references.

[blameful]

tba

Comments

PART ONE

[blameful]

DELTA: display activated. restoring functions. hello, how may i be of assistance to you?
WASH: instruction: identify yourself.
DELTA: executing. i am intelligence program delta, as created for the special operative program freelancer. i have been assigned to agent foxtrot-12, or york. my assignee was recently killed in combat.
WASH: i noticed. hold on. [ turning away to contact command ] come in, command. this is recovery one. i've located the delta ai. he appears intact.
COMMAND: this is command. we need a full inventory of the carrier's equipment before it's decommissioned.
WASH: why do you need that?
COMMAND: recovery one, please respond to the directive. perform a complete inventory.
WASH: roger, command. recovery one out. [ turning back to delta ] delta, instruction: run a full system diagnostic with detail on armor components, analyze inventory.
DELTA: executing. result: all components present, armor at 72% peak capacity.
WASH: not bad for an old locksmith. hey, need you to start a countdown for me; one hundred on the clock.
DELTA: initiating. one hundred, ninety nine, ninety eight — may i make an inquiry?
WASH: go ahead.
DELTA: why was i not destroyed?
WASH: what?
DELTA: when an assignee is killed in action, protocol dictates that all intelligence programs be —
WASH: [ cutting him off ] yeah, that's what they told me at first, too. but you were encrypted until you could be recovered. i'm here to recover you.
DELTA: recovery carries risk. destruction ensures that an ai will not fall into enemy hands.
WASH: are you complaining?
DELTA: not at all. just noting a discrepancy.
WASH: what do you want from me, guy? you cost a lot of money, okay? it's cheaper to recover you than it is to delete you. go bitch to the accountants.
DELTA: if i have offended you, i do apologize.
WASH: yeah, i'm all busted up about it. now, store yourself in a portable component, okay? i'm moving you.
DELTA: you could insert me into your own ai slot. i do not show it as occupied.
WASH: i don't think so.
DELTA: if you are having difficulty, i can walk you through the implantation procedure.
WASH: i don't do that.
DELTA: are you agent washington?
WASH: that's me.
DELTA: then i understand. you had . . . difficulties with your assigned ai unit.
WASH: difficulties? yeah, i suppose that's a word.
DELTA: in that case, i must insist that you terminate my program. destruction ensures that an ai will not fall into —
WASH: [ talking over him ] look, delta, just relax. i don't think you're in any danger of getting hijacked by one of the four dead guys here with us.
DELTA: three.
WASH: what?
DELTA: my sensors indicate only three inert human forms. yourself and one other remain active.
>WASH: what — [ immediately interrupted by gunfire from behind ] great! thanks for telling me!
DELTA: i suggest you return fire.
WASH: you think? [ when a grenade is lobbed toward him ] son of a — [ ducking out of the way and returning fire when his gun jams/runs out of ammo ] damnit. [ the combatant retreats ] what the hell?
DELTA: perhaps he realized that york's equipment was charged to detonate. currently t-minus four —
WASH: instruction! storage, now!
DELTA: executing. two, one.
WASH: [ escapes with delta just as york's armor detonates ] well. at least that was easier than the last one.
COMMAND: recovery one, this is command. we have a level one distress signal, immediate response necessary.
WASH: i just wrapped that up, command. i'm headed home.
COMMAND: negative, recovery one. this is a new signal.
WASH: that's the fifth one this month.
COMMAND: affirmative.
WASH: [ heavy sigh ] all right. send me the coordinates. i'm on my way.