Chapter 2 – New Game, New Name

I quickly took a liking to Agent New Mexico. He seemed like a genuinely nice human being, and not creepy nice like Florida. Not that I should be able to compare anyone to Butch Flowers because in this universe I haven't met him yet. After leaving my apartment with Mexico he drove us to a waiting Pelican drop-ship. A Pelican currently piloted by the one and only 479er.

"Hey there rookie, welcome aboard. Please ensure that all vomiting throughout the duration of this trip occurs in the bags provided," She said cheerfully, "Now everyone strap in so we can get out of this shit hole." This 'shit hole' turned out to be Casbah, the capital city of Tribute; a UNSC Inner Colony in the Epsilon Eridani System. The system that apparently I had been station in for the last two years. Before I stuffed my duffle bag in under-seat compartment and strapping myself in, I pulled out the tablet that I had hastily thrown in on my way out from the apartment. I had absolutely no intention of spending the flight to wherever we were going, most likely the Mother of Invention, trying to make small talk with New Mexico.

Having no idea what I was doing, I just randomly tapped the screen of the tablet and prayed that it was somehow synced to my fingerprints. Letting out a breath I had realised I was holding, I tried not to notice Mexico tilt his head in contemplation at that, and instead tapped away at the glowing icons that had appeared. For some reason they were in some type of alien language. For some reason I could understand exactly what they said. WHAT!? So now, not only am I in some sort of Alternate Universe based off a web-series, but I somehow know whatever this language is!? I didn't known whether or not New Mexico was physic or something, or maybe just curious because he was being a sticky-beak and looking at my tablet when he said, "Wait… why is your tablet's information in Sangheili?"

I decided to play myself as being a bit of a snark when I replied with a, "So sticky-beaks looking over my shoulder can't read it."

He obviously took the hint and shifted his gaze with a nervous laugh, "Could come in handy as well if we ever have to negotiate with any Elites."

Nice save dude. "True dat," I said with a slight smile, to show him that he was forgiven. One of my virtues, though some could say vice, was that I easily forgave people for the stupid things that they did and said.

Then with the shock of my newly discovered fluency in an alien language forgotten, I resumed my perusal of the tablet's contents. What I discovered was a mixed bag. There was nothing at all pertaining to my life here on Tribute; no contacts, no messages or emails, no photos or videos. In fact the only two 'apps' on the tablet were the music and internet ones. I tapped the music icon and suddenly felt like I'd been kicked in the gut. Every single song listed were the ones I had on my iPhone that I had stupidly left at base that morning. Songs that meant the world to me because they reminded me of my loved ones back in Australia. Songs that I thought I'd never hear again. There was also notably, the tracks off the Red vs Blue season nine album that I'd downloaded only last week. This is getting weirder and weirder every second. If this is all a dream, when I wake up I'm gonna need to see a psychiatrist.

Instead of playing any of the songs I backtracked to the menu and decided to have a browse on the internet that somehow worked, even though by that point I could feel we were in space. I knew that I'd most likely not get much free time to myself after this flight, so I quickly rushed through the latest news about the war, with interesting mentions of Master Chief strewn throughout. Then I went and found a timeline of the last half-millennia. Wow, I feel so old now, I'm like 558 years old. I quickly memorised important facts that I would most likely be expected to know; like how the UNSC was founded in 2163 and Slipspace being discovered in 2291. I also silently revelled in the fact that I knew that in 2553 the Great War with the Covenant would be over. Well I hoped me being there wouldn't have crazy butterfly effects since I figured this was an Alternate Reality and not just the future.

After a while my frantic cramming was stopped when 479er announced that we were approaching the Mother of Invention. One point to me. I tucked the tablet underneath my arm and leaned forward to see into the open cockpit and the ship silhouetted against the expanse of space around it.

"Pretty cool huh?" New Mexico enthused as we headed towards an open hangar, "It's a huge ship considering the Project was only given the greenlight a week ago, I've got now idea how the Director managed to get it."

I just nodded a few times in assent as I processed what he'd just told me. So the Project's only just started. At least I'll gave heaps of time to fix things. I then asked New Mexico, "How many other Freelancer Agents are there currently aboard?"

"Three," he replied before continuing, "Agents Florida, Maine and Georgia."

I supressed a smile before asking another question, "When's the next batch coming in? I'm assuming there's going to be more than just five of us, given the State naming."

After a quite chuckle he answered, "Apart from you today, we'll be getting six more in a fortnight."

This perplexed me and I sounded my confusion, "Why such a long gap in between?"

He smirked, apparently enjoying my confusion. "The Director wants to set up a kind of 'starter team' with one Agent of each specialty before bring in the 'big guns'," he said while quoting with two fingers on each hand. The fact he sounded mockingly sarcastic throughout most of that sentence indicated to me that he wouldn't consider himself anything less than a 'big gun'. For me that was a sobering thought; because either he wasn't as good as he believed, and so wasn't ever shown on the leader board in the series, or because he was, and got wiped off the board before the start of season nine. I hoped it was the first because I'd already taken a liking to him. Well one more thing to figure out I suppose.

Aware of the fact that I hadn't voiced my opinion, I smiled a feral grin and said, "Well so he thinks." I remembered suddenly that I hadn't seen any mentions of my non-military fighting skills in the document New Mexico had shown me earlier. Ugh, I've really got to shorten his name because it sounds long even in my thoughts. They weren't listed in my one from the Old Reality either so it wasn't too surprising. Since I'd studied various martial arts and competed in free running trials since I was a child, I figured I'd give the Director quite the surprise when I kicked major ass on the training floor. I was quite the sharpshooter and knife thrower too, though I'd have to work on my mid-range weaponry while I was with the Project because it was lacking. Maybe when Wash gets here I'll get him to help me out in return for close-combat training, I mused.

A loud thud reverberated throughout the hull of the Pelican as we landed inside the hangar bay. I lifted the safety bar that had secured me to my seat, collected my duffle bag and then followed Mexico down the ramp with 479er following me.

"Well kiddos," 479er said before heading off with a, "I'll see ya around the ship and whenever you guys need an Ace Pilot!"

"Nice meeting you," I returned politely before turning to walk beside New Mexico.

"Okay. Now we'll stop by your room to drop off your belongings before we head to the bridge and introduce you to the Director and Counsellor."

"Sounds good." While we walked through the ship I took note of the turns we took and rooms of interest that Mexico pointed out. We passed the mess hall, training rooms and classrooms before reaching the locker room which resided right next to the private accommodations. I noticed that there were two name plate holders on each door; so obviously I would be bunking with another Agent eventually.

The door New Mexico stopped us in front of had no name plates which he explained by saying, "The Director doesn't assign an Agent's name until he personally meets them. You've got this room to yourself though until the next female Agent gets here. Lucky, I've got to share with Maine and I'll give you a warning now, he's a bit moody."

I just snorted in reply before opening the door and throwing my bag onto the bed on the left, barely giving the room a cursory glance since I already had an idea of what to expect; empty with metal walls in a military fashion, thin mattresses and sufficient storage space. This was of course a UNSC vessel; I wasn't expecting a lavish apartment like the one I'd found myself in earlier. After closing the door I then nodded to Mexico to continue the 'tour'.

I was then eventually lead to an elevator that brought us to the bridge of the ship. Suffering through an awkwardly silent elevator trip I was then awarded the sight of a technological masterpiece. Dozens of UNSC personnel operated large holographic displays which they used to run the ship alongside the ship's 'dumb A.I' F.I.L.S.S, as well as the most-likely unseen Alpha 'smart A.I'. At the helm of the Mother of Invention stood the Director; facing out towards the visible sphere that was Tribute, in his customary stance.

Upon hearing our arrival he abruptly turned and gave me a cursory glance before he addressed New Mexico in his southern drawl, "Thank you Agent New Mexico, that'll be all today, please return to your scheduled training."

Mexico gave a quick salute and "Yes Sir!" before turning and heading out the way we'd come in, giving me a quick nod as he did so.

The Director then stepped forward, to the opposite end of the planning table I'd found myself in front of, before addressing me. "Doctor Kara Hawke, I'm Doctor Leonard Church, or as you Agents will refer to me as, Director."

My stomach roiled with either nervousness or disgust, at the thought of being under this man's command. So I smothered my figurative butterflies, stood to attention and saluted whilst stating politely, "It's an honour to be under your command Sir."

The answer must have pleased him because he gave me a small smile. "Excellent." He then tapped the screen on the planning table; bringing up my profile before adding a word in the blank space next to 'Agent', where my State name belonged. "Welcome to Project Freelancer, Agent Arizona."