds of times in her life. "No."
The Director demanded the file to replay, to which F.I.L.S.S. questioned.
"Again!" he snapped, slamming a fist to the desk.
Four years, she'd dedicated to his project, to his vision. Years before, she'd shrived to show him she was just as worth noticing as her mother, just as useful to his cause as anyone else. After she'd left basic, he'd taken pride in saying his daughter was a soldier, like her mother. Back then, they hadn't hidden their relation, and she'd been so happy to be called to help on teams her father was working with.
The day he'd asked her to join Project Freelancer, she'd felt pride. It had been a moment when she'd thought maybe they had both moved on from their pain at losing Allison, and Carolina had seen the fruits of Leonard Church's attempts at trying to find ways of saving humanity.
Dr. Leonard Church was a man who worked hard to make things better, who had worked so hard to find new ways to go farther in both science and technology. His personal loss driving him as much as his true desire to help.
Yet here he sat. A man who once held such promise. A man she'd once been proud to call father and who she had respected. A man who'd made her fear failure, and drove her to overcome it.
"So. This is what you've become."
"I just need to watch this. I think I have a way... a way to bring her back right this time."
Right. Not like the hundred versions of her she'd just faced. Staring at the man before her, she knew... This would never stop. He'd always try to continue remaking Allison... Tex. That was something she couldn't live with.
Now, after all this time, she understood. As if in a bolt of clarity. It wasn't Texas that was the problem. It had never been. It was him. His inability to let go of the one thing he'd held onto for so long.
Maybe York was right... Maybe she should, too.
"The authorities are hunting you now. If I found you, they will, too."
"I just need a bit more time!"
"No!" Epsilon yelled, appearing at her side, moving in front of the Director, his creator. "You've had your fucking time. You have to answer for what you did... to the Meta, to Washington, to Carolina. To me and to her! To Texas!"
"Hello, Epsilon." the Director said softly. "You came all this way just to see me?"
"I'm here to remember what you've done. Somebody has to!" Epsilon yelled.
Carolina stepped forward. "Church..."
"No! He was brilliant! And we trusted him. But he lied to us! He twisted and tortured us! And used us! Manipulated us for his own purposes and for what?! For this? This... shadow? He needs to pay."
Hearing the voices of the A.I., all of them, made her heart clench. He was right. The Director did need to pay. He needed to take responsibility for what he'd done to her and her friends. To the A.I. To everyone.
Moving to stand beside her father, Carolina took off her helmet, letting him look her in the eyes, one last time. After this... she would leave him and all of this behind her, let him meet the fate he'd lead himself to. But she wouldn't be the one to do it. Leave it to the U.N.S.C. to sort it out.
He reached up slowly, taking off his glasses. When he finally looked up to meet her eyes, it wasn't the strong willed man she'd known over these years. It wasn't the man who controlled her life. He was just a man. A weak, broken man.
A burst of anger swelled, all the words she'd thought to say coming to him over the years. That anger stemmed from remembering all the pain he'd caused. Seeing Maine... the Meta throw her from the cliff. Of watching York float away from her, her name the last word she'd heard from his lips. Remembering every injury inflicted on her and her team, remembering the lies, the betrayals, and the things they had done on his word. They'd left a trail of destruction behind them, they'd become just as bad as the people they'd fought.
Swallowing back the hate that burned, she suddenly felt calm. "I wish she could have learned to let things go..."
Let things go. Let this go, Carolina. End this now. Break this cycle once and for all.
Leaning in close, she said the word she knew would resonate strongest in his mind. "Goodbye."
Standing up straight, Carolina turned to walk away.
"Just a bit more time..." he whispered, his voice cracking.
"Come on, Church. We're leaving."
"I thought we came all this way to kill him."
"Church... Remember what you learned in the memory unit? You need to let go. Your past doesn't define who you are... It just gives you the starting point to who you're going to be."
The Director reached for her arm as she turned to leave. "Agent Carolina?"
"Yes, Director?"
"Would you be so kind as to leave me your pistol?"
A broken man. Reaching to her hip, she pulled the pistol Washington had given her and placed in on the desk. This would be the last order she took from him.
"Thank you, Carolina."
"Goodbye... Sir."
As she walked from the room, she heard him speak softly, though she didn't hear the words. Several moments later Epsilon joined her outside, and the facility began to shut down around them. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the simulation troopers around her, the men who had worked with her to get to this point. Washington was notifying the U.N.S.C. on the radio of their location and where to find the Director and the facility. The others were just standing around, no one speaking or knowing really what to do.
"Well... I guess that's that." Epsilon said at her side.
"I guess it is." The end of the Director and Project Freelancer. Just like that. After five years of working to end both, here they were...
For the first time in forever, Carolina felt relief.
A short while later, the U.N.S.C. arrived to deal with the Director and the Freelancer facility. They were told they were being taken to be debriefed on what had happened within the storage facility, and it was days later that Carolina, Washington and the Reds and Blues were deemed heroes for bringing down Project Freelancer. As they waited in the back for the military speeches to end, one of the men overseeing the press event came up with a clipboard and introduced them to the Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee, Malcolm Hargrove, who was going to be presenting them with the award.
Carolina noticed Washington's reaction to seeing the man was much the same as her own.
"Ah, here are our heroes, now!" He smiled at them and shook each of their hands. "I'd first like to say how honored I am to meet you all. We have been working hard to find a way to deal with the corruption in Project Freelancer. And I am amazed how easy you all made it seem."
"Yeah, well, you know," Grif said in a bored tone. "We're what you could call 'awesome'."
"Indeed." Hargrove said. "And you will all be properly rewarded for it." The man with the clipboard began giving instructions for when they were introduced on the stage, and the Chairman lightly touched Carolina's arm to get her attention. "Might I have a word in private, Agent Carolina?''
"I... guess," she said, glancing at Washington, who was watching the Chairman closely.
They stood several feet away from the others and Hargrove didn't wait to get to the point. "Carolina, I would like to ask you not speak of what we discussed last year."
She bet. "You mean when you offered me a mercenary job?"
He gave a politician's smile, large, but far from sincere. "Yes, well, you know how the military thinks. I merely work to find soldiers the U.N.S.C. no longer wants jobs. Let's face it, when you work against the system as long as you have, Carolina, the U.N.S.C. would be quite reluctant to give you a chance."
"How noble of you." Carolina crossed her arms and cocked her hip out. "But there is also the issue of imprisoning me. Not exactly something you'd want to leak out, would you?"
"Quite." Hargrove nodded slowly in agreement. "I made a poor decision. You were an opportunity I could not pass up, Carolina. The Director needed to be brought to justice. I hope there is a way for me to make some type of compensation for your... misfortune." He waved a hand toward the Reds and Blues. "I have arranged for the Reds and Blues to be taken back to their home, a 'Valhalla'. I have also arranged for all charges the U.N.S.C. had pending on all of you to be cleared and for you to accompany them to their destination, if that is what you would prefer."
The Reds and Blues had talked about Valhalla, kept referring to it as their home. Sounded like they were going back. "I'll take you up on your offer, but understand me, Chairman, after this, you leave me and these soldiers alone. We just want to go home."
He nodded. "It is done, then. The ship, the Hand of Merope, should be prepared to take off tomorrow morning."
Watching the Chairman walked back over to the Reds and Blues, Carolina couldn't help but feel it was too easy, but she also wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The Chairman may be corrupt enough to arrest her illegally, but at this point, she just wanted this whole thing over. The Director was gone, Project Freelancer dismantled, and it wasn't as if she had much else to look forward to than ending up exactly as the Chairman had suggested, a mercenary. She may not feel some simulation base with the Reds and Blues was going to leave her satisfied for long, but she could use a nice vacation.
She could go a while without all the havoc of the past few years. She needed the down time.
Hand of Merope
Standing at a window, staring out at the planet they were passing, Carolina watched as it slowly slid by. As they were lined up with the planet, she noticed a bright beam of light reaching up from the surface toward the ship. Tilting her head, she frowned.
"Hey, Carolina. Uh, what's that sound?" Epsilon asked.
The ship became engulfed in an orange energy and there were pops of electricity all around them. "Epsilon... what's going on?"
"I have no idea, but let's just say... I think its about to get a little..."
"Bumpy?" Carolina supplied.
"I mean, I was gonna say 'crashy', but, yeah, bumpy is a good word, too."
Alarms began to blare.
(Author Note: I seriously have never been able to decide how Carolina feels about the Director. She's a very interesting character because we do hear her feeling now, but during the Freelancer Arc, she was very quite about any feelings except those for Texas. So, I do apologize if she seems more emotional or less so about some things. I've just always felt her relationship with the Director was far more interesting and telling than her feelings toward Texas.
Also, if anything is wrong with the timeline/plot sequence, I spent a lot of time trying to make sure everything was close as possible, but the ending of season 10 ends with "a new place" but I remember season 11 saying "to Valhalla", so I hope that's right.)
R.I.P. Nana - Lots of love.