anothercontinuity | Red vs Blue Voicetesting Thread

[ Locus's hand settles on his shoulder. It's alright. It's going to work itself out one or another, and either way he's not going to be alone.

Just maybe less alone in one case than another.

His eyes fall on that chip, and he doesn't know why, but something anxious twists at his gut. Something he promptly pushes down and ignores. ]

Could be nothing.

[ Manage your expectations, Taylor. He sucks in a slow breath and plucks it out, slotting it into the helmet and just.

Stares.

Waits for the isolated power source to ping online and give them some kind of indication. ]

Initializing...

[ A little green armored figure flares to life, and something inside Taylor cracks. ]

[ Just hold fast. Hold steady. It's responding, that's a good sign. When the little figure appears, he's reminded of Epsilon, save instead of the light blue glow, it's a brilliant emerald green.

So this is Delta.

Suddenly, the green accents Taylor has adopted make a lot more sense. ]

[ For a moment he can't find words- then he swallows, shrugs and offers a semi-cheerful: ]

Hey D.

York?

[ The figure flickers, helmet tilting up to meet his eyes. ]

Real quick- last thing you remember? [ No his voice isn't rough no his hands aren't shaking no he's not a mess. ]

Accompanying Agent Washington in an attempt to lure and hunt The Meta. My last full backup is prior to Caboose' collapse and my own capture.

[ Holy shit. After he'd been 'killed'. York swallows, shakes off his trepidation and commands, ]

D, Retire.

Retiring- [ The green figure blinks out, no questions asked. ]

...Seems legit to me. Thoughts?

Edited 2016-08-18 20:12 (UTC)

You know more about the AI than I do.

[ And now that he's aware of the risks, aware of the concerns, not just chasing back after old ghosts, Locus trusts him to make a call he can live with.

Those fingers squeeze his shoulder again. ]

If you believe it's safe, I'll take you at your word.

I'm gonna need help.

[ Because for the life of him, his hands won't stop fucking shaking and it's- frustrating and he needs to line the chip up properly and he can't do that if he can't hold his hands still.

He's gentle as anything as he plucks the chip out of the helmet, other hand reaching back to poke at the hard node at the nape of his neck. ]

[ The one spot he never touches. Never comes close to. He knows better, has stayed far away from it, to the point that even York place his hand there on purpose has him tensing up with some innate sense of wrongness.

But it's what he needs from him, now.

Quietly, he hold out a hand. Whatever he wants him to do, he'll do. Either keep his hand steady, or do it himself. ]

[ Little tremors in his shoulders that get worse from elbow to wrist to fingertip and he can't- it's been so long. He can't line it up but the guides are there. Little white divots surrounding that node where the feet need to go.

Taylor swallows and rests his forehead against Locus' shoulder, offering the chip. ]

Just...line it up and press down. There'll be some resistance, that's normal.

[ This, perhaps, the most intimate thing he's asked him to do, to date. That thought doesn't escape notice, even as he nods, taking the chip carefully into hand. It weighs so little, and he remembers vaguely some talk about 'weight of a soul' between some older people in his mother's church, growing up. Odd time to think of it, now.

Regardless, he stroke a hand across the back of his head before cradling, gently. Holding him steady, reassuring, as the chip finds its way to that node. Then, two fingers press, and even when it catches, continue to press in until it fits solidly with a 'click'. ]

[ As soon as the chip's handed over Taylor's grip drops to loop around Locus' waist. Something about him in the armor makes him twice as solid. Twice as safe. A little untouchable but- this is his partner.

Partners.

Trusting him with this is only a little more difficult than trusting Locus with himself when he's outside his own mind but he's delicate about it. Shows all the consideration Taylor has come to expect. The press is painful at first, that's not new. But the pinch and sting gives way to that click, to all those wires in the back of his mind lighting up with Green safe partner DELTA so damn quick his knees buckle. ]

[ Taylor--!

He swiftly moves to grab him around the waist with one arm, holding him upright, and something cold sinks to the bottom of his stomach. He might have just made a terrible, terrible mistake, but he can't think like that right now. There's no sense dealing in what-ifs, only what is. And what is, is...

Slowly, he takes to a knee, still holding him securely, waiting for some sign that he's alright, that any of this has gone the way it should. Or, failing that, any sign he should rip it right back out again. ]

[ Deep breaths. Deep breaths that become a hitched sob in short order and yeah. Tears. He's whole again in ways he hasn't felt since-

Well. Since he nearly died. The information exchange, the surge of emotions, the sudden embrace of cool clamoring green in the back of his mind twists and tangles and shifts faster than his body can keep up- grief-relief-resentment-contrition-JOY that he can't quite even out his breathing. Can't quite settle but his hands cling and his forehead grinds into Locus' shoulder, eyes damp as the sobs become quiet laughter. ]

Fuck-

[ Back. He's back he's here he's safe and they are safe with Locus. ]

I'm- [ Slow, everything is taking so goddamn long to say and he'd forgotten how quick and easy it is to talk to someone in his own head. ] I'm- I'm good.

[ He's so completely out his depth here it's a wonder he trusts him at all. Yet trust him does and, as ever, he wants to prove worthy of that trust. Even if that's doing nothing more than holding him while this thing washes through him.

Completion. Finding an answer for the echoes in your mind. What would that feel like, he wonders?

Not that he's eager for an answer. This is obviously difficult for him, and Locus nods, stroking his back with a firm hand. ]

I've got you.

[ Gradually he's able to suck in a deep breath. Then two. Then three and the neural lace, that network of wires fades into contented buzzing as Delta recedes to compile and compare memories. Old boundaries discussed, this is the quickest way possible to get through several years of shit without giving either of them a headache. ]

Thank you.

[ For finding him. For talking him down. For putting him in- for everything. Taylor butts his forehead up against Locus' throat, calming himself with the familiar burr and thud of his pulse. ]

[ Locus nods once, eyes falling shut. He hopes those thanks are warranted. That he's done the right thing. It's always so very unclear to him, even on the best of days. ]

You should rest. I'll keep watch.

[ Just in case. He isn't completely convinced yet, but York seems happy enough with the results. ]

Good idea.

[ He's compromised. They're both compromised and of the three of them (fuck that'll take getting some adjustment) Locus is the most solid, most settled. Taylor contemplates moving to the bunk they'd rigged out of one side of the shuttle but mostly? Contents himself with tucking that much closer and dozing.

It's a long flight back to the ship, it'll be fine. ]

[ As soon as he's out, Locus bends further, tucks his arms beneath the sleeping Freelancer -- glad that he's no longer in the armor -- and carrying him to the bunk to lie down. He won't bother with the sheets, but it'll give him somewhere comfortable to rest, and that will be enough.

For the time being, at least. He can sit nearby, keep an eye on him.

Wait for them to get back. ]

[ For half an hour, all is still, York shifting and curling on his side and otherwise sleeping peacefully. Soon a little green light flickers and flares, that same suited figure hovering over York's head. ]

Good evening.

[ Locus's eyes dart towards the figure. It's much more polite, clipped tones than he recalls from the other AI, the one Carolina carried. Odd, but not unexpected. York had mentioned some of his idiosyncrasies before now. ]

So. You are Delta.

[ It feels like it should be an occasion, shouldn't it? One partner meeting another. Instead all he feels is a curling sense of resentment, of possessiveness, though he's not letting it get any farther than where it's currently knotted in his gut. ]

And you are Samuel Ortez.

[ A beat, a flicker, a faint tilt of Delta's head. ]

Locus. Allow me to express my gratitude for returning me to York.

Taylor. He doesn't use that name anymore.

[ Thanks, from an AI? He still thinks of them mostly as computer code, as machines, not people, so it's odd to think of one being grateful for him for anything.

Then again, Taylor would probably want him to humor Delta rather than insult it. ]

...it seemed like the logical thing to do.

Considering the consequences of the project I am not surprised by this. It will take some adjustment. I think you have a saying about old habits being hard to break.

[ And it is a habit all but burned into his code, those years on the run with no one but each other to depend on. York and Delta-

Now Taylor and Locus...and Delta. He will have to adjust to more than a simple change of name. ]

And yet not without risk, particularly regarding your current arrangement.

What do you mean?

[ It had been a minor risk to the mission, and a greater risk to Taylor himself. But to their arrangement? Is Delta admitting he's a threat to their partnership?

His fingers curl and uncurl tensely at his sides. ]

I have observed an exponential increase in competitive and envious behavior in humans that work in this field when an AI is introduced to the equation. York- Taylor's distress surrounding conflict caused by these behaviors and desire to avoid the same may upset the balance of your working relationship.

[ What more beyond that, they have not yet covered. But it is something that deserves consideration. ]

I have no desire to compete against anyone. Much less an AI.

[ Locus cocks his head briefly, eyes flickering over the tiny green figure. Funny, how it just puts it all out there, barely any inflection. Just stating the facts.

And the fact was he might come between them after all. He guards his expression all the same. ]

You've helped him before. I have no reason to believe you would not be of benefit now. Do you think that might change?

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