#the Director being the “leader” while the Counselor was the more dangerous one by far | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thevividgreenmoss · 5 years

Link

The NBC/MSNBC reporter, William Arkin, is a longtime prominent war and military reporter, perhaps best known for his groundbreaking, three-part Washington Post series in 2010, co-reported with two-time Pulitzer winner Dana Priest, on how sprawling, unaccountable, and omnipotent the national security state has become in the post-9/11 era. When that three-part investigative series, titled “Top Secret America,” was published, I hailed it as one of the most important pieces of reporting of the war on terror, because while “we chirp endlessly about the Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, the Democrats and Republicans, this is the Real U.S. Government: functioning in total darkness, beyond elections and parties, so secret, vast and powerful that it evades the control or knowledge of any one person or even any organization.”

...Some of the most beloved and frequently featured MSNBC commentators are the most bloodthirsty pro-war militarists from the war on terror: David Frum, Jennifer Rubin, Ralph Peters, and Bill Kristol (who was just giddily and affectionately celebrated with a playful nickname bestowed on him: “Lil Bill”). In early 2018, NBC hired former CIA chief John Brennan to serve as a “senior national security and intelligence analyst,” where the rendition and torture advocate joined — as Politico’s Jack Shafer noted — a long litany of former security state officials at the network, including “Chuck Rosenberg, former acting DEA administrator, chief of staff for FBI Director James B. Comey, and counselor to former FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III; Frank Figliuzzi, former chief of FBI counterintelligence; Juan Zarate, deputy national security adviser under Bush.”

As Shafer noted, filling your news and analyst slots with former security state officials as MSNBC and NBC have done is tantamount to becoming state TV, since “their first loyalty — and this is no slam — is to the agency from which they hail.” As he put it: “Imagine a TV network covering the auto industry through the eyes of dozens of paid former auto executives and you begin to appreciate the current peculiarities.”

All of this led Arkin to publish a remarkable denunciation of NBC and MSNBC in the form of an email he sent to various outlets, including The Intercept. Its key passages are scathing and unflinching in their depiction of those networks as pro-war propaganda outlets that exist to do little more than amplify and serve the security state agencies most devoted to opposing Trump, including their mindless opposition to Trump’s attempts (with whatever motives) to roll back some of the excesses of imperialism, aggression, and U.S. involvement in endless war, as well as to sacrifice all journalistic standards and skepticism about generals and the U.S war machine if doing so advances their monomaniacal mission of denouncing Trump. As Arkin wrote (emphasis added):

My expertise, though seeming to be all the more central to the challenges and dangers we face, also seems to be less valued at the moment. And I find myself completely out of synch with the network, being neither a day-to-day reporter nor interested in the Trump circus. …

To me there is also a larger problem: though they produce nothing that resembles actual safety and security, the national security leaders and generals we have are allowed to do their thing unmolested. Despite being at “war,” no great wartime leaders or visionaries are emerging. There is not a soul in Washington who can say that they have won or stopped any conflict. And though there might be the beloved perfumed princes in the form of the Petraeus’ and Wes Clarks’, or the so-called warrior monks like Mattis and McMaster, we’ve had more than a generation of national security leaders who sadly and fraudulently have done little of consequence. And yet we (and others) embrace them, even the highly partisan formers who masquerade as “analysts”. We do so ignoring the empirical truth of what they have wrought: There is not one county in the Middle East that is safer today than it was 18 years ago. Indeed the world becomes ever more polarized and dangerous. …

Windrem again convinced me to return to NBC to join the new investigative unit in the early days of the 2016 presidential campaign. I thought that the mission was to break through the machine of perpetual war acceptance and conventional wisdom to challenge Hillary Clinton’s hawkishness. It was also an interesting moment at NBC because everyone was looking over their shoulder at Vice and other upstarts creeping up on the mainstream. But then Trump got elected and Investigations got sucked into the tweeting vortex, increasingly lost in a directionless adrenaline rush, the national security and political version of leading the broadcast with every snow storm. And I would assert that in many ways NBC just began emulating the national security state itself – busy and profitable. No wars won but the ball is kept in play.

I’d argue that under Trump, the national security establishment not only hasn’t missed a beat but indeed has gained dangerous strength. Now it is ever more autonomous and practically impervious to criticism. I’d also argue, ever so gingerly, that NBC has become somewhat lost in its own verve, proxies of boring moderation and conventional wisdom, defender of the government against Trump, cheerleader for open and subtle threat mongering, in love with procedure and protocol over all else (including results). I accept that there’s a lot to report here, but I’m more worried about how much we are missing. Hence my desire to take a step back and think why so little changes with regard to America’s wars. …

In our day-to-day whirlwind and hostage status as prisoners of Donald Trump, I think – like everyone else does – that we miss so much. People who don’t understand the medium, or the pressures, loudly opine that it’s corporate control or even worse, that it’s partisan. Sometimes I quip in response to friends on the outside (and to government sources) that if they mean by the word partisan that it is New Yorkers and Washingtonians against the rest of the country then they are right.

For me I realized how out of step I was when I looked at Trump’s various bumbling intuitions: his desire to improve relations with Russia, to denuclearize North Korea, to get out of the Middle East, to question why we are fighting in Africa, even in his attacks on the intelligence community and the FBI. Of course he is an ignorant and incompetent impostor. And yet I’m alarmed at how quick NBC is to mechanically argue the contrary, to be in favor of policies that just spell more conflict and more war. Really? We shouldn’t get out Syria? We shouldn’t go for the bold move of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula? Even on Russia, though we should be concerned about the brittleness of our democracy that it is so vulnerable to manipulation, do we really yearn for the Cold War? And don’t even get me started with the FBI: What? We now lionize this historically destructive institution?

That an entire generation of Democrats paying attention to politics for the first time is being instilled with formerly right-wing Cold Warrior values of jingoism, über-patriotism, reverence for security state agencies and prosecutors, a reckless use of the “traitor” accusation to smear one’s enemies, and a belief that neoconservatives embody moral rectitude and foreign policy expertise has long been obvious and deeply disturbing. These toxins will endure far beyond Trump, particularly given the now full-scale unity between the Democratic establishment and neocons.

#glenn go off always #essays #*

2 notes · View notes

thetaekswoon · 6 years

Text

NCT Lucas| Camp Counselor AU

You know I thought I would actually escape the bias wrecker trap that Lucas has put on all of us NCTzens for a minute there, but then whelp there he goes doing his dandy thing and I’m shook.

mentions of drinking

Yukhei:

Red Fox cabin: boys ages 7-8

Co-counselors with his bffl Mark LEE, so you can already tell that the Red Fox cabin that summer was quite a mess

It’s his first summer working at the sleepaway camp, and surprisingly, Lucas is one of the few counselors that weren’t actually campers before they became staff,

so that means that (besides mark who was the one who suggested that he put in a job application earlier that year) Lucas didn’t know anyone he was going to be working with at all.

At the start of staff training, Lucas began to feel really intimidated because practically everyone else knew their way around the camp grounds and already KNEW each other,

Lucas just kind of felt like an outsider, sometimes he even felt like quitting before the campers arrived for the first session.

, but then something changed after some wise words from seasoned camp director Leeteuk set Lucas in the right direction, and quickly he found himself opening up more to the rest of the staff and they adopted him into the camp family.

Lucas found himself befriending almost everyone at camp, even the CITs loved having him around!

and Lucas really liked hanging out with them. They were all close in age and they were required to stay for the whole summer just like the staff were, so he felt like he could connect even more with them,

That’s why as soon as cabin placement preferences opened up Lucas requested that he be a CIT leader.

sadly though, the reasons why he connected so well with the CITs was exactly why he wasn’t allowed to be their leader... In order to be a CIT leader you had to be several years older than the aged-out age of the CIT program, unfortunately Lucas was just too young.

He didn’t hang himself up over it though because he and Mark got placed into the same cabin together which was super freaking awesome, and he could still hang out with the CITs whenever he wanted really.

You can always see him giving CIT Chenle piggy back rides across the camp fields, goofing around and making fun of the other counselors

*cough cough* Johnny *cough cough*

When first moving their stuff into the Red Fox cabin, Lucas and Mark argued for what felt like an eternity over who got the top bunk,

“I got here first so its MINE”

“You dumbass how the hell are you going to even sit up in the morning without banging your head on the ceiling you’re too tall!” mark shouts at him.

Lucas did hit his head the next morning and then kindly asked Mark with as much dignity as he could find with the darkening purple bruise on his forehead, if they could switch beds.

... the whole time head counselor for the Red Fox cabin, Namjoon stands quietly in the back, shaking his head in his hands.

Lucas is one of the counselors that teaches the survival courses at the camp;

teaching all the campers in the course how to find/build shelter, start a fire, what plants are edible and whatnot,

, and honestly... Lucas freaking loves it!

He loves playing around deep in the woods everyday with the campers and coming back covered in dirt head to toe for lunch.

Lucas is kind of crazy in the woodsy aspect... he does insane stunts that with one misstep could end him up in the hospital

, he pretends to be a crab with a flaming torch in each hand walking sideways, and covers his neck and face in mud when the summer heat becomes a little too much for him to handle

lucas climbs up the trees like a monkey and isn’t afraid of going up too far

“It’s not fun unless you can see over anything” he tells Hani from the Mountain Lion cabin one day, and she gives him the look THAT look, you know what I’m talking about.

Everybody calls him the survival man and he just feeds into it... took on that whole aesthetic.

Lucas’ signature outfit is an open flannel shirt and tee, cargo shorts, and sunhat

not-so-hidden in a belt sheath, Lucas keeps his carving knives on him all the time as he walks around camp. He uses them to help the campers cut down small tree branches when building shelters,

, and sometimes when he’s bored he’ll pull out the knife and start carving funky shapes into pieces of wood he just finds around.

All the little boys love him btw.

They see him as this crazy giant of a jungle man who climbs trees and can make them laugh with all his hilarious impersonations.

, but Lucas is not all goofy and horsing around.

He is also pretty sharp and can sense the danger in a situation before it gets out of hand,

Like when a little Golden Eagle girl and her friends start pushing each other a little too close to their fire for Lucas’ liking, and when one of them trips Lucas is up and present in an instant to catch her from stumbling into the smoking pit.

He is really serious about safety especially when it comes to the safety of the campers.

This boy THIS BOY will FIGHT to get ahead of you in the dining hall lunch line on chicken nugget day, THIS BOY WILL PUSH beware. beware of nugget day in general tbh everyone is a bit frisky

Anyway...

You like Lucas

not like... like-like, but like as a friend.

See, when you met Lucas back during staff training you kind of felt bad for him, he was quick to make friends with people, but he had trouble getting into the camp spirit, accepting himself into the camp family

You couldn’t help but feel down when you saw that he would arrive to lunch late because he didn’t know the way to get back to the dining hall after morning sessions and how he sometimes looked awkward shifting on his feet, feeling like a giant in the room.

So of course, as in the camp spirit, you went ahead and introduced yourself to Lucas, even offered to help teach him some of the camp songs

, you noticed that he always stumbled through the words whenever a large group cheer broke out... which was often considering everyone was so excited to be back at camp for the summer.

and lucas was like, on his knees, bowing at you, thanking you so much because he doesn’t get it like whats with all the turtles, frogs and bees in camp songs like HOW DO YOU EVEN TELL THEM APART GOD

So after you manage to finally teach him some of the basic camp songs, you two kind of fall into a pleasant friendship with each other, but by no means are you guys super close or anything like that,

no, after staff training you two didn’t have as much time to spend together because you both taught different subject classes and survival skills and arts and crafts rarely had a need to interact with each other.

tbh Lucas is kind of popular and after that whole debacle during the start of the summer was overwith he started making a lot of really close friends with people all over camp, so he doesn’t always have the time to drop by and say hi,

, especially when Yuta, Jungkook and Rocky keep yelling out for him to join them on hikes across the ridge,

like how can he say no to that... he’s the jungleman, he revels in that kind of stuff.

That being said, Lucas still finds himself in the craft cabin every once and a while when he has his break, to come and sit with you and do some crafty things with the kids,

that boy can make a mean macaroni frame, can even put poor Eunwoo’s to shame

You never minded having Lucas visit you, it was nice to talk to him, Lucas could make anyone crack up with his facial expressions, though sometimes you’d get mad at him when he tracked in mud

Lucas liked doing crafts with you because it was a good change in scenery from the woods, and also... you know... he liked being able to hang out with you,

Though you could go HAM when people started cheering camp songs, overall you were a very chill person to be around, a real rock.

not to mention... you’re pretty.

So that’s why when Lucas needed a bunch of counselors to volunteer to go out on the survival campout with him, he asked you, and of course you said yes, not knowing at all what you got yourself into.

You had figured that the survival campout would be just like any other overnight that the campers go on, heck you’ve been on those before and have had an awesome time!

However what you weren’t expecting was no tents. no sleeping bags. nothing.

It was literally like a survival show out there, the campers who had been preparing for this campout all week, struggling to build a shelter they were going to sleep in with the materials they found around them before the sun went down.

WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU EVEN GOING TO SLEEP???

Lucas ran around the campsite, helping the kids, he didn’t mind the thought of sleeping bare to the elements, surrounded by ticks and mosquitos.

It took you a while to gather your bearings, but when you did, you set yourself to gathering firewood for the fire pit that the counselors attending the overnight would cook their hobo dinners on later that evening once all the campers whisked off to sleep.

It was dark by the time that you and the rest of the counselors on the trip could finally take a rest.

The campers, all full and resting peacefully in their shelters could finally be left alone for the rest of the night.

The counselor campsite was within sight of the camper’s site, but far enough away that they could speak freely without worry of waking somebody up.

The campsite, much to your relief, looked quite different from the camper’s. A truck bed was open and laid out with supplies and enough open space for at least two people to squish together and sleep on. On trees surrounding the area, colorful hammocks were strung up so that you didn’t have to sleep on the cold ground.

Counselors Jungkook and Yuta, were loudly whispering and scheming with each other, shuffling through their packed knapsacks Irene, Lucas and yourself were confused on what the hell they were up to,

, that was until Yuta, finally finding what he was looking for pulled out a three quarters full bottle of whiskey from his bag, and Jungkook a half empty bottle from his.

Now all of you knew that if the camp had found out you were drinking on their property, so close to the campers, the consequences would be severe, you’d most likely be fired immediately and asked to pack your things.

, but with the threat of a camp director making a visit all the way down to the campsite several miles away from the camp itself dismissed after they had already came to check up on everything before the sunset,

you all felt at ease to take sips from the bottle being passed around the campfire.

Before the whiskey, you had a few goosebumps over your arms and calves, but now you were warm and happy, drinking and joking around with your friends, you were suddenly happy that you accepted Lucas’ invitation to join the campout.

“How do y’all feel ‘bout goin down to the water, it’s close I think.” Jungkook stumbled over his words after downing a few shots worth of the liquor.

You were decently drunk by now, sitting around the campfire, you sat across from the two party boys, lucas and Irene on either side of you.

“You know I’m always down to try anythin Kook,” Yuta slurred as well, giving an overzealous wink to no one in particular.

“I don’t know if Irene can make it there guys...” You say, laughing at the senior counselor’s slumped over figure, she giggled and hiccuped at her name being mentioned.

“It’s ok guys I swear. I’m good, besides, somebody... someone needs to stay behind in case one of the *hiccup* campers *hiccup* needs somethin’“ She says with a face full of dirt.

“How you feelin’ girlie?” Yuta laughs at Irene trying to sit up.

“I’m swell,,, thanks.” She twirls her hair up into a ponytail and waves you all away, “You’re all good to go *hiccup* now.”

“Are you sure?” Lucas asks her. “You can handle it if someone needs help restarting their fire?”

Irene scoffs at him, “Leave me.” she says, and the four of you head down to the rocky beach area ten minutes away from the campsite.

The lake water looks pitch black, the moon shining brightly reflects down onto it, and you can can barely see the lights from the main camp waterfront across the lake.

You’re invisible.

Yuta and Jungkook take their shoes off and make for a running start into the freezing water. You stand behind watching the drunk fools horse around in the lake, laughing at them when Jungkook gets pulled under by the other boy,

You almost forget about him for a second there, until Lucas, besides you, starts taking off his clothes.

you gasp, “oh my gawd you’re not getting naked right now right? You know those fools will try and steal your clothes.”

He chuckles, “Nahhh, I just don’t wanna get my clothes wet.” he says and then, just in his underwear and socks, makes his way toward... the trees?

Only a second later he’s up in the air, climbing up one of the trees that line the lake so fast you almost missed it.

Lucas stretches out on the limb, testing its strength before shouting something you couldn’t quite hear and propelling himself into the water a few feet below.

you can’t help, but laugh at the wildman, and start taking some of your clothes off as well, then with the confidence that only alcohol can give you, you sprint straight into the water and you keep running as far as you can in it

Up past your shoulders you stop and cry out at how bone-chilling the water is.

You four drunken bastards goof around in the water for a while more together, at one point even attempting to play chicken,

you up on Lucas’ shoulders and staring Yuta, who was ready to pounce, in the eye, and alcohol wasn’t that smart of a mix.

Jungkook started to feel sick after Yuta, falling over, kicked him in the gut and requested that they go dry themselves off.

Sitting on the beach for a while you guys play in the sand, warming up and drying off from splashing around in the lake.

While before you were just slurring your words, by now drunk talk has commenced.

Yuta was spewing his and Jungkook’s cabin’s drama left and right, turns out a kid in Gray Wolf a few sessions ago was a proud bed wetter, used to show them the stains on his sheets before washing them out.

That story was followed by a bunch of ewws on your end, a bunch of laughs from Lucas, who then shared that Mark has apparently been known to on occasion complement his mother’s cooking in his sleep.

“I bet that she’s a phen-omen-al cook then. Her food must’ taste so good.” you say to the group

and then Lucas says, “probably not as good as you.” and LICKS YOUR FREAKING CHEEK. He freezes. and you’re for the lack of a better word right now shook af

“I need to collapse.” Jungkook states, clearly oblivious to what the hell just happened there... too drunk to even notice the commotion. “I’m climbing back to bed before I won’t be able to get there.”

“I’ll help yah from fallin’ on your face.” Yuta stands up after him, seemingly unknowing as well.

And now alone with Lucas, you’re speechless.

“um..*coughs* that was weird and uncalled for.” he jokes trying to break the silence,

“it was,” you agree.

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s ok.” you tell him, still super confused. You fall into another silence again, the only noise is the sound of the low lake tide sloshing up against the rocks.

“This is totally not the time to say this, but I think your hair looks really pretty when it’s wet.” Lucas tells you, and when you turn to look at him you can’t help, but take in all of his handsome features.

He’s young, yes, but he’s built and toned. His eyes wide like and owl’s and soft looking hair.

you feel compelled to touch his hair.

And, so carefully, as to not get any sand in it, you raise your hand and start twirling a strand of it in your fingers. It’s really soft.

and then as things progress as they do when you are drunk and alone, suddenly you are half naked on a beach, kissing Lucas deeply on the mouth.

Theres sand and pebbles and his hands in your hair and it’s almost like you’re suffocating on each other’s tongues.

It doesn’t go much farther than that, not really. You wake up only a few hours later, the sun hasn’t even truly shown itself yet, on the small beach tangled in Lucas’ arms,,, and your bra is somewhere by your feet.

After shaking him awake you two stumble to put your clothes back on and look like you hadn’t just woken up from a drunk hookup on a beach, as fast as you could.

Back at the campsite, Yuta and Jungkook are snoring in the back of the pickup truck, Irene doing the same on the ground next to the fire pit, and all the campers seem to remain undisturbed from any of the incidents that took place the previous night.

Turning around to look back at Lucas you stifle a gasp and point to his neck,

just visible from under his collar are several dark marks.

“You need to cover those up!” You tell him, “If Leeteuk or another director sees those you could get in serious trouble.”

“I’ll sling a towel or something over my shoulder don’t worry about it.” and you nod.

“This isn’t weird right?” you ask him quietly, in case someone were to wake up.

“No, I don’t think so.” Lucas says to you.

It wasn’t awkward between the two of you, you were coworkers, but more importantly friends, much closer than you had previously thought in fact.

Lucas and you started to take apart the campsite, fold up the hammocks and stir the embers to ashes, one of the bodies in the back of the truck groans and scratches their back before going still again.

“Before we leave though I think we should clear the air though.” You say to Lucas quietly, “are we a thing now? Was that a one time thing or will it happen again? I’m just trying to close the case kinda if you know what I mean.” He laughs at you and you groan... your head still hurts.

“I don’t know.” he shrugs.

“Well I don’t know.” you shrug, and he shrugs again, making a face.

“I guess it would be nice.”

“Nice to...what?”

“I don’t know, whatever it is, we’ll see.” he says, and he playfully shrugs again at you.

Suddenly, Yuta looking like a mess, very much hungover and probably moving too fast for being so, sits up with his hair in his face looking out at the two of you from the truck bed.

“WAIT!” he says, wincing then proceeding to grab his head before looking back at you two,

“DID YOU TWO F-”

<><> do not edit/remove anything from the original post <><> this AU belongs to me <><>

306 notes · View notes

xadoheandterra · 6 years

Text

Title: Don’t Write Me A Postscript Chapter: VIII (I / II / III / IV / V / VI / VII / IX / X / XI / XII / XIII) Fandom: Red vs Blue Characters: Church | Alpha, Dr. Leonard Church | Director, Micheal Caboose | Agent California | Micheal-210, David Church | Agent Washington | Recovery One, Aiden Price | Counselor, F. I. L. S. S | Xi Summary: He was all sorts fucked up and didn’t want to admit it. Being alone for fourteen months didn’t help matters--except, well, Church was tired of being alone. Tired of people leaving and dying--and he thought, no more. I’m done. I’m out.

Won’t Say You’re Sorry (I / II / III)

Do You Even Feel Compassion? (I / II)

Leonard pressed his lips thin as he held his hands behind his back and stared at the screens upon the Father of Intuition. From slightly behind him Aiden Price stood, and Leonard felt his shoulders tense. He’d grown more and more wary of his ‘secret’ ONI watcher as time moved on, and now as Freelancer crashed and burned around him that unnerved energy only grew.

“How far along are we in the decommission of the simulation bases?” Leonard asked as he studied the information available on Freelancer agents.

“As well as can be expected,” Price said, and Leonard could hear the pleased hum in his voice. “Any survivors from Agent Maine’s rampage have been appropriately sequestered and given adequate psychiatric care.”

Leonard tilted his head to look back at Price. “And the status of my Freelancer agents, Counselor? Why are so many of my men marked as KIA?”

Price folded his own arms and sorrowfully dipped his head. “Unfortunate circumstances,” he said. “It appears Agent Maine is not just targeting those of Alpha squad.”

Leonard clenched his jaw. That he didn’t believe. Sigma’s obsession held no quarry with the rest of Freelancer, only with his ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ and ‘creator’ and ultimate himself. Leonard always knew his ambition was a dangerous thing, he just never suspected how much.

Price stepped up toward the map and nodded toward Agent Carolina, “And what of your daughter?” he questioned. “Any word of her?”

Leonard squeezed his hands and tried to ignore the urge to snarl at the man. “Agent Carolina is dead, Counselor,” he said, tone cold. “If you remember she was the first casualty of Agent Maine’s rampage.”

Price hummed. “Of course.” There was a moments pause, and then, “Is her death the reason why you’ve worked so hard to mitigate Agent Maine’s actions?”

“I am mitigating Agent Maine’s increasing erratic behavior because it is reprehensible,” Leonard said sharply. “Agent Carolina’s unfortunate death has no bearing on that.”

“And yet you were willing to see how she’d handle two AI fragments,” Price mused. “I find this discrepancy…odd.”

Leonard breathed out slowly, tried to control himself. “Counselor…my feelings on Agent Carolina and her demise are not up for discussion.” He squeezed his hands again and reminded himself that choking Price would be counterproductive. “The experiment with multiple AI fragments was her own idea, as you well know. After the determination that a single AI fragment could function stably with our Agents it is only logical we progress to see how two would work, given a full AI implantation ended…in utter disaster.”

Price hummed. “Ah, yes. Agent California.” He side-eyed Leonard. “Is that not when the Beta AI became apparent?”

“You know that answer.”

“Of course.”

Leonard focused on the names.

Georgia who went missing initially after they retrieved him from space, later reported dead in the news. Alabama discovered by Recovery Five. Utah who disappeared from the intensive care unit he’d been placed in after a second disastrous test of the dome shield. Louisiana Oklahoma Michigan Montana Nevada presumed dead, potentially MIA

The names went on and on. There were as many known listed KIA’s as there were MIA’s. Barely even a handful of Freelancer’s remained, and it left a sour taste in Leonard’s mouth. He’d always hated death, and found it to be part of why he’d never quite been fit for military life.

“It is interesting,” Price spoke up, “how this project has failed in incorporating a full AI with a soldier. Perhaps the fault is in our design for the neural implants and not in compatibility.”

Leonard glanced to Price with narrowed eyes. “And why do you think that is?”

“You have heard that Master Chief had implanted the CTN series, did you not?” Price tilted his head, curious.

Leonard furrowed his brow. “While our designs were experimental we did share our project goals with the SPARTAN II program,” Leonard said slowly. “However, we did not reveal everything, my dear Counselor. While yes implantation in the manner that Master Chief John-117 achieved is possible, we were searching for a more…permanent solution, if you recall.”

Price hummed. “True, and in that respect the Project is a failure. Does this concern you?”

Leonard squeezed his hands. “That my goals were a failure? That I did not achieve what I sought to do? No. It is merely a disappointment, and I will weather the storm of the fallout as always. Now, Counselor, I would appreciate it if you let me be.”

Leonard strode from the screens and over to his desk. He released his hands from behind his back and laid one down onto a small picture—the only picture he had left of Allison and Charmaine.

“Are you sure you do not wish to discuss your feelings, Director?” Price questioned.

“I want to be left alone, Counselor,” Leonard said, and he turned his head to look at Price. Price nodded and turned to leave the room.

“You know where to find me if you wish to talk,” Price said as he left. “It is, after all, best if you do not bottle up these emotions, Director. It could lead to dire consequences.”

The door slipped shut and Leonard snorted. As if I would discuss what ahm feelin’ with you, he thought bitterly. Once he might have, before he found the records and logs of Price’s sessions with David. Leonard clenched the photograph tight, and then folded it down flat on the desk so that he couldn’t see the picture. He moved around and grabbed a decanter, alcohol—the strongest he could afford—and drifted over toward his couch with a tired sigh.

“F.I.L.S.S., go secure,” Leonard sat down on the couch and leaned back.

“Of course Director,” F.I.L.S.S. chimed, her trademark eye covering up the listed names. Leonard listened as the walls hissed shut and sealed him inside. He waited for a breath, and when F.I.L.S.S. chimed in, “We are secure,” Leonard fully relaxed.

“Thank you, Xi,” he murmured tiredly.

A flicker, and Xi fully appeared in front of him, standing atop the coffee table. She tilted her head. “Would you like me to play the video file?” she asked him.

“No,” Leonard closed his eyes. “Not tonight.”

Xi watched him; Leonard knew Xi watched him because she always did. Compassion, the one trait he barely held any of, and yet it was one of the largest fragments that Leonard had ever seen—larger than even Beta. Leonard let himself fall heavy with the thought, sipped his alcohol, and found himself drifting off into a light doze. He felt the room warm just a bit, enough to help him drift off as a blanket settled around his shoulders.

“Rest well, grandfather,” Xi said softly.

Leonard hummed. Xi had always reminded him of Charmaine when she was younger. Perhaps that was why…and he barely held the thought before he drifted off into dreams. Dreams of Allison, of Alpha and Charmaine and David and Xi—of everything being right in the world.

When Leonard woke he could hear Xi humming softly. For a moment he just laid there and listened to the familiar song that Allison used to sing to Charmaine. Eventually he opened his eyes and sat up, and instantly Xi stopped. She flitted over until she settled across the coffee table, aquamarine and bright. Leonard couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face.

“There is a glass of water on the end table,” Xi said, and Leonard glanced over. “There have been no updates since the room went secure.”

“Thank you, Xi,” Leonard murmured and picked up the glass of water. He eyed the decanter and his bottle of alcohol and decided to ignore it for now. “Any news on Charmaine?”

“No news on Charmaine,” Xi said disappointedly. “David has refused contact.”

“As expected,” Leonard murmured as he sipped on his water. “What about their Freelancer files?”

Xi flickered. A file popped up in front of her, faintly holographic like her own form, filled with binary that danced in front of her glasses.

“Agent Washington of Project Freelancer,” Xi recited, “Given name, David. Surname, Greer. Age, 32. Status, Active. Station, Recover One. Location, en route to Rhodam and Outpost 17, codname Valhalla.”

Leonard frowned, but nodded with a murmur of, “Good.”

“Agent Carolina of Project Freelancer,” Xi recited as the screens twisted around her. “Given name, Charmaine. Surname, Greer. Age, 31. Status, MIA, presumed KIA. Station, Freelancer Alpha Squad Leader. Location, unknown.”

Leonard relaxed back and closed his eyes with a tired sigh. “Are you sure givin’ her the same surname is the best idea?” he questioned.

The folders flickered away and Xi looked at him. “David’s service record speaks for itself, and all necessary files have already been altered to reflect his name of ‘Greer.’ As soon as you provide the word the record of Agent Washington within Project Freelancer will be erased. As for Charmaine, since they are biologically siblings with only a year apart, it is best to provide her with the same last name.”

“Maryanne is not goin’ to like that,” Leonard mumbled tiredly. He scrubbed a hand down his face.

Xi blinked. “It is the best possible response as any blood test would instantly declare them related siblings,” Xi pointed out, “and…to allow David and Charmaine to repair the relationship they never had.”

“Maryanne is gonna kill me,” Leonard groaned. She had just as vicious a kick as Allison and as much a propensity for crotch shots. Leonard already lamented the state his balls if they ever saw each other once again.

“Surely she would not hurt you?” Xi questioned.

“Xi, darlin’, you have never met the Greer sisters. Maryanne is almost exactly like Allison, and that is sayin’ somethin’ less than wonderful about my wife, but true nonetheless.” Leonard leaned forward and sighed.

“Should I change it then?” Xi asked.

Leonard took a moment before he sighed. “No,” he said. “No, you are right. The consequences will have to just be dealt with. Now what about the Alpha, Xi?”

Xi flicked her fingers and focused on the information she had at her fingertips about the Alpha, as well as the tracking implant to help keep an eye on him. “AI serial DTR-4302-5; designation, Alpha. Status, active. Assignment, High Ground. Location, en route to Rhodam and Outpost 17, codename Valhalla.”

Leonard froze. “What.”

“En route to Rhodam and Outpost 17, codename Valhall,” Xi repeated.

Leonard raised his head to stare at Xi, brow furrowed, and with a sharp curse he stood and quickly stormed over to his desk. “Get a hold of Alpha immediately, Xi! What the fuck does that little shit think he’s doin’? Ah had him at High Ground for a damn reason. Wanderin’ off with David like nothin’ wrong and huntin’ him down that stupid arrogant child.” Leonard grit his teeth.

Xi watched him, her fingers absentmindedly flickered through to start a call to Alpha for the Director. She looked at her files, and then said softly so that Leonard couldn’t hear, “Perhaps it’s good I didn’t tell him about Agent California, then….”

Church lounged and dozed against Caboose, out of armor, while Washington poured over digital documents with a frown. Frustrated at the man for his silence on matters aside from questioning them about O’mally, Gary, and Tex, Church decided to ultimately ignore him. He also ignored Caboose who would look at him with big, disappointed eyes. Church had a right to know what was going on, dammit. He’d been left in the dark about plenty in his life and fuck he hated it. First Florida kept secrets from him tahnks to his head injury, then the Director followed suit, and now Agent Washington.

“You should try to be nice, Church,” Caboose grumbled from where he’d wrapped his arms around Church. “Agent Washingbin only wants to be friends.”

“I’m angry,” Church grumbled back.

“But not at Washtub,” Caboose pointed out and damn him.

(he was right)

(fuck)

(he was always right)

“So?” Church settled to glare wat Washington instead of actually cussing Caboose out like he wanted.

“I’m your best friend, Church,” Caboose pointed you. “You know me, and I know you.”

(best friend)

(that’s how…)

(but why?)

(I hurt you)

Church twisted and buried his face into Caboose’s chest with a faint sigh. “I hurt you,” he mumbled bitterly.

“You did not know,” Caboose explained patiently. Why was he always so patient with Church even when he didn’t deserve to be? “You slayed the dragon.”

“And burned you,” Church snapped back. He played into the fantasy that Caboose used to cope, aware that if he tried to pull the other man out it’d end in disaster at this point. As much as he wanted to snap and tell Caboose to quick being so damn childish, to quit hiding behind these stupid analogies, Church held his tongue. He knew enough about psychology to know that he wasn’t qualified to bring Caboose out of the mix of reality and fantasy the man lived in.

“I am fine,” Caboose soothed. He moved his hand up and down Church’s back—Church grimaced and fought the urge to tell Caboose to stop because part of him loved it, loved the comfort, but the rest of him wanted to shove it away as a weakness. He didn’t deserve comfort from Caboose anyway.

(guilty, he raged)

(caboose)

(he doesn’t)

(just)

(understand)

(please)

(caboose)

(I broke you)

“Ass,” Church finally settled on grumbling as a compromise. He could practically feel Caboose smile in response.

“Now,” Caboose said, pleased, “make friends, Church.”

“Not interested.”

Caboose frowned, but before he could prod Church further an alert went off—shrill and catching, even Washington jerked up in surprise—and Church pinpointed it from his sky-blue armor. Quickly he extricated himself from Caboose’s grasp and scrambled over to his armor even as Agent Washington got to his feet and followed. Church fumbled to pull the thing on—

“What the hell is going on?”

—and quickly Church flicked off the external speakers once he’d gotten the thing in place.

(secret)