It' shorter than I'd wanted, but it was taking me a while to get the next part finished and I didn't want you to have to wait. So, here you go. Please enjoy!

"So, Dr. Han used these to control her people?" Wash guesses.

"Some of them" Rho says. "She was only given twelve interfaces, and she kept one unmodified as a control. The other eleven were given to her most successful experiments."

"Was Silver one of the ones that were implanted?" Wash asks.

Rho's holographic head bobs up and down slowly. "She was told, along with the others, that these chips would allow them to work better and react faster in combat situations. When they were sent to attack the covenant colonies, they thought these near-AIs would give them the advantage they'd need to defeat their enemy's greater numbers. When they began to realize where they really were, and that they'd been lied to, Dr. Han took over. She activated the programs that controlled the chips, and forced her experiments to fight."

"How do these programs work?" Wash asks after a pause. "Does it take full control of the host?"

"No. The programs are not advanced enough to fully control a sentient mind. Instead, they control the section of the brain that dictates belief and perception. When Silver began to realize that she wasn't fighting soldiers, but civilians, the chip took over and told her that this observation was wrong. It made her believe that the people she was fighting were enemy soldiers who needed to die."

Wash shook his head. This was hitting a little too close to home for him. He could still feel that moment when Epsilon's fears began to cloud his own perception of reality, making him see danger around every corner and everyone as a threat. To have that done on purpose, then to realize the truth only after it was too late; he couldn't imagine it.

"Well, they obviously aren't being controlled anymore" he says eventually. "How did they break free?"

I look around the hangar. At least I know where everything is from here, so I should be able to find people easily enough. If I knew where they had all gone to. The only ones I still need to talk to are the medic, DuFresne, and Tucker. I have no idea where Tucker is, but I remember that the medic went with Rhodi to check our stock of medical supplies. I decide to look for him there first, but before I do there's something I need from the pelican.

I stare at the beat up ship as I approach it. There's scorching along its side from plasma blasts, and dents along one wing from bullets. The image is made even more decrepit by the dirt covering the landing gear, and a thin layer of space dust covering the windows. Good old bird, I think, patting the side as I near the back hatch. I know it's an older model, although my knowledge of the vehicle is fairly limited beyond that. Still, she's served us well, and has managed to bring us all home more than enough times to earn my respect.

Once I reach the back, I hit the button and stand to the side as the door slowly flips down. I step inside and search the seats in the dark, hoping to find the one thing I'm looking for. Suddenly, I spot it. I pick the object up and carry my prize out into the light. I hold the helmet up to inspect it, and am surprised to see that it's brown, not blue. I could have sworn Agent Washington's armor was blue, I think as I stare at the helmet. I notice the wires sticking out of the bottom at the same moment it speaks.

"Hola" the helmet says.

I make some sort of squeaking noise and drop it. "Oww" the helmet says from the floor.

"What are you?" I ask, hand inching toward my gun. "Why are you a talking head?"

"I'm a robot" the helmet says, speaking Spanish. "My body was destroyed a long time ago. Now I am just a head."

I look at the head skeptically. "How did you get on my ship?"

"You can understand me?" the head asks, ignoring my question.

I tap the side of my helmet with my finger. "I have a translator. Now answer my question."

The robot pauses for a moment before speaking. "The pink idiot brought me with him when he went to help his team. Then he forgot about me and left me in the ship. It was nice, not listening to him talk for a few hours."

I pick him up cautiously. "Well, sorry I dropped you" I say, still unsure of him. He could be a spy for mom, although a random robot head doesn't really seem like her style. "And that you got left in the pelican all day."

"That's fine" the head says apathetically. "I am used to being forgotten places."

I scan the inside of the ship and see Washington's helmet on the floor in a corner. I pick it up and tuck it under my arm while still staring at the head in my hand. "If Donut brought you, that means you're from red team, right?"

"Si."

"I don't remember them having a robot" I say, stepping out of the pelican. "What's your name?"

"I am Lopez the Heavy" he says, a touch of pride in his voice.

"You're not all that heavy" I remark as I step out of the pelican.

"Things were different back when I had a body."

"Well, maybe we can do something about tha-"

"You're bleeding" Lopez interrupts me.

I look down and see red drops on the floor, and a smear of red on Wash's helmet. I sigh, switching the helmet to my other arm. I normally heal faster than this. I should be fine by now, and yet I'm still bleeding.

I look up and see Iodine on the other side of the room, trying to fix the hornet. I wave him over and hand him Washington's helmet and Lopez's head. "Give Agent Washington his helmet, then find Yttri. If you can dig her out from under whatever latest project she's working on, ask her to check if we have the parts to make this guy a new body." I tap the top of Lopez's head as I finish giving the instructions.

Iodine nods, then looks at my shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asks concernedly.

"I'm fine" I say dismissively. "I just need to go see Rhodi."

Iodine nods, his blond hair bobbing comically, before sprinting off to find Wash.

I watch him leave, then sigh again as I glance down at my shoulder. It really shouldn't still be bleeding. Oh well. I had been planning to go to the infirmary to look for DuFresne anyway. At least it won't be out of my way.