thisavrou | [video]

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[ The video starts up with the camera staring into the face of a teal/aquamarine/lightish blue helmet that's part of some pretty serious looking combat armor. Once Carolina is sure the TAB is recording she starts speaking. ]

This is Agent Carolina and I'm looking to make contact with the Reds and Blues of Project Freelancer as well as Agent Washington. Or anyone associated with the United Army of Chorus, honestly. If you know what any of that means I'd appreciate the information.

[ She reaches up, the seals on the helmet hissing as it releases, and pulls off her helmet to reveal her face, looking a bit tired and maybe a bit worse for wear. ]

And if you idiots are out there, let me know. I'd rather not have to track you all down again and if I have to you won't enjoy it.

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[ York watches the video three times before he even thinks about replying, before steadying his breathing and lowering the TAB to give himself a moment to think. She's back. There's no chance that this is an old vid that just popped up now, right? In his response he looks just as she'll remember, and even though he's got his helmet off at the moment she can see his armor gleaming around him. ]

Carolina. It's just me and Tex.

[ Because she should know that right away, if she doesn't already. And she probably doesn't, if she's asking for people that aren't here when she just was. But that happens sometimes, right? People show up and they don't remember traveling through the Ingress before. Or they're just different. There's a chance she just came back and is asking again, and they can pick up where they left off, but... York isn't holding his breath. ]

I--

Where are you?

[ If there was ever a moment that felt like a record scratch, this is it. She nearly drops the TAB when York's message arrives. How... she replays the message a few times, trying to find some trick. Epsilon wouldn't play with her like this and all of the journal entries he'd recovered from Freelancer's archives never had him without his armor on it.

It's impossible and yet there he is saying that he and Tex are there. Another dead freelancer. Another chink in her armor. It feels like being thrown into the alien AI's test all over again.

When she finally responds, it's several minutes later and she looks shaken, though she tries to hide it. ]

York- [ No. Nothing over an unsecured network. ] ...The Ingress Complex.

[ She doesn't remember. Not this place, and not him, York can tell by her response. Again, he has to go through this -- that he's dead and she isn't. Maybe this time they'll actually get up to what that means for them besides pain. His chest aches at the thought of it. God, does he want to do this all over?

He replays her saying his name.

Of course he does. ]

So am I. Housing level, room 15.

[ Doesn't bother asking if she wants to meet somewhere more public for safety -- he could use the privacy, if he's honest. And Carolina could handle a trap. She'll come. ]

[ Carolina doesn't bother to respond, just moves through the complex until she reaches the housing level. This would be easier with Epsilon there, he could run her enhancements. She can maybe run her speed boost solo but her camouflage and healing unit are both off the table. She doesn't want to mess with the riskier enhancements even if this is some sick trap.

A little voice in her head asks who would know enough about York to use him against her like this. For the most part she ignores it.

She knocks on the door instead of barging right in before stepping back and to the side. No need to catch a bullet because she got overeager. ]

This had better not be a joke....

[ The wait is agonizing, even if it's not that long, and York is pacing his small room back and forth until the knock on the door comes. Then he freezes mid-step, nearly stumbling. She really came. He expects a gun in his face when he opens the door, but doesn't bother to put his helmet back on, just rushes over and opens it needing to know that she's really here. Some version of her. Hey, maybe he can use the same line again.

He has to turn his head because she's off to the side on his bad side, but there she is... armored and clearly still wary of him but there, and not pointing a weapon at him. ]

...Come in.

[ Okay, not as smooth as he'd hoped, but at least his voice is steady. ]

[ It's hard to believe this is real, that she's looking at York alive. Before she can convince herself to think better of it she follows York into his room. The temptation to reach out and touch him just to make sure he's real is almost overwhelming. If Epsilon were around he'd probably be telling her to be cool.

It's hard to follow that advice when the subject of most of her regrets is standing just a few feet away. Before York can say anything, Carolina speaks first before she can lose her nerve. ]

I'm sorry, York. For everything that happened at Freelancer. For- [ For never telling him she was alive when she knew he was looking for her. For not trusting him. ] ...I'm sorry.

[ York's been through this before with her, with another version of Carolina, and it's no easier the second time. He breathes out and curbs the impulse to reach for her. Because to her this is the first time, and he doesn't need to make it more difficult. ]

...I know. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you what we were doing and why, back when I defected. Maybe if you'd understood, things would have been different.

I won't tell you it's okay, because it's not, but. We can make up for it.

[ It would almost be easier if he were angry. Part of her wants him to yell, to make some kind of a scene because he might have left but she was the one who bought into a lie with everything she had. ]

...I probably wouldn't have listened, I was too angry.

[ Time has tempered the fire that had nearly consumed her back during Freelancer and given her strands of grey in her hair and new scars. And there aren't any words she can think of that might things better. She's not sure she should after messing up so badly. ]

I don't know if I can make up for this, York. I... [ She's tired, misses Epsilon so damn much in this moment. Why did he have to go with Tucker to the temple? The empty space in her head where he'd normally be giving commentary feels like too much. One hand comes up to rub her face so she has a moment to compose herself a little. ] Tell me to shut up if I keep apologizing. Please.

[ He doesn't yell, just nods. He'd made the right call, back then, but it was so easy to imagine things going better than they had. A happy ending. It's so easy to feel like he'd messed things up. When in reality he'd done all he could... but he'd never accepted that.

This is so painful -- going through it all over again, watching her struggle with the guilt. She must be from a different point than last time, that this time around she's forgiven him. But she hasn't let go. He doesn't know whether to be grateful of that or not. When she rubs at her face he does reach out, fingers curling around hers to pull her hand down and squeeze gently. ]

Hey. I'm easy, 'Lina. And I'm right here, telling you you can.

[ The Alien AI's test did a lot to tear open old wounds, remind her how much she missed her teammates and how badly she failed them. The fact that she's exhausted from fighting Felix and Locus, having an alien temple dropped on her head and then dealing with too damn many mantis tanks.

York's hand on hers startles her out of the fog that was threatening to settle on her mind. Shock? It was possible. She knows she's not at her best right now. ]

Thanks, York. [ It doesn't feel real, having him right there in front of her. He's solid and before she can help herself she's squeezing his hand back. ] I'll remember that.

[ They'll figure it out this time, he tells himself. They have to -- he's not missing out on what's effectively a third chance. She squeezes his hand back instead of pulling away and he thinks that there's hope for them.

Her grip is shaky, though, and York isn't blind. She's not just tired, she's pale, her armor dented and bloody, odds being that some of it is hers. ]

...take your armor off. I'll patch you up.

I'll be fine, my healing unit- [ She stops midsentence when it hits her. Her healing unit is about as useful as a paperweight without Epsilon to run it for her. ] Right. I guess I got too used to having Epsilon around.

[ She starts to take her armor off piece by piece, feeling oddly self-conscious about the process. Or maybe not so odd considering her audience. ]

[ While she's stripping off her armor York vanishes into the bathroom, coming back with a very well stocked first aid kit. Bandages, antiseptic, cold packs, suture kits; he's prepared for almost anything. He sets it on the bed and tries not to stare at Carolina as she eases her survival suit off her shoulders. It's a little easier when the wounds are visible and he has those to focus on instead of just smooth pale skin and too-familiar curves. ]

Sit down.

[ She's got new scars to go along with the grey in her hair and wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. York's fingers skim over them as he cleans her wounds, as gentle as he can manage. ]

This one needs stitches.

[ Hadn't he just seen that armor on the Network less than a month ago? How strange. Nihlus stops his work briefly to give the video his full attention, brow plates raising at the bright red hair and green eyes.

It's not an unusual genetic combination, but it certainly is unsettling after three Shepards.

Eventually, after a bit of a pause, he finally moves to reply. ]

Agent Washington was here a few months ago. I'm afraid you missed him.

That said, there's still some chance he'll appear again. Depends on the whims of the Ingress here, unfortunately.

[ All the best space marines are gingers, Nihlus, it's undeniable fact. ]

I see. Does this sort of thing happen often because of that portal?

[ It is, but he doesn't mean he has to be any less confused by it! ]

It does. Sometimes it brings the same person back after a few months. Sometimes we get an entirely different version of them. Sometimes we get multiples.

It's very... awkward.

Sounds like it. Was there ever more than one Washington? Or did he he get lucky?

[ Knowing Wash he'd have a breakdown if there was more than one of him. ]

He was the only one of him as far as I know. If there is or had been another Washington around, I have not seen or spoken to him.

[ Or, well, flirted with either, as it were. ]

Was he alright when you last saw him? Or as alright as someone can be in some sort of nexus world.

[ Well. The last time he saw Wash, they, uh, banged. While they were both drugged up. In some weird party run by stoner insectoids, on some random water planet that the Moira had crashed on.

Also, they lost a whole year to that place despite it feeling like only a couple days.

Nihlus isn't terribly sure how to explain ANY of that, though. ]

He was uninjured. Perhaps not entirely well otherwise, but he had just survived our ship's first crash.

[Carolina. Washington. Undeniably code names, but since when have they cared about not being an absolute pain to new arrivals?]

Your parents were not terribly fond of you, were they?

What gives you that idea?

Carolina? Washington?

Were they that pressed for creativity, or did they have fifty consecutive children and needed a way to keep track?

[ This is not her first go around on the snarky bullshit rodeo, Chara. ]

You seem to be confused. Carolina is my surname. Agent is a very popular given name where I'm from.

Edited 2017-04-27 04:12 (UTC)

So your parents named all fifty children "Agent." Because they were, presumably, exceedingly uncreative.

Even worse.

I did say surname, you know. We aren't related.

Pieces of the United States are common surnames now?

Or is this some twist of coincidence I am not going to be buying in the least?

As I recall there was a famous general with the last name Washington. Culture can be so weird with naming choices.

Not confusing for anyone at all, I see.

[ Oh, Tex realizes what this means right away. And she's not up for dealing with more of this kind of bullshit right now. She doesn't answer the transmission. ]

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