Legionnaire Legacies: York

[legionnpcs]

[ The Legion World staff maintains a feed of all Legion-related media so Legionnaires can be kept abreast of any reporting that's done on them. Two women appear on the screen, sitting at a desk, their appearances altered by glam filters so that one is all pink hair and skin and sparkles, and the other is all in blues. They look pretty flashy and tacky but this is the future. Reporters don't exist anymore; they're "personalities" now. ]

Shellee: I'm Shellee Star! [ That would be the pink one. ]

Tammee: And I'm Tammee Tim! [ That would be the blue one. ]

Shellee: Welcome to another installment of Legion Watch: Legionnaire Legacies! We’ve covered war and loss and monstrous decisions, the apocalypse, and after our last episode we thought we could show you something lighter! Tonight we take a look at the boisterous bachelor in beige armor, Locksmith.



Shellee: A sentient’s relationships can define them--or at least leave a mark, isn’t that right Tammee?

Tammee: And how they handle those relationships can show how they handle high stress situations! Do they crumple into a ball and cry into a pint of Jen & Berry’s, or do they hit up the gym? You can learn a lot by looking at a guy’s love life and the scars it left on him and we’ve got the scoop on Locksmith’s exes and ohs! And OH is there a lot to cover!

Shellee: He does get around. From the same world as our last Legionnaire, well. You’re already familiar with the tension looming--but not everyone focused on the war until they were dragged into it--but we’ll get to that later!

[ Upbeat music heavy on trumpets and playful banter starts up over a montage of York at various stages in his life, each scene captioned with the name of the lucky person that has his attention. It starts small and cute--a young York in a school yard, the caption of Susan below as they share a first kiss--and shortly afterward he’s punched right in the mouth by a bully that also fancied Susan. ]

Tammee: Oooh, tough break. But it is a pattern that continues throughout York’s relationships and not just with bruises!

[ So the montage scrolls along--York with a young man under what looks like bleachers making out captioned Alex, and the next clip of him and the boy in the principal's office, twin papers being gestured to while they sink into their chairs. A small modular bug is clenched in the man’s hand--York had hacked into the school’s systems to change grades around. The caption swaps to Teri, a lovely girl in a lovely gown, York in a suit at what looks like a school dance of some sort--that cuts to a car run into a ditch and an EMT checking Teri’s pupils while York gets his arm put in a sling.

Ashley -- Kissing on the back of a bike while driving -- motorcycle crash.

Jim & Tash -- Snuggled up on a sofa comfortable and cozy followed by a shot of York giving over his car keys and walking home in the rain, ending with him in a clinic with pneumonia.

Jack -- Dancing at a semi legal rave and drinking far too much-- stumbling giggly drunk into a Denny’s while York attempts to explain with gesticulations that one Denny's is all Dennys' -- and cutting to him getting food poisoning while Jack laughs at him from where he’s holding a cold rag to the back of York’s neck.

Brandon -- Seemingly peaceful shot of them curled up on the sofa, Brandon combing his fingers through York’s hair -- cut to York vaulting out the window into a waiting car. ]

Tammee: Of course all this was kid stuff compared to what came after York joined up with the war effort. He could focus on the job all he wanted but that little voice in the back of his head, or heart, continued to get him into trouble.

[ Malcolm -- Posh English military man and Adorable Yank drinking and dancing and -- getting into a brawl at a bar while on leave and getting dragged to Malcolm’s CO for a lecture on security clearance (York had none) and fraternization. York's left watching Malcolm ship off to a different branch shortly thereafter. The music changes along with the tone, swapping from the upbeat trumpets to a more sultry saxophone.The next shot is of York perched at a bar, bored, flicking his lighter over and over until a stunning redhead saunters over, steals it, and hauls him to the dancefloor-- followed by a jumpcut to him following her to a recruitment center for special operations. ]

Shellee: You can follow your heart where it leads you, but what if that's into active combat? What if that’s into a highly questionable secret project meant to protect humanity?

[ Carolina -- Multiple shots of York training alongside her, sparring with her in armor, watching her train late at night and following her through the new version of brutal basic up to shipping out on the Mother of Invention. ]

Tammee: Here, though, he met just as much trouble as ever, even in the questionable belly of Project Freelancer.

[ 479er -- York walks over with a wink and a grin only to be turned away with a prompt ‘not on your life’.

North -- The first meeting of York rolling up in the training room like 'what up I got a big ego and am better than people think I am'-- and cracking bubblegum while Agent North stands with the least impressed lineface known to man. It starts with a clash -- a fight that ends with them both on the mats. ]

Shellee: Even with a less than stellar beginning, North was to York a solid sounding board when things became difficult and questionable. A best friend-

[ Jumpcut to North and York in a Locker Room on the Mother of Invention ]

York: I find that I just keep coming back to the same question in my head over and over again.

North: And what question is that?

York: We're the good guys, right?

Tammee: And maybe a little bit more?

[ The shot cuts to York on the phone making a drunken video call, wild shouts and music coming through until he stumbles through the door and whoever he’s with kicks it closed. ]

York: Hey, you kept saying I needed to get laid HERE IS PROOF I AM GETTING LAID! Okay? Okay.

Jack: If you fucked the man with the mustache I’m disowning you.

York: Nope! It’s Gabe. Come say Hi Gabe!

North: Who you talking too? [ North walks up and ruffles York’s hair, gloms onto him. After a moment he starts biting York's neck. ]

York: He’s the best-- woah there cowboy! [ The best and handsy-- York twists to help North peel him out of his shirt, fumbling with the phone. ]

Jack: [ Giggle snorting. ] Go forth and scale that mountain, soldier!

York: Sir, yessir!

[ He offers a lazy salute and drops the phone, shoving North out of camera. ]

Shellee: And while still trying so hard to capture Agent Carolina’s attention? Shame on him.

Tammee: Especially considering he'd had a ‘moment' with someone else earlier that evening!

[ South-- Both intoxicated, covered in paint, jelly, and glitter-- kissing! And for a little bit it’s sweet till she starts biting. ]

Shellee: Oof, keeping it in the family, York? All the same the fun and games changed rapidly with the introduction of a new Agent not a few months later--

[ The next montage is a series of shots of Tex beating the boys into the dirt, York holding his own ( blocking 1/2ish of her punches before getting cold clocked) in cugel sticks and hand to hand. The Lockdown Paint montage is a variety of wild attempts at group tactics that end with the boys all shot up in many hilarious ways. Stuck to risers, to each other, locked up and tilted over like plastic army men. At least until live ammo comes into play ]

Tammee: Despite all the work done in the Project to assure the agents that they were of use and York’s own high standing on their leaderboard -- creative solutions were encouraged. Underhanded tactics caused York to lose the use of one eye and take him temporarily out of the running.

[ The grenade, Tex shooting to lock up his armor and protect him-- the rush to medical. Carolina stays behind along with the rest, waiting to hear while the project marches on. ]

Shellee: But nothing like a little grenade to the face was going to stop York from continuing to fight for Carolina’s attention and esteem in increasingly reckless ways-- not only for himself, but also his teammates!

[ The mission on Spiral-- trying and failing to hack through a complicated lock without detection- the alarm going off and resulting in a flamethrower throwdown several floors above -- the collateral damage of an orbital strike on a building in the middle of a populated city-- following Carolina off the edge of a building without thought or reservation. Blindly. A smashcut to York driving (while down an eye) the wrong way on a highway while his companions fight it out with Insurrectionists, the music high energy Even through the bullets tearing through Maine’s throat. ]

Tammee: York left medical before he’D been cleared to work in the field, didn’t informing anyone of his new limitations -- put the entire mission in jeopardy, put his team in danger, just to keep up with Carolina. To follow her. Now is that the kind of judgement you want in a hero?

Shellee: Questionable judgement calls were made all around as the mission paid off in a real way, providing a relationship that would prove lasting and life changing for York: Delta. When they met, the surgery was quick and secret, but soon enough they were on their feet and out in the field! To...mixed effect.

[ On an enemy ship, a guard has his feet up and is watching a feed of kitten videos and Grifball, not paying attention until Delta flickers next to him. There’s a brief conversation before York peels away from the shadows and pat’s the guard’s shoulder shoulder and slams his head on the desk before shoving him aside. He fiddles with the computer until a holographic lock flares into being and promptly starts trying to crack it. It’s taking him longer than it should. He spins through shapes faster than he did on Spiral, but still nowhere near his times before he lost the eye.

The Director cuts in over the radio-- they argue over his timing until an order’s given and his attention snaps to Delta. ]

Director [ over radio ]: Agent York, we are out of time, I repeat; abort.

F.I.L.S.S.: Target locked.

York: Um... what target is locked? What's the target? [ gets off radio ] Delta, what are they doing?

Delta: Taking more direct measures.

York: You knew about this?

Delta: ...Possibly.

[ The wall nearest him starts to glow, superheated by the laser being fired to literally break in rather than use his skills.]

York: Why you green little cockbite.

[ There’s an explosion and York is pulled out into the vacuum of space, struggling to get his bearings and with the fact that Delta left him completely unaware that being blown out of the wall was going to happen. ]

Tammee: Oof, the boys were off to a rough start, but Delta isn’t the only person York butted heads with in the project.

[ The music cuts out with an old timey record scratch-- they’ve honestly got nothing to go with this little snippet of jackassery. A locker room-- South’s frustrated shout at Wash and York leaning cool as can be against a locker, sighing. ]

York: You ever notice every time you open your mouth you make things worse?

Wash: Sorry...

[ Jumpcut to Wash in medical, looking in after Maine and Carolina ]

York: What's he in for?

Wash: Probably for all the headaches he's been having. Did you ever get them after you got Delta?

York: At first, they went away pretty quick though. The other side effects were way worse.

Wash: What other side effects?

York: You know, bleeding from the eyes, ringing ears... inverted penis...

Wash: Inverted what?!

York: Dude, I'm just fucking with you, ok? Couple of headaches, that's it.

Shellee: But tensions only continued to raise, York questioned what the project was about, his loyalties, and ultimately left with Tex when unsavory information came to light. Those left behind thought him a traitor and Carolina? Took it the hardest. The next time they spoke in the middle of a firefight, she was less than thrilled to see him.

[ York on a lift, alarms blaring, Delta keeping tally of guards and freelancers still on the ship and a running countdown of how long till the Mother of Invention Crashes. Carolina floats up to meet him, boots locking onto the platform. ]

York: Carolina...

[ She takes aim-- he lowers his gun. Tries to reason with her. ]

York: You don't have to prove anything! Come on! Let's leave this place! I can get you help! I can get those damn things outta your head! You can trust me.

Carolina: Maybe...

[ Carolina aims at York's head ]

Carolina: But you can't trust me.

[ They fight, York knocking the rifles out of her hands but Carolina knocks him to the ground, causing his maglock on the lift to disengage. ]

York: Carolina...

[ She kicks him, bouncing him off the lift and sending him up with the momentum. He’s stunned and disoriented until he sees the lighter she’s tossed up after him. His lighter-- engraved with ‘Errera’. Alarms blaring he makes his way to the hangar and steals a pelican, leaving the MOI behind as it crashes. ]

Shellee: Ow-- now that’s a rough breakup!

Tammee: After fleeing with his partner, York kept to the shadows, scraping by and supporting himself and Delta with petty theft. Not a glamorous life for a former soldier but he couldn’t be caught otherwise his armor and Delta would be confiscated, and he’d be thrown in prison!

Shellee: Old habits die hard, and to keep some sense of normalcy and teach Delta a little more about being human, York kept journal entries. Sometimes it was the weather-- but the interesting entries involved news from his former employers.

[ York standing before a camera, making an audio visual recording. Delta hovers next to the device in holographic form. ]

York: Good evening, beautiful people. It's a lovely Monday night and I'm here with another adrenaline pumping journal entry, courtesy of our good friend, Delta.

Delta: Taylor, please, documentation is an important part of--

York: Yea, yeah. Jiminy Christmas, forgive me for trying to lighten the mood. So today, I intercepted some interesting messages from our good friends over at Project Freelancer. It sounds like someone is causing them a bit of trouble. Old news, I know. Old news. But here's the interesting part; D, give me a drum roll please.

Delta: I would prefer not to.

York: They said she, she as in a lady. Not Wyoming. Not Maine. But a former female Freelancer has suddenly popped up on the PFL radar. And if you know me, then you know my money's on the gal in the greenish-blue-seafoam-green-turquoise- whatever it is- armor. Well at least, if I had any money.

[ Next entry-- an abandoned warehouse, York without his helmet, stubble on his jaw and a glimmer of humor in his eye. ]

York: So when I finally see her again, I think I've narrowed my lines down to like, two options, okay? Here they are: One, hey there Carolina, if I said I like your armor, would you hold it against me? Or two--

Delta: Taylor, please focus.

York: What? Pickup lines are important. Did I ever tell you about how we met? See, I was out one night with my buddies...they abandoned me at some ridiculous nightclub, I think it was called... Errera. So I'm just sitting there at the bar, bored out of my skull, and I'm flicking this lighter off and on. Then from out of nowhere, she walks up to me and--

Tammee: But not all the news was uplifting.

[ The same building, no more glimmer of humor in his eye, shoulders sagging, voice flat. ]

York: Agent Foxtrot 12, journal entry 0424. Intercepted another transmission from command today. They have confirmed that... Agent Texas continues to evade their response teams. And she still does possess the Omega AI. Nothing more to report.

Delta: ...Taylor.

York: You know, D? I bet if I had opened up with a pickup line, I would've never seen her again.

Delta: Why is that?

York: Because she probably would've busted my other eye.

Delta: What would you have told her, Taylor?

York: I would've told her...that I understand why she did what she did. I just wish she hadn't...I wish she could've learned to let things go. I guess I should too.

Tammee: But sometimes things let go? Don’t stay gone. The past hunted York down while he was trying to keep out of any external conflict in the now defunct Project Freelancer.

[ The scene starts with York ‘minding his own business’, trying to pick a lock for a shop, muttering under his breath about needing to pay bills. ]

Tex: Alright, freeze!

York: Oh... Sorry officer, I uh, lost my keys to my shop here and I was, trying to figure out a way to, you know um... [ He palms his side arm as he stands, waiting for an opportunity to shoot and run- Tex holsters her gun. ]

Tex: You never were a very good liar, York.

York: York, haven't been called York in a really long time. Hello, Allison.

Shellee: Agent Texas needed a favor, and made a compelling argument for why York ought to be involved.

York: Okay, let's say I do this. What's in it for me?

Tex: Payback. How's the vision in your eye?

York: Still blurry... Hurts when I read.

Tex: Well then, how 'bout a little revenge?

Tammee: How’s that for heroic motivation? After consulting with Delta, York came to a decision.

York: We in or we out?

Delta: Tactical Matrix is incalculable. Outcome is uncertain. Chance of success is unknown. But, a little payback would be nice.

York: We're in.

[ Camera pans to them camped out at the perimeter of the base, no movement, no nothing. York’s waiting at Tex’s side, peering to their objective. There seems to be no movement and the duo (trio) approach it with caution. All’s well until they enter and Tex shows York the Lock. ]

Tex: There it is, bust the lock and this teleporter will take us up top.

[ York approaches, squinting at the mass of colorful holographic shapes. ]

York: Whoa whoa, you said an encrypted lock. This is a holographic lock.

Tex: Is there a difference?

York: Yeah, hence the two names.

Tex: So can you open it or not?

York: Of course I can! It's just much harder. [ All the same he hunkers down to start flipping through the hologram, doing his thing. ] I just brought it up 'cause I wanted you to realize how kick-ass I am.

Tex: I'm convinced, get to work.

[ The lock’s popped and Tex gives York Fifteen seconds to follow her. She heads up, York remains behind, counting down. ]

York: I need you to stay tight D, watch my bad side.

Delta: Of course, watching left. Execute in, three, two, one, execute. Good luck.

York: Thanks.

[ York runs through the teleporter and joins the firefight. There’s shouting, cover taken, grenades thrown. Tex offers covering fire, York plasters himself to a wall to wait for a shot, Delta running commentary all the while to keep them informed. An opening arrives and they run from cover and slaughter everyone but Wyoming. ]

Delta: Reloading. Three. Enemy eliminated. 92% efficiency. 36 rounds of 39 fired.

Tex: Dammit, jam! Cover, cover cover!

[ Wyoming shoots as York dives for cover. He stumbles and slumps against a corner, hand still on his gun, trying to breathe through it. Blood seeps from between armor plating. Tex throws a grenade to buy them time and space before sprinting to his side. ]

Tex: York, are you okay?

York: It's that damn left side. [ He turns to rest his back against the wall, tips his head up to keep her in view. His breath is heavy-- wet. ]

Tex: D, info.

Delta: York has sustained two wounds to his upper-left chest. Recommend evac, stat.

York: Just, need a minute... [ He attempts to stand, struggling and collapsing back against the wall with a wet grunt and slides back to being seated, the wall smeared with his blood. ]

Delta: Administering field stint, and analgesic

York: Wait, Tex, don't, don't let 'im-- [ The tension rolls out of him as his head tilts down, grip still tight around his gun, the one hand reaching out for Tex going limp. Delta is quiet for a moment before his head snaps back up to Tex. ]

Delta: York is now unconscious. Alarm: target Alpha has reloaded.

Tex: How bad is it, D?

Delta: York will not survive.

Tex: Okay D, hop in to me. I'll host you until we get outta this.

Delta: Thank you Allison, but I would prefer to stay, with York. [ He turns to face his partner, York’s chest still rising and falling slowly. ]. He will need me to maintain his pain medication.

Tex: An A.I. can't fall into enemy hands, D. If you're in there when he dies, you know what the armour's protocol will do to you.

Delta: I would prefer to stay with York.

Tex: That's very kind of you, D.

Delta: It's just part of what makes us human, Tex.

[ His hologram fades and so too does the view of the skirmish- though more gunshots crack in the distance. That part of the story isn’t relevant. The music changes to something softer and more somber as the girls begin their outtro. ]

Shellee: A sad end for our good old fashioned loverboy. But with his new chance here to do good, will he make the most of it and be a strong Legionnaire, or fall back into soldierly habits?

Tammee: He’s such a romantic, but does this impair his judgement in the field? Is there room in his heart for the universe he’s sworn to protect and not whatever lucky sentient gets his attention? Or will he follow the their lead to the point of disaster? Time will tell!

Shellee: For more Legion action, be sure to keep tuning in! This is Shellee Star!

Tammee: And Tammee Tim!

Both: And this was Legionnaire Legacies!

Comments

[legionnpcs]

On the bright side, his medical checkup upon arrival included a full battery STD screening.

He's clean! Hooray.

[araignee_du_soir]

Great news for all those foolish enough to fall for his charms.

[legionnpcs]

[goddamngrenades]

Hey, I'd like to think I'm the foolish one in all that.

text

[wallsofjericho]

Good to know?

Re: text

[legionnpcs]

[And when Jericho/Locksmith fic hits the anon meme, it can all be traced back to here.]

Text

[goddamngrenades]

Who knows, it might be important information for someone out there.

[vata]

A mí la muerte me pela los dientes.

[It's said with no small sum of sincerity, despite the tone of the Legacy itself.]

Private

[goddamngrenades]

She does smile real pretty, I'll say that much.

[ not talking about the thing, except to make light. Cuz then it's not real. ]

[vata]

Not as pretty as you still being here. [See, she can joke about it, too.

But from there it's a brief segue: tone dropping from something (mildly) teasing to entirely serious:] I won't patronize you by offering to talk to you about what they did, but if you need a drink—

You know where to find me.

[a_shadow]

[ She'd heard about these things, and the fact that they could be kind of sensationalized, so Tex is actually rather pleased about her portrayal here. ]

I don't know what's better about this piece—that I wasn't made into another one of his love interests, or that I wasn't made out to be a monster for the way he died.

[goddamngrenades]

[ speak of the devil. ]

Yeah, that'd be...awkward.

[a_shadow]

I suppose the actual truth in this case is awkward enough.

Hey, York.

private | text

[agnominal]

I would like to...visit.

If you would prefer to avoid company, I will understand.

private | voice

[goddamngrenades]

Nah, come over. Help me get through this cider and bourbon.

video

[hallaifyouherd]

[ Well as first introductions to the Legion go...this is a doozy.

The elf peers at the screen, her tattooed brow wrinkling. Big brown eyes blink slowly and then... ]

That can't be how it ends.

Video

[goddamngrenades]

How would you like it to end? [ Because honestly anything's better than what happened. ]

[unrecovered]

Well, that was flattering.

[goddamngrenades]

It coulda been the bit with the jetpacks. [ See what a bro he's being, not even describing the incident. ]

text, screened to york

[leverageintceo]

[ Parker is pretty sure that approaching someone after something like this would be weird even for Sophie. Still they're friends, so she should probably try. ]

Do you want me to bring you more chocolate or something?

text, screened to york

[goddamngrenades]

I'd appreciate it, yeah. Think there's a 'get we'' bear' for fatal shootings?

Action

[i_got_this]

South's showing up with a bottle in a bag and you can bet that bottle is booze and you can bet that bag is so that no one stops her and asks questions. She knocks on his door.

"Hey, asshole, open up!"

Action

[goddamngrenades]

"Ugh." South. Okay- he peels himself off the sofa (not drunk, just. Thinking about drinking while ignoring the world) to open the door. He squints at her, the bottle in her hand, and back up. "We're not talking about it."

video; private

[nofortunateson]

[Open on North, who's looking at the screen in the same vaguely unfocused way of someone unintentionally opening the camera app on the selfie-cam. Rubbing his face. Taking a slow breath in through his teeth and finally giving a low, slow whistle that drops through almost an octave.]

-wow.

video; private

[goddamngrenades]

Look- we were drunk. [ Very fucking drunk. He's got half a mind to get just as drunk now, honestly, but- yeah. Not the best idea when on the cam with North. ] I didn't remember that at all.