Chapter 11: Distress Signal
"Check this out Sarge," Theta called out shooting off a few digital fireworks in the air. Sarge gave a small laugh. "Heh heh, you little rascal."
"How would you even create fireworks?" Simmons pondered as he walked past others. Theta suddenly appeared beside him noting. "It's not that hard once you know how to do it. But it was super hard the first time around."
Donut walked into the cafeteria and Iota quickly ran up to Eta. Donut noticed the close connection the two fragments had with one another. "They really hate being apart don't they?"
"They were created as twins," Gamma answered annoying Grif further with his voice. "Seriously, does no one know how to access their settings to change their voice or something? Microsoft Sam here is really getting on my nerves."
"Does Gamma tend to talk often?" asked Simmons and received a positive confirmation and an evident annoyance in Grif's tone. "Well at least yours talks, I don't know what it is with Eta but he just seems to be so quiet and sometimes even afraid."
"What do they have to be afraid of?" Donut asked curiously now turning to look towards the twins. Theta slid over to Donut on his skateboard and said. "Eta is just like that."
"Jeez, I wish you fragments would stop with the cryptic language," Grif groaned holding his head as though it ached from the technical talk. Gamma appeared by the twins motioning towards them. "Eta is based on fear, where as Iota is based on happiness."
"I know Project Freelancer has done some stupid stuff in the past, but what is the point of basing them off of a certain trait?" Simmons asked clearing his tray of food. Gamma took a moment to contemplate his response. "We are all based off of a certain trait from Epsilon's understanding of the Alpha A.I. The original fragments came from the fragmentation of the Alpha A.I. through Project Freelancer. The different fragments represented a certain trait."
"Didn't really answer my question, but still creepy," said Simmons walking away. Sarge noticed how Simmons remark affected Theta and cleared his throat to say. "I don't know, I think having a few more fairies around isn't such a bad thing. Plus they seem to have some practical use unlike a certain fat someone."
"I'm no stranger to subtlety Sarge," said Grif getting up to dispose his tray as well. Sarge got up with the rest and gave out the orders for the day. The fragments decided to go into rest mode until they felt they were needed again.
In blue base, Caboose was the first to wake up excited at the prospect of spending the whole day together with Delta. "What are we going to do today Delta?"
"Whatever it is you wish Caboose."
"Oh how about we go play hide and seek?"
"I don't think that will work since I'm in your head and can't travel long distances without you moving along with me."
"You are in my head, why did nobody tell me that?!"
I think I now know why Epsilon became so easily annoyed whenever he was around Caboose, thought Delta. But all the same he felt relieved to have been given to Caboose. This soldier was always positive even when his mood was down. He was always open to new interactions and possibilities. Even if Caboose wasn't the smartest of the bunch, he definitely cared for those around him and that was more than enough for Delta to feel safe with Caboose as his host.
Washington walked around the base to make sure all the equipment was in working order just like he did every morning. Joining the others for breakfast, he already found Carolina sitting with her tray alongside Tucker. There was an awkward and somewhat unnerving silence between the two. Wash grabbed his own breakfast and sat opposite to the two. Tucker gave him a desperate look, almost as though he was asking for Wash to save him from this awkward silence. Wash grinned under his helmet in amusement. "I'm surprised you got up early for once without me having to come kick you out of bed Tucker."
Sigma suddenly burst out into flames beside Tucker. "It appears Captain Tucker had some difficulty sleeping."
Carolina looked to her side with some disdain at the fragment's appearance. But she knew she had to learn to let go, even if it meant forcing it. It was not the fragment's fault for what happened after all. The past is the past, she thought taking another bite of her bread. Wash studied the fragment with curiosity in his tone. "I see you are already getting accustomed to your home Sigma."
"Ugh, worry about me for a change here. Do you have any ideas just how much he keeps running his calculations or whatever in the middle of the night? I mean what does a guy have to do to get some sleep around here?"
"You will eventually get used to it," commented Carolina.
"How are you faring with Ep- with the new fragment?" asked Wash. Carolina was quick to pick up on Wash's sudden change of words, and at the same time appreciated his thoughtfulness. "Epsilon doesn't seem to talk at all now. I don't know what it is this fragment is doing. He just remains a shapeless blob with little to no activity."
"Maybe he is just trying to remember," Tucker chimed in as he got up to dispose of his tray. Carolina pondered the possibility but had to ask. "Trying to remember what?"
"Beats me, Church was all emo and shit whenever he would try to remember memories. Maybe this new fragment is just trying to do the same."
Both freelancers considered the possibility to be very true. Epsilon could just be trying to remember to help him find his own identity, just like Church had done. Washington stood up stretching his neck. "Well, looks like it's time to get to work for the day people."
Both the soldiers left with Carolina staring at the shapeless blue blob beside her. I really hope that you are just struggling to remember and nothing more serious, she didn't want to see Church's last gift to her go to waste like this. She wanted to make sure that his hopes of the gift to her would bear fruit.
Later in the day, the whole crew went about their day as usual. Things were beginning to feel more normal than before now. Peace was finally here again for the crew, and Sarge had high hopes that perhaps to kill their boredom they could get back to their old antics of reds versus the blues. Washington was on look out today and Tucker was busy training in squats. Carolina decided to go on a five lap run all around the canyon. Caboose was off doing his own thing with Sheila, Freckles and Delta.
Tucker was surprised that there had yet to be any sort of creepy love triangles between them for Sheila's affection. Maybe he is finally out growing that crush on her.
"Come on Sheila, let me ride you," Caboose begged to the retreating robot just as Tucker finished his thoughts. Tucker shook his head, or maybe not. Also ride, Bow-Chicka-Bow-Wow.
Washington had stepped inside for a moment and much to his curiosity he found a blinking light on their main computer panel. Is someone trying to call us? He walked over to the panel and with the press of a key he heard loud static. Ah jeez, he dialed down the volume and noticed that this was not a live communication. But instead this was a message on loop transferred over to their base. Upon hearing a bit of the message, worry arose in Washington, that voice…oh no. He quickly rushed outside to gather everyone together.
Grif looked around the room and asked. "So can't seem to help notice that we seem to be having these types of meetings an awful lot lately."
"And with good reason," said Wash walking over to the computer panel. "We received a looping message from a familiar foe of the past."
"Wow, why not be more cryptic than you already are Wash? I'm sure it would help kick the drama scale in the face and go all the way up to eleven for no good reason," Grif scoffed. Tucker agreed with a grin plastered across his face. Wash simply shook his head and brushed off the comment. "Just listen to the message."
"…Come in Blood Gulch Blue outpost…this is an emergency transmission that will play on all open channels until you have received this message. You and your teams are in danger…"
"Wait a minute, that sounds awfully familiar," Carolina commented trying to find the name in her head. The rest of the crew knew it and they also knew what this meant. Tucker swore under his breath. "It's Locus."
"Yeah, I was first surprised to hear this message from him as well," said Wash. Grif lowered his head in irritation. "Great, that just fucking great, what part wasn't clear about me not wanting to see another mercenary anytime soon god?! Jeez, you suck."
"Shut up Grif, let us listen to the rest," Simmons replied annoyed at the number of interruptions. The recording continued. "I repeat, you are all in great danger. Watch yourselves; the enemy could strike at any given time…Locus out."
"Um…so what do we do now?" asked Donut simply going with the flow at this point. Doc stepped forward with a suggestion. "We could all just go and hide in the caves."
"Fuck that, I won't have any place to refrigerate my stole-," Grif quickly stopped to rethink his words. "My hard earned meals."
"Seriously Grif, for once stop thinking with your stomach," said Simmons now clearly worried. Eta wasn't helping any either by exemplifying Simmons' worries and fears to the others. Sarge looked around the room and thought for a moment. "Why not just fortify our bases? If someone wants to come attack in our homes, I say let them and we will beat them all back."
"It could work," said Carolina adding to Sarge's suggestion. "At most we would only need to worry about fortifying the outer walls right now. We can worry about the offensive later."
"Sounds like a plan to me," said Wash getting the green light from everyone else. So much for our peaceful days, they all thought, with a smirk under their helmets they left to prepare. But it just wouldn't be the same if we weren't getting into some trouble.
