Author: (Sighs) Yes... yes another delay sorry about that. Just caught up in some family matters, nothing to worry about. But, anyway hopefully this fresh chapter satisfies you all and hopefully the next one won't take ages.
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Inside The Facility
After Church throws his old body at Tex, he stares awkwardly at her and Leo.

Church: (Awkward) Um, did I interrupt something?

Tex faces Leo.

Tex: Excuse me for a sec.

Tex starts walking towards Church menacingly.

Church: Uh... Tex why are you looking at me like that?

While, walking Tex leans down and scoops up Church's old body in her hand and walks towards him with it.

Church: Ok, I understand that your mad, but why don't we all just calm do-

Before, Church could finish his sentence Tex immediately grabs him by the throat, yanking him towards her and pounding on his head with his old body.

Church: Ow. Ow! Ooow! Stop it! Tex, you are embarrassing me. Ow! Stop! Ah!

While getting whacked on the head, Church roughly turns his head towards the reds and Wade. Who are just standing and watching, with Grif holding a medpack on his badly bruised 'jingle bells'.

Church: Hey, are you gonna sit a -ah- you gonna help me or not? Stop it.

Sarge: Naw buddy I think you got everything under control. We'll just hang back here.

Church: Won't it stop!

Grif: Yeah, you've got some catching up to do.

Church: The whole- stop.

Grif tosses the medpack away and pulls out his battle rifle. Leo walks towards them, still shocked about Tex being back.

Leo: How in the world is she back?

Wade: You can thank Church for that.

Grif: Since when could he resurrect people?

Wade: What? No, he did some weird A.I stuff and brought her back.

Zeta (Appears): What Wade is trying to say is that Epsilon... removed her from his head.

Simmons: That.. doesn't make any sense.

Leo just takes a seat on the floor and holds his head in his heads.

Leo: T-This to much to take in.

Sarge bends down and pats Leo on the shoulder a few times.

Sarge: There... there son.

Sarge looks back over to Tex, who's still beating on Church.

Sarge: Hey, what's she beating him with?

Simmons: I think that was his old body.

Sarge: You mean he ain't a floatin' cue ball any more?

Church: Aw-

Sarge: That's too bad. Had a few more nicknames in my side pocket. We'll certainly miss you Lord Hackensack of the Roundalots.

Grif: Beating him with his own body? That doesn't seem physically possible.

Wade: I think by this point, that women can make anything possible.

In the control room with Caboose.

Caboose: Uh-hu- we have to do something.

FILSS: I am sorry, as I said, I cannot operate outside the bounds of my standard safety protocols.

Caboose: What if I said... pretty please.

FILSS: Private Caboose, is there a reason why you don't want to use one of the standard safety protocols? In this scenario, I would strongly recommend locking down the armor of any rogue unit.

Caboose: Wait you can do that?

FILSS: Of course. Armor lock is a standard safety feature since the Freelancer break in.

Caboose: Well why didn't you tell us that?

FILSS: Why would I need to tell the Director that? He wrote the protocol himself.

Caboose: Oh, right. Yes of course he did. Um Sheila, could you do the armor lunchable thing that you said?

FILSS: Certainly.

"Ding dong"

FILSS: Now initiating standard safety protocol. Armor lockdown in progress. All units, stand by for lockdown.

Suddenly a white energy shield envelopes Tex armour and immobilizes her. Church steps away from her in shock and confusion, while Leo springs up to his feet seeing Tex condition.

Church: What- what's happening?

Leo: (Worried) Caboose what did you do to her?

Caboose: Yes! Yes! I did it! I am the biggest hero ever! I beat up the girl!

Sarge: Hah hah, yes! See, that's how you do it Grif; face your enemy man to man. Or in your case, woefully inadequate man to woman. And then when she's distracted, use superior technology to take her out. *sniff* Reminds me of prom night.

Grif: We didn't do anything, she shut down.

Wade: At least she can't harm us anymore.

Caboose: I am the best!

Simmons: Uh, hey guys? What do you think that voice meant by "all units"?

Leo turns to look at him, puzzled until he realises what he means.

Leo: (Sighs) Oh, son of a b-

Suddenly, the Reds become immobilized.

Sarge: Hrr, h-gr I can't move.

Leo: Grr, C-Caboose!

Caboose: I did it, I- not my fault! Not my fault! I did not do this! The computer made suggestions! And the default option was yes!

Grif: Well this is just great.

Wade: It's spreading!

Wade looks at the immobilized Reds in worry, before running over to Church who's looking up at Caboose in the control room.

Church: What's happening? Caboose!

Wade: Fix it, Caboose!

Church: Make it stop! Make it-

Both Wade and Church become immobilized.

Church: st-ow! Rrruh!

Wade: Hrr.. d-dammit.

Caboose: Uh, Sheila, is, is my armor gonna lockdown too?

FILSS: No Caboose, your helmet does not have that particular protocol installed in it. I had assumed, that was the reason why you were wearing that-

Caboose: Yes. That is totally the reason.

SandTrap
Back to the desert, where Wash is overlooking a bunch of dead aliens.

Wash: Well, so much for the "leave one of them alive" strategy. (Yells) Doc, where are you?

Doc appears on top of the Elephant near Wash.

Doc: Here!

Wash: Still alive. I thought maybe you'd been killed in the battle.

Doc: No, don't worry, I'm still alive.

Wash: I didn't say I was worried. Get down here, see if any of these things are still breathing.

Doc: Me?

Wash: You're a medic, get- medical.

Doc: I'm a human medic. I don't even understand Alien physiology.

Wash: I want you to see if they're alive, I don't want you to check their cholesterol levels, just get down here.

Doc: Geez!! Fine. What's with the anger?

Meta: (Growls)

Doc walks off, while Wash heads over to where the Meta is standing on a small sand hill.

Wash: Meta, you search the camp. See if you can find anything useful for us. Any clues where Epsilon went.

Meta: (Growls!)

Wash: Don't start with me. I've already reached my tolerance level for management issues.

The Meta heads off as Doc walks up behind Wash.

Doc: He's getting fussy.

Wash: Tell me about it.

In the distance they see the Meta walking in one of the ruins.

Doc: Maybe we should take a break.

Wash: Excuse me? A break?

Doc: Yeah, like a three day leave! Everyone go off, recharge their mental batteries, come back refreshed, and like, ready to tackle our challenges.

Wash: You want a vacation?

Doc: I call it a Soul Sabbatical.

Wash: What are we, mailmen? This is a military mission. We don't get a vacation. We don't take sick days, we don't get paid overtime.

Doc: What, Freelancers don't get overtime?

Wash: That's right, we have a job to do and we're expected to stick wit- wait. Why, wh- do you?

Doc: Get overtime? Yheah. Time and a half over forty hours, time and a half and a half after sixty.

Wash: ...really?

Doc: You guys don't get that? That's crazy, you work so hard.

Wash: Tell me about it.

Doc: You guys should strike.

Wash: We're not unionizing. Stop instigating.

Doc: ... Tell me they at least match your 401K.

Wash: Shut up.

Meta: (Distance Growl)

Doc: What was that?

Wash: Quiet.

Wash rushes over to the ruin the Meta entered earlier and stands by the entrance.

Wash: What did you find, Meta?

A grenade is suddenly thrown at the entrance and explodes. Nearly catching Wash in the blast zone.

Wash: Hey! Watch it. Meta, come out here, now.

Meta: (Growls)

Wash: Doc, get in there and see what he found.

Doc: Which Doc, there's a, is there another Doc here? I know you're not talking to me. Yeah, you know, probably better if you go in? Historically, I don't really have the best success rate going in caves. They tend not to work out for me. Before your time, but trust me. I-uhy- you don't want any part o' that.

The End
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