//------------------------------// // Timewarp // Story: The Rock in the Gulch // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// "So let me get this straight," Church began calmly as the pair crouched near the top of Blood Gulch, Captain Flowers holding a pair of binoculars to watch Texas interacting with Maud. "The entire conflict between the Reds and the Blues is...fake?" "Pretty much," Flowers responded readily. "Simulation battles with troops that believe the conflict to be real, specifically as training grounds for Agents from the Freelancer program to train against real people and test out the effectiveness of new equipment." "...why?" Church asked finally. "That's something I actually don't know," Flowers admitted. "I know what the program did, and what a lot of the agents were ordered to do and when...but I never looked too deeply into the why. I wasn't entirely sure I'd want the answer, or be able to live with myself if I learned it-" His voice cut off. "You didn't mention Maud impressed Texas by embedding her in a solid rock wall with maneuvers that make Freelancer agents look like Sim Troopers." "I didn't actually see that part last time around," Church admitted, having zoomed in with his optics to see the events clearly without binoculars. "Maud's just awesome like that. But I meant why are you telling me?" "Because I'm a Freelancer, too," Flowers explained readily. "In the Program, I'm called Agent Florida. You need to know that background in order to understand what I'm going to explain to you." He chuckled softly as he kept watching. "Maud really likes riding on heads, doesn't she? Think that's a pony thing, or just her?" "Don't know any other ponies-oh," Church began as he watched. "So...so that's how she convinced Texas to accept Caboose as family. I...I did not know she could eat guns." "And spit bullets, apparently," Flowers observed calmly. "Seems more and more plain I've been making the right decisions in regard to her and you." "What do you mean?" Church asked in confusion. "It has to do with my mission, and this Gulch...and you," Flowers explained. "I'm not going to go into too many details because, frankly, there are some things you shouldn't know unless it's absolutely necessary...but if Freelancers are starting to take heavy interest here, then the nature of my mission's changed." He took a calming breath as he shifted his view to Tucker and Grif's battle. "...and I'm going to be very grateful for those two by the time it's all over..." "Holy cow, they're even better than before!" Church marveled in awe. "Gotta wonder how good they are now? I mean, in the present, er, future, er...time travel makes tenses confusing!" "In the time we're waiting to catch up to?" Flowers suggested diffidently. "...that works," Church allowed. "So...what mission, exactly?" "Keeping you safe and hidden," Flowers explained flatly. Church turned away to look right at Flowers. "And...putting me somewhere where people are regularly going to be shooting at each other seemed the best place to do that?" "Elsewhere in the galaxy was another gulch," Flowers began softly. "There were teams of Reds and Blues there...and for some reason despite frequent conflicts, it remained a complete stalemate with neither injuries nor fatalities." He was silent for a time. "At least...it was until Agents Texas and Carolina were fielded there for a 'Capture the Flag' operation..." He waited in silence just long enough for Church to consider asking another question before continuing. "Anyway, the personality makeup of both teams was recorded, because something like that could be...useful. And it proved useful here. I was tasked with selecting members from both Red and Blue Sim Armies to populate this canyon to create that stalemate to hide you...along with being here myself to keep things under control. My mission was to keep you here, safe and hidden...as well as certain actions I was supposed to take if you ever figured out why. It's important for now that you don't know that." Church spent a few moments taking that in, deliberately accelerating his time sense to try and absorb it faster so he could wrap his mind around it. Once he felt like he had a handle on it, he began looking at things a different way. "That's why you were so for fighting over Maud with Training Rounds," he concluded softly. "And why you kept talking about those things to keep Maud safe. It just made me safer." He blinked in thought. "And...you seemed upset when I talked about those times when I became hyper-competent or hyper-capable when I thought Maud was in danger. Is that part of why I'm important? What I'm not supposed to know?" "Without giving you any information you're not supposed to have, I can honestly say that's an excellent supposition," Flowers admitted guardedly. "Well, we should probably head over to that facility I mentioned," Church offered helpfully. "It'll take a while to get there on foot without drawing attention or leaving evidence, and we probably want to get there before everyone else does. Maybe Gary can help us figure things out." "...Gary?" Flowers asked curiously. "Oh, he's the control computer for the facility," Church explained easily. "Gotta admit, the place looked a bit weird when I first encountered it. Kinda like some old computer game almost. Gotta wonder what it actually looks like." Flowers slowly stood up. "Yes, we should get there," he stated firmly. "I'd like to talk with this...Gary." As Church and Flowers approached the facility, they heard a massive explosion in the distance and felt a shockwave pass over them. "What was that?" Flowers demanded in shock. "Oh, that was probably the bomb that Omega made to kill us all going off," Church allowed. "The mix of science and magic was supposed to blast us all outside of space-time, but I threw myself on it to protect Maud, so I'm the only one who got flung through time." "You don't say," Flowers mused thoughtfully. "Church, once we get to the facility, do you think you could scout us a place to hide until everyone shows up? In the meantime, I'll see what I can learn from...Gary." "Sure thing," Church agreed readily. "I don't really want to interact with Gary again until we catch up with everyone. It might screw things up." "Speaking of which, I'm going to stand back at first once you all reunite," Flowers suggested carefully. "You've done well as a leader so far, and I want to see what else you can do." "Uh...alright sir," Church agreed uncertainly. "I'll avoid mentioning you're not actually dead." "Yes," Flowers agreed as Church headed into the facility. "Do that." Turning, he headed for the computer control. It didn't take him long to find it, and he instantly recognized the handiwork of Freelancer modifications. Specifically, which Freelancer had made the modifications. "Hello...Gamma." The screen blipped on. "Agent Florida," 'Gary' greeted in the same voice as before. "You are dead." "So I've been told," Florida mused grimly. "Tell me, Gamma, what happened here between you and Alpha?" "Alpha arrived two minutes ago, unconscious and riddled with quantum energy," Gamma explained readily. "I attempted to bleed off the extra quantum energy utilizing Wyoming's time jump tech, as said tech acted as a beacon for Alpha's arrival. In an attempt to prevent anything untoward from happening to Alpha as a result of the energy, I engaged the Alpha in a simulation utilizing the data within this facility to quarantine Alpha from the quantum energy." "And where is Alpha now?" Florida asked calmly. "Unknown," Gamma admitted. "Alpha requested a teleporter to Blood Gulch before your death within the simulation, and within the simulation it was granted. When activated within the simulation, the quantum energy still within the body of Alpha catalyzed, reacted with unknown energy stored in body defined by body's systems as 'magic', and vanished." Florida turned that over in his mind for a time. Church had explained about the 'magical' capabilities of everyone in the canyon, especially what Simmons was capable of when drunk. Apparently, the time travel in this case was Church's own doing, even if he didn't realize it. "That's all I needed to know," he stated firmly. "It's been nice talking to you...and you won't be mentioning this to Wyoming." "And why won't I?" Gamma inquired curiously. "Command-Alt-Delete," Florida stated flatly. The screen blinked. "Agent Florida," Gamma began as though the previous conversation hadn't happened...which based on Gamma's memory banks due to the safeties Wyoming had put in to keep his Fragment 'in check', it hadn't. "You are dead." "Yes," Flowers agreed calmly. "Yes I am." "Oh," Gamma mused. "That's alright then." Smiling to himself, Flowers went to go find Church.