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I didn't. Not really. I had a locked up memory unit that the UNSC put in storage because they didn't think anything important was inside it, and there was no way to get it open again.

[Your fault. Rigged it so it was one-way.]

If someone gave you a locked box and said that something really valuable was inside it, they promised, but you couldn't open it up to be sure of it, would you believe them?

It'd be useless unless you could get inside. They don't have IT guys in the army?

So...the guys took you in cuz UNSC's pissed at you?

I guess not. I don't know. They didn't seem to think anything was important, and at that point, I think they just wanted me dead.

So, yeah. I...don't know why, to be honest. I'd done a lot to get on their bad side, but they just decided to help me.

[He didn't have it in him to protest. They weren't clear on whether he was forgiven or not, or if that even mattered. They simply...went and did it, more or less forcibly inducted him into their ranks, and that was apparently enough to make him one of them.]

I don't know that "help" is the word I would've used.

Well, it's only thanks to them that I'm not dead or rotting in a UNSC cell.

[Turns out, when you're used to people sticking knives in your back, the one time when someone doesn't, even when they really should? It goes a long way.]

So the UNSC has Epsilon, and Epsilon's version of Tex I guess, but they're locked up, and you started staying with the guys. And the Meta's actually dead? Sounds like a happy ending all around there.

It was, for a minute. Until Carolina showed up.

[Remember Carolina? She was a side mention for half a second, but she turns out to be important later. Who would've guessed?]

Anyone ever tell you you're crap at storytelling?

No. This would be the first time anyone has ever told me that, ever.

[Utterly deadpan.]

You missed a lot, okay? I don't know how to condense this down into a timeline that makes sense.

Okay okay okay. Carolina. The one whoooo was partners with York, right? That Delta was with, before South did all that bullshit and you blew her up.

...more or less, yeah. We all thought she was dead, but with everyone's mortality track record, you can probably guess that this wasn't true.

She wanted to go after the Director and needed Epsilon and his memories to do it. So she rounded up your team, and me, to storm the UNSC archives to look for them.

Clear something up for me here: is every Freelancer a raging psycho asshole?

No.

[The answer is short, and suggests that he's none too happy about the phraseology, but when is he happy with anything?]

Carolina is...she made things difficult, but she wanted the same things I did. Just went about them a different way.

Like, instead of being a sneaky, duplicitous, self-serving fuck, she just stormed the castle.

She and Epsilon ended up getting along, you know.

[That - that's a snipe. That's a cruelty, make no mistake of it, and regret is a fizzling fistful of sparks in his guts, but he can't take it back now.]

So he didn't make someone else go suicidal crazy? He must have hated your guts, then.

[One good snipe deserves another, less good snipe.]

Which I guess means her raid on her own military was a success and she managed to do what apparently nobody else could and get his and Tex's asses out of lockdown.

His, anyway.

[He never talked to Epsilon. Not really. Maybe he should've, but...there was no point in it, in addressing what was done and what happened between the two of them. Epsilon tried to kill him. Wash tried to take him in. A foundation of violence and trying to hurt each other, over and over again, and how's he supposed to feel now, knowing that he's gone?]

[Like the case with most things, he chooses not to think about it.]

Tex didn't...well, she was gone by then.

[Again.]

...She was there. With Epsilon. How can she be gone?

Carolina said...it was something about letting go.

[She was vague, and he didn't press the point. He wasn't entitled to know anything more, and it wasn't his fight at that point. Not anymore.]

That's really fucking vague, Wash.

Well, I didn't ask. It wasn't my business. I just know he was the only one in there by the time we got to him.

That seems like something that should be asked about!

She's gone, Church.

[There's a viciousness in the absolute nature of it, even if the words are tired and resigned.]

That's what happened. She's gone.

Shut up. Shut up, shut the fuck up! [He knows in his metal frame she must be gone, erased with the light of the EMP. But the idea of her being back and then being gone again and not knowing why--

He spent over a year thinking she was dead. Got pretty used to the idea, right until Wash had come up and suggested anything to do with Tex. Then he was right on board with one goal in mind. He presses a hand to his head like he's woozy, takes a couple of breaths.]

You didn't even ask, what the fuck is wrong with you?

Yeah, I'd ask, because you're taking it so well now.

[He's not supposed to remember. He sheared off Epsilon, buried himself in layers of protective amnesia to shield himself from the trauma he can no longer remember. Always on the cusp of remembering, but never quite, maybe - ]

It's not like I can ask now, can I?

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