(Red vs. Blue) Project Freelancer: The Other Agents

Call to Arms

___Months Later___

"Hey," one simulation trooper said to another.

"Yeah?" the other asked.

"Why are we here?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's a bunch of other places where we could have been stationed, so how'd we end up on Parexus Prime of all places? There's nothing of interest here."

"I mean, there's a UNSC outpost here and command does have us stationed in an old Innie base."

"Exactly; ONE outpost on this whole planet inside of the ONE city that exists here. There's not even another team we're supposed to fight. We're literally purple." The other simulation soldier scratched his chin.

"I mean, at least we get to try out this gear," he held out his arms and examined himself. "Only Spartans get to wear this stuff."

"Yeah, with absolutely zero other qualities of a spartan," the first slapped his hands.

"I still think it's kinda neat," one of the other simulation troopers called from the base's opening.

"Nobody asked you, DuFresne," the first one snapped.

"Don't you talk to him like that, Mosque!" Mosque's talking companion snapped back. "How dare you. I would've asked you, Frank."

"Thanks, Eclair," DuFresne thanked them. Eclair, in turn, stared at Mosque for an apology they both knew wouldn't be coming. Geez, what a pain in my- "Hey guys. I found something in the logs that looked kind of weird."

"Weird? Weird how?" Mosque honestly didn't care, but it beat just standing there and talking.

"Well, it looks like whoever was here last sent out a transmission of this place's coordinates and the word 'artifact'," Frank explained. Mosque and Eclair exchanged a glance then hopped down through the opening, both falling flat on their faces.

"Contact Command!"

_____

Unlike most emergency calls, everyone aboard the Mother of Invention knew the reason for the panic.

"Who was the damned sore loser that slated the planet to get glassed?" New Mexico angrily holstered his pistol and continued grabbing gear. "There's not even anything to glass."

"It's s**t like this that keeps me from hating Covvies more than Innies instead of them being equal on my list," Rhode Island sympathized and stored a SPNKR.

"Don't forget your gear, Mex," Michigan handed New Mexico a dismounted M247 General Purpose Machine Gun. The agent accepted the weapon and stored it in his pod.

"We're ready in the other bay. Y'all need anything over here?" D.C. asked, Nevada and Wisconsin jogging behind him.

"Yeah, can you pass me those sights?" Michigan accepted the assistance. Maryland appeared outside of the bay with a knife in hand.

"Freddie," she called over sounding understandably anxious.

"Annie," New Mexico sighed in relief and drew his own blade and swapped with her. "I'll see you on the ground."

"You'd better be there," she said and tossed something to Rhode Island. "Vee said happy birthday. She called them a bad idea, but I think you'll have fun with those."