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[Well... That trip home had been enlightening. Unless it was some kind of strange dream. And the fact that Allison was gone and he woke up somewhere other than where he'd last been with her...

Besides, he doesn't sleep. Not really. He's an AI. He turns on the comm on video without thinking about it as he looks his body over...]

Yes! I'm not a damn Tonka truck anymore. A definite improvement.

I thought this place was bad for people not staying dead... Actually? I think I'm going to make a point to never assume someone died again. It just bites me in the ass later. Here or at home.

[Actually focusing on the comm now.] Something really strange just happened... I was home again. I don't know if it was a dream or real, but I woke up someplace else here when it was done and Allison is gone. Has anyone seen her? She's a Pricklemane.

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[It takes a moment for him to shift gears that abruptly. That makes a hell of a lot more sense.]

On Blue Team. Do you really think Caboose could adjust to that big of a change that easily?

[But he's got bigger fish to fry.] I'm not even going to tell you how stupid that remark about dead people was. What I want to know is, who's back from the dead?

Dude, it felt like I was getting dumped by Caboose.

[shaking his head] Get over it, Wash. You aren't my boss.

As for who's back? Carolina.

[He files that one away for later; now is not the time to pursue it.]

No, I'm not. But I don't think you understand the kind of damage that sort of thing - and the information that goes with it - can do to North and York. Just think before you open your mouth. [Don't make him mute you again. Don't do it.]

[That strikes him dumb for a little bit. He wasn't expecting it somehow, but he hadn't seen how she died, and if anyone could survive and live that far under the radar, it was Carolina. It takes another few moments for the pieces to fall into place.] Was she the one that pulled you out of the storage unit?

I'm not saying anything in detail to them about that stuff, Wash. And they aren't asking me for anything I'm not willing to give... And I'm thinking before I speak. York needed to know. After how long he looked for her...

[Shaking his head] Sarge and Caboose were the ones that pulled me out. But she was the reason why they came for me. Even if I was content to die in the unit... She wanted the knowledge I might have.

[There's a part of him that wants to cut and run the moment he hears that. If there's anyone who knows what sudden information overload and the subsequent trauma can do to someone, it's Wash, and he doesn't want York to go through any degree of that. When he does speak, his voice is low and angry and dangerous.] You told York. Do you have any idea what that could do to him?

[He's almost too angry to focus, but he manages.] Why did she want that.

Edited 2012-12-30 03:33 (UTC)

He deserves to know, Wash.

[If it were possible to glare at Wash, he would be doing so.] She wants to find the Director, Wash. She wants revenge. For all of us.

Even if it breaks him? [No, you're not getting off the hook that easily. Wash is scared for York's stability now, and it's a hell of a lot easier to let that out as anger, especially when the person that caused said potential instability is right in front of him.]

[The last Wash remembered, Carolina had been devoutly loyal to the program, to- Well. It looked like some sayings about blood and water didn't quite hold up. He's still furious at Epsilon, and it comes out in his snarl.] Good luck to her. She'll need it.

It won't break him, Wash. He has Delta to take care of him.

[Pausing] You're helping her too, Wash. He's going to pay for what he did to all of us. Human and AI.

[It's a good point, but he's still angry that this happened in the first place.] There's a big difference between taking care of and damage control.

[On one hand, that doesn't make any sense; on the other hand, he's once again up against information that he doesn't have. He takes a breath and lets it out slowly, doing his best to rein in his temper.] Start from the beginning. Tell me what you know.

They will be fine, Wash.

What beginning are you talking? What happened once I got out of the unit?

How do you know that?

Yes. After you got pulled from the unit.

Once they pulled me out, they mentioned it was a woman that was the reason they'd come for me, then Carolina came in to check on things and let me know that I was going to help her do something she should have done a long time ago... I'm going to help her kill the Director. Her words, by the way.

She doesn't know where he is though... And as a copy of the Director's memories, she thought I would know. Too bad I can't remember a lot of those memories. Especially as she's got a worse temper than Tex. At least all she can do is shoot at my hologram there.

[So Carolina was alive and out for revenge - against her own father, of all people. On one hand, it made sense; on the other hand, something pretty damn bad must have happened when she supposedly died in order to make her shift her loyalties that completely. He bites back a spike of bitterness - there's a reason Epsilon doesn't have those memories anymore. It's because they're all in Wash's head, and he doesn't want them there - but saying that won't help anything.] And you agree with her?

[...wait.] Please tell me you didn't actually mention Texas to her.

I'm starting to remember things, Wash... And the things I'm remembering... [There's a pause there. He's been digging in his memories a little, even while talking... Have a small hint of static in his voice when he continues. He's not perfectly functional all the time now.] Make me realize how right she it. You know what he did to all of us, David.

[Nodding] I may have said she's as bad as Tex... Which she is.

[He actually feels sympathy of all things for Epsilon. He knows what it's like to struggle with memory, and for a moment he wonders if he can get the right supplies and tools from the Moogles, if he can maybe do something to stabilize Epsilon a bit more, because that static isn't a good thing-]

[And the next moment that sympathy is gone, drowned in the rage he's become so accustomed to feeling when dealing with Epsilon. He knows he's talked about this - he knows Epsilon knows how he feels about this, and the AI does it anyway, goddammit. His voice has gone red-hot with anger, low and vehement.] Don't call me that. You don't get to use that name.

Yes, I do know what the Director did - I remember everything you don't. And I tried revenge once. It landed me in jail, and then taking it out on all the wrong people - I'm sure you remember that much, at least. York tried revenge and it got him killed. So no, I don't think Carolina is right, I think she's obsessed. [Which is par for the course for Carolina, really.]

Watch your goddamn mouth before you say anything else damaging and leave me alone. [He turns away, throwing one final slightly-less-angry comment over his shoulder.] Go spend some time with Allison. She missed you. [If Epsilon doesn't make a move to stop him, he'll leave.]

[And what name he'd used didn't really even sink in in his own mind until Wash blew up at him. And he is moving to stop Wash now.] Look, Wash. I'm sorry. It slipped. Probably doesn't help that I was digging through memories for her before arriving back here. That doesn't leave me in the best state.

And Wash, let me ask you this: Either way, do you think refusing to help her is going to stop her? It's complicated... This whole situation is. She needs help.

I'm just one AI, trapped in whatever the hell I end up getting shoved into. I literally can't walk away at home, even if I wanted to.

I'm not trying to hurt anyone.

[He stops, seething. Normally he'd listen, and normally he'd probably have sympathy, maybe help Epsilon think of a way around it. The problem was, that was normally, emotional blank slate territory, and right then Wash was beyond sympathy and empathy and beyond pissed. He doesn't look at Epsilon while he's talking, voice a bit calmer on the surface than it had been before. That doesn't hide the bite, the danger in his tone.]

Doc once told me I couldn't kill everyone I met. When I asked him why not, he couldn't give me a straight answer. I'm still waiting for one.

And I thought I told you to leave me alone.

[That was the verbal equivalent of a warning shot. Stop him from leaving again and things will likely get nasty. As it is, Epsilon is pretty damn lucky that Delta and Theta like him and that Wash cares about those two.]

I'll give you one: Because you are better than that, Wash. Or at least... You were once.

What the fuck are you going to do if I don't? [He knows he should walk away. He shouldn't do this. He's playing with fire this time, and even the training York has given him isn't likely to save him if Wash snaps. But he's getting pissed off too.

Allison isn't happy that her person is doing this and she makes a confused noise at Fang. What is with them?]

[He's furious, his rage pressing up against a breaking point, but he can still feel something inside of him twist at Epsilon's words. He probably was better than that at one point - before Freelancer, at least.]

[And then Epsilon opens his mouth again and he snaps, rage barreling through that breaking point and beyond. Without warning, he drops low, sweeping Epsilon's feet from under him and knocking the AI on his back, then moving to pin him. He straddles the robot, knees on Epsilon's hands to keep him from fighting back, one hand on the robot's throat. The only thing that keeps him from squeezing is the knowledge that it won't have any effect - it's not like Epsilon is actually breathing. Wash is, though, too hard and too fast and completely submerged in his own fury, nearly spitting out the words as he speaks.]

What do you think I'm going to do? Every time you show up in my life, you push me. The first time, you pushed me so hard that I broke. I am not going back there again. Ever. So if you keep pushing me, I'm going to push back, and if you ever even come close to pushing me to breaking again, I will destroy you and nobody will ever find the pieces.

Do you understand me.

[He still has one free hand. Don't give him a reason to plunge his knife into your throat. Don't do it.]

[Fang squeaks in alarm - he's seen his person get this angry before, but not for a long time and this is not good - and puts himself between Wash and Allison. His person may be angry and may not be in the right, but Fang still won't let him get hurt.]

[Pinned to the ground, unable to go for a knife even if he wanted to... Wonderful. And Wash is lost in his own rage. He's afraid... But he's Church. Church doesn't show fear.

Allison, however, knows she needs to stop him. Epsilon needs her. Get out of the way, Fang. She doesn't want to hurt you.]

I never meant to break you. Never meant to hurt you. I still don't mean to hurt you, damn it. So calm the fuck down, jackass.

And I understand you, Wash. I understand you too well.

[No. He's not Church. Church was the Alpha, someone who actually understood when you talked to him and was a jackass in his own right, but at least he got it. Epsilon is nothing but a pale imitation, something that Wash will never be able to get away from, not completely, no matter how hard he tries. It will never end, and Epsilon just makes it worse.]

[He pulls his knife out of its sheath. If he remembers those schematics correctly - and he usually does - the voice processors for the robot body should be in the throat. He wonders how long it would take to remove them one-handed. It's an option, even if part of him still doesn't want to go that deep. There's a line, and he's dangerously close to crossing it, and he knows what's on the other side and he doesn't want to go there again, he doesn't, but if it's the only way he can survive he might not have that choice.]

[And Epsilon just keeps pushing and if he doesn't push back he'll go under and he can't do that.]

No, I don't think you understand. At all. If you didn't want to hurt me, you would keep your mouth shut and you would leave me alone when I tell you to!

This is your last chance, Epsilon. Shut. Up.

[Fang hisses a warning at Allison. He's not letting her pass. He's not letting his person get hurt. He doesn't want to fight her, but if he has to, he will.]

[Fang's person is hurting Allison's. She can't walk away. She won't. Even if he took care of her, Epsilon needs her. Even if she has to fight a friend. Let her through. She's growling a warning.

Epsilon goes quiet as he sees the knife, struggling underneath the weight on him, trying to get loose. Wash has lost it... He needs to get a weapon. To protect himself. But seeing as he's not having luck getting loose?]

Fine, Wash. I'm shutting up. Now get the hell off me.

[The robot body actually should have more physical strength than Wash; however, Wash has better leverage. Epsilon isn't going anywhere unless Wash lets him.]

[It takes a few seconds for Epsilon's words to sink in, and a few more seconds for Wash to swallow back his rage. It's an effort, and it's not completely gone - he can still feel it burning in his stomach and chest - but he's back in control. He's not going to lose himself. Not now. Not yet.]

[He sheathes his knife and stands up, walking away without another word to Epsilon.]

[Wait. No. Not quite. He pauses for a moment.]

Program Epsilon. Command: mute. Command run time: five minutes.

[That will give him five minutes of enforced silence from Epsilon - more than enough time to get away without hearing anything that will make him want to turn around and shut down the AI permanently. It's a start.]

Fang, come on. We're leaving.

[He strides away without another word, feeling the burning spread to his limbs and trusting the bat to follow. He needs to get away from here, to find some Nightmares and burn off this rage, because if he doesn't get rid of it somehow it will explode and rip him to pieces and that is not an option. Nightmare-hunting until the point of exhaustion seems like the best course of action right now, and that's where he's going.]

[Fang takes off and follows him, squeaking once at Allison as he goes. Sorry- sorry! He didn't really want things to turn out like this...]

[Epsilon doesn't get off anything else before Wash mutes him. He's trying to get to his feet quickly, not trusting Wash to completely leave it to the point where he was reaching for his knife...

But it looks like he's leaving it with the mute.

Allison growls warningly at Wash and Fang. Don't come near her person again. Next time, there will be a fight. She will protect Epsilon.

Epsilon gestures to her to follow as well as he can... They're finding someplace safe to stay for now. Someplace away from that asshole.]

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