Axon Clips Chapter 10: Difference between revisions

{{AxonClips}}

'''[[Isabelle]]:''' Now just, you know, watch that wrist and do what the doctor told you!<br />

([[Jessie]] runs off)<br />

'''Kamal:''' I worked in a hospital.<br />

'''Isabelle: '''My friend [[Brad]] says he thinks you're on the lam...<br />

'''Kamal:''' (laughs)<br />

'''Isabelle:''' No. So, are you on the lam?<br />

'''Kamal:''' So where'd you people get all these anti-infectives anyway?<br />

'''Isabelle:''' Black market. Do you have a girlfriend?<br />

'''Isabelle: '''Ooh, touchy subject?<br />

'''Kamal: '''So, what comes next?<br />

'''Kamal:''' Thanks Isabelle, you're a good assistant.<br />

'''Isabelle:''' So, you going to tell me why you're on the lam?<br />

'''Isabelle: '''The slut!<br />

'''Kamal:''' It was probably the right choice.<br />

'''Isabelle: '''God, if I turned down a doctor who wanted to marry me, my mom would strangle me.<br />

'''Isabelle:''' You already are.<br />

(casually in a kitchen, whistles, knock on the door)<br />

[[Jersey Morelli|Jersey]]Oh damn. It's open!<br />

'''Durga: '''(voice degrading) I...can't... it's like the wrong ends of a magnet... (girl's voice) I can't!<br />

'''Jersey: '''Kamal, meet Durga. Durga, meet Kamal.<br />

'''Kamal:''' What the hell's going on here? What do you know about my sister?<br />

'''Kamal:''' She didn't give up. Maybe they killed her, but she never gave up.<br />  

'''Kamal: '''I can still hear your voice in there Yasmine! You never gave up in your life!<br />

'''Durga: '''What did you... Jersey...!<br />

'''Durga:''' Stop it you two.<br />

(wreckless fighting)<br />

'''Jersey:''' If Sophie could see you now, she'd think you were a real he-man wouldn't she?<br />

'''Jersey: '''You tried to kill me with a lamp!<br />

'''Jersey:''' I don't get how just a butterfly clamp--<br />

(smack)<br />

'''Jersey: '''Right back atcha doc... How the ''hell'' am I going to explain this to my mom?!<br />

'''Kamal:''' I'll pay for the damage.<br />

'''Kamal:''' Well, I guess there's no point in being offline any more. (signal/online) What the hell is with you? If anyone should be upset--<br />

'''Jersey:''' --(sounds of disbelief)--<br />

'''Kamal:''' Except sharing Durga.<br />

'''Jersey:''' Yeah, with a self-righteous creep who thinks he can work the chatter.<br />

'''Kamal: '''Well, look at it from my perspective.<br />

'''Jersey:''' What...<br />

'''Durga: '''I told him not to.<br />

'''Jersey:''' Oh I asked her--<br />

'''Kamal:''' You need to contribute to the war effort, hero.<br />

'''Durga: '''Leave him alone.<br />

'''Durga:''' That's not fair.<br />

'''Kamal:''' You know, fair is not something I care about so much any more.<br />

'''Kamal:''' Help doing what?<br />

'''Durga: '''There was nothing you could do to save your sister. Nothing more you could have done to save your parents.<br />

'''Kamal:''' Our parents.<br />

'''Durga: '''Another chance to save me. Another chance to save the world.<br />

[[Janissary James|'''Jan''']]'''<nowiki>:</nowiki>'''Hm. Do you miss it?<br />

'''Recruiter:''' Sometimes. I miss the guys. But it was time. It's ok when you carry the war on your back. It's heavy, but you do it because you ha--<br />

'''Recruiter: '''What? Wait... you're not 18, you're 17.<br />

'''Jan:''' It rounds up to 18... My birthday's in 4 months.<br />

'''Recruiter: '''(chuckle) Four and a half. You didn't think to mention that?<br />

'''Recruiter:''' Not so much.<br />

'''Jan: '''Look! Look! (draws [[M6 Series|M6]])<br />

'''Recruiter: '''Hey, you can't draw that in here!<br />

'''Jan: '''Just--watch... (strips and assembles the M6) I can strip clean and reassemble and M6 in 1/4 regulation time.<br />

'''Recruiter: '''You're fast.<br />

'''Recruiter:''' You're lying.<br />

'''Jan: '''(holsters the M6) Yeah...<br />

'''Jan: '''There was a crosswind.<br />

'''Recruiter:''' (chuckles) See that eye chart? Read me the bottom line.<br />

'''Recruiter:''' (chuckles) Actually, I meant the bigger line of letters above that, but never mind.<br />

'''Jan:''' Sergeant, I know I look like just another teenage girl to you, but believe me, I can be the best soldier you ever recruited!<br />

'''Recruiter: '''Make me look good, you think?<br />

'''Jan: '''I swear it!<br />

'''Jan: '''Sergeant, I did not always know this, but I was meant to be a soldier from the day I was born.<br />

'''Recruiter:''' Ah! There's just one problem.<br />

'''Jan:''' I've got no money, no place to go, nothi-- what am I supposed to do?!<br />

'''Recruiter:''' Find a boyfriend. Stay up too late, talk on the chatter. Life is short enough without rushing into combat.<br />

'''Jan:''' I just want a chance to do something that matters!<br />

'''Recruiter: '''Go home, Janissary James. Next!<br />

(doorbell)<br />

'''Jersey:''' Oh, hey Jan. I thought you were going to enlist.<br />

'''Jersey:''' Oooh, cat fight!<br />

'''Jan: '''Well, my guys do seem to end up dead.<br />

'''Durga: '''Jan, it wasn't your fa--<br />

'''Jersey: '''What the...?? I just bought a new lamp, and replaced the dishes! Would you people puh-lease stop tearing up my mom's apartment!<br />

'''Durga:''' But, I have something else you could do.<br />

'''Jan: '''What, like a job?<br />

'''Jan:''' (laughs) You're crazier than Gilly.<br />

'''Durga: '''Possible, but not likely. I'll keep an eye on it though.<br />

'''Durga: '''There are reports being trickled back from a ship called the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]''. <br />

'''Durga:''' There's a chance the artifact isn't something Covenant at all. A chance that it's something much more dangerous.<br />

'''Jan: '''More dangerous than a Covenant super weapon?<br />

'''Jan: '''Jersey, look... breaking into a military base is buggier than even my mother! Why not just contact the authorities? Call the press...?<br />

'''Durga:''' Because, there were a whole shipload of people who knew about this. And they're all either dead or shipped to the front lines. If you try to tell the press, you'll end up in front of a bus.<br />

'''Jan:''' Wait... I met a guy like that... [[McKaskill]]!<br />

'''Jan: '''Of course.<br />

'''[[Rani Sobeck|Rani]]:''' So, I'm thinking of maybe taking a post, somewhere else.<br />

'''Rani:''' Yeah. And getting a haircut.<br />

'''Sarah:''' What does getting a haircut have to do with leaving Boston?<br />

'''Sarah:''' You were the one who told [[Trisha]] that [[Kale]] was two-timing her.<br />

'''Rani: '''That was different, Kale was an idiot.<br />

'''Rani: '''She needed the pension money, anyone could see that!<br />

'''Sarah:''' No if this guy was crazy, you would have known.<br />

'''Rani:''' But [[Major (UNSC)|Major]] [[Standish]] said that the--<br />

'''Sarah:''' --Then whoever this Standish is, he's a liar.<br />

'''Jersey: '''18, thank you very much, since June.<br />

'''Rani: '''You came up from [[New York City|New York]] by train to talk to me about... what's in New York?<br />

'''Jersey:''' You're doing that thing! That detective thing... How did you know I came from New York? My accent? Oh... the way I dress... Like that ONI guy that jumped you, but he had the wrong shoes.<br />

'''Rani: '''If you know about the ONI guy, you're obviously ONI. And, you're clueless. Goodbye! (shuts the door on Jersey)<br />

(chatter on)<br />

'''Durga:''' (through chatter) Rani, Sarah-John is right. You know Standish is lying to you. You know he tried to have [[Herzog]] killed.<br />

'''Durga: '''What do you want to know?<br />

'''Rani: '''Did we know [[Troy]] was going to be glassed?<br />

'''Durga:''' It's clear we've broken at least some Covenant transmission protocols.<br />  

'''Rani: '''So why did Reach fall?<br />

'''Durga: '''Space is big. Really big. We have to be in the right place to hear the right transmission. Troy was a lucky break. (beep) I'm sorry, your chatter hasn't sufficient storage for my evidence so I've summarized it and forwarded as much as possible to you.<br />

'''Rani: '''Oh my God, my memory's full. What-- these names, what... what are these names?<br />

'''Jersey: '''(from outside) Durga is a very curious girl!<br />

'''Durga: '''Rani, we both know we have to shut the artifact down. Look at the information I sent you. If you are willing to help, come meet with us on Saturday.<br /><br />

'''Rani: '''Look, I don't... The artifact is just... I can't do anything about it.<br />

'''Jersey:''' But Rani, you've got to help us! That thing could be a giant bomb! It could brainwash us all so we'd join the Covenant!<br />

'''Durga:''' Oh, you mentioned a haircut. I know a guy in Beacon Hill, the best in Boston.<br />

'''Rani:''' Excuse me, is this seat taken?<br />

'''Goon: '''No, but there's a lot of empty seats in this car.<br />

'''Rani: '''I caught you twice in store windows on my way down to the station. Here's a free tip - I'm not much of a window shopper, so usually if you see me peer into glass like that, just assume you've been made.<br />

'''Goon:''' *sigh* We could still keep this all real polite, and just go back to pretending you don't notice.<br />

'''Rani: '''I don't worry so much about polite when I'm being ''stalked''.<br />

'''Conductor: '''(in the background) Tickets please.<br />

'''Goon: '''Look, this is really starting to annoy me.<br />

'''Goon: '''Listen, cowgirl, the only way I touch you is with a cattle-prod. And don't think I haven't thought about it.<br />

'''Conductor: '''Tickets, please.<br />

'''Conductor:''' Eh, this ticket was for yesterday.<br />

'''Goon: '''That's impossible, I just bought it!<br />

'''Conductor: '''Well, well, well. Someone hasn't paid a lot of parking fines.<br />

'''Durga:''' (loaded into the system) Yeah, some people.<br />

'''Rani:''' *sigh* This is crazy. (knocks) Hello?<br />

'''Jersey: '''(opens door) Oh, it's you.<br />

'''Jersey: '''That's Rani for ya. Always thinking.<br />

'''Kamal:''' Jersey, manners!<br />

'''Jersey: '''Manners? I've got to get this fixed before my mom gets back!<br />

'''Kamal:''' --for the last time, I swept up all the glass!<br />

'''Jan: '''Hey, you must be the brave one. I'm Jan.<br />

'''Rani:''' Uh, beg your pardon?<br />

'''Jan:''' Now my whole family seems to have some kind of death wish. And Kamal, from what I gather, doesn't have a hell of a lot left to live for. But to risk all that based on one of Jersey's plans? That looks like brave to me.<br />

'''Rani:''' Well, I guess, I mean, I haven't really thought of-- one of Jersey's plans?<br />

'''Jan: '''You want something to drink?<br />

(opens a bottle) Just don't read the ingredients.<br />

'''Rani:''' (giggles) I never do.<br />

'''Jan:''' I like your hair.<br />

'''Durga:''' So, the short version is, the artifact is at Chawla. It is counting down, and it must be stopped.<br />

'''Durga:''' He has a great deal invested in another answer, Kamal. He believes he has the prototype of the next generation of Covenant weapons, all the enemy's secrets, if only he can unlock them.<br />

'''Kamal:''' But why would he keep going down this path so blindly?<br />

'''Kamal:''' ''(sarcastically)'' Thanks for the translation.<br />

'''Jersey:''' Don't mention it, college boy.<br />

'''Kamal:''' No problem, high school kid. Or haven't you graduated yet?<br />

'''Jersey:''' No problem, Durga. You know, I've been thinking about this, and I've got a plan.<br />

'''Durga:''' ''(shocked)'' Jersey? You've got a plan? To get in Chawla...?<br />

'''Jersey:''' What, you think I'm not the hero type?<br />

'''Jersey:''' [[ONI Signal Corps]]. Crazy like a fox, baby!<br />

'''Kamal:''' So what's the plan?<br />

'''Rani:''' What?!<br />

'''Jersey:''' Hey, navy guys love pizza! Then, Kamal goes in as a chatter network repair guy, and he's got the chatter link for Durga, and Jan goes in as a recruit.<br />

'''Jan:''' As if...<br />

'''Jersey:''' Hey! Live the fantasy, that's all I'm saying!<br />

'''Jersey:''' So you make the diversion right ''outside'' Chawla. Like, I dunno, maybe there's something like um, an accident, and a circus with midget clowns riding unicycles with their hair on fire... I don't know! Just stick with the big picture here.<br />

'''Durga:''' Jersey, I'm not sure that that's--<br />

'''Jersey:''' --then, we trip every alarm we can find, adding even more confusion, total chaos! We find the artifact, we trigger it, and then Durga calls for the building to be evacuated.<br />

'''Kamal:''' Oh God, I hope so.<br />

'''Jan:''' Rani...<br />

'''Rani:''' I can show you the base layout.<br />

'''Jersey:''' Ah, just had to break the ice. Girls like Jan and Durga, they feel better if they're bailing out some hapless guy.<br />

'''Kamal:''' You know how to play the part, I'll give you that.<br />

'''Kamal:''' Are you even old enough to drink that?<br />

'''Jersey:''' Hey we can't fight any more, my mom's going to kill me as it is.<br />

'''Kamal/Jersey:''' Oh man!<br />

'''McKaskill:''' (on chatter) Hello?<br />

'''Herzog:''' McKaskill. Good.<br />

'''McKaskill: '''I told the investigators, I don't know nothin' about nothin'!<br />

'''McKaskill:''' (gets a drink) I was just messing around. Like it had these shapes on it, you know? Triangles, and lines, and dots... I wasn't even thinking about it, just a nervous habit. (takes a drink) I got bad nerves!<br />

'''Herzog:''' Right. And?<br />

'''McKaskill: '''Then maybe the planet can buy me a drink.<br />

(chatter off)<br />