Commandant Steele glares at me with fire in her eyes.

Steele: Explain.

I turn my red eyes to Commandant Steele and begin explaining.

Crimson: The actions that they're taking are too precise and focused to merely be those of a mercenary group. They're the instructions of a highly intelligent mind, this is further apparent due to the fact that the large one, Brick argues with nobody, complaining how the route that they're taking is too boring for him.

I reach to stand up and get out of the Hospital bed, but stagger once I get to my feet as a strangled groan leaves my throat.

Commandant Steele helps me regain balance as a soft smile graces her features.

Steele: Can't have you dropping out yet soldier. You're property of Atlas now.

I chuckle and stand up straight.

Crimson: Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I need you to leave the room. I got clothes to put on.

The commandant leaves the room and I frown.

Crimson: Property of Atlas? Nah, I'm just a man doing his job.

After putting on my uniform, I reach for my bowie knife and check the edge.

Crimson: Blade looks fine. Now, to check up on the A.I.

Lilith(present): Wait, were you talking to yourself?

Crimson(Present): What? Everyone does it!

Athena(present): I should have killed him.

Crimson(present): LET ME GET BACK TO TELLING THE STORY!

After a few minutes of mandatory physical tests, I start heading over to the Tech development labs.

As I open the doors, one of the accounting personnel pull me to the side.

Accountant: Sir, something urgent has come up!

Mentally cursing to myself I turn to face them.

Crimson: What's the matter?

Accountant: It's our stocks, sir, they've been steadily dropping for the last week with no signs of stopping!

My eyes shoot open as confusion fills me.

Crimson: What the hell!? You're just telling me this now? Get some of the other tech guys and have them trace this to the source!

Accountant: Yes sir!

She runs off and I run my hand through my hair in exasperation.

About 10 minutes later I enter the lab and walk over to one of the computers. The code files for the prototype AI are open

Crimson: They're 75 percent done. Might as well double check their work before doing the rest.

As I look through the coding, I change a few lines and get add a few new ones. About an hour later, it's almost done and I just need to wait for it to load. Unfortunately, I doze off in the middle of waiting and wake up several hours later just in time to see myself heading towards the floor.

Steele: Wake up!

I raise my head to look up at an Angry Commandant Steele glaring down at me. I sheepishly smile before she points to the screen of the computer

???: Excuse me? I have been trying to wake you for a while.

On the screen is the visage of a woman.

Crimson: I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I am Lieutenant Crimson Blitzkrieg of the Atlas Crimson Lancers.

???: It is nice to meet you Crimson, however I don't believe I have a name to offer you.

Steele watches our interactions, her eyes narrowed.

Crimson: Well, that name is for you to decide.

Commandant Steele chooses this time to speak up.

Steele: I am Commandant Steele, and officially you are property of Atlas Corporation.

The A.I looks confused as I facepalm.

Crimson: Commandant.

My voice is deathly still, a tone not meant to be angered.

Crimson: This is more than just a bit of Data compressed into a procedure. This is a legitimate consciousness, and she is her own being. I programmed her to be her own thinking person, and you are an Atlas obsessed C.O!

She takes a gasp of indignation before pulling out her pistol again and pointing it at me.

Steele: Any and all assets or personell of the Atlas Corporation are property of it as well.

My eyes flare red as I grit my teeth and raise my voice.

Crimson: In case you haven't noticed, this company is falling apart! Someone has been hacking through our systems and stealing the money! This company is going bankrupt, and we're NO CLOSER TO FINDING THIS VAULT!

I whirls around and start walking away, before stopping and turning back to Commandant Steele.

Crimson: Go ahead and Chase that Vault, Dahl is losing soldiers and the Vault Hunters are constantly getting closer than us to the Vault. Once that other A.I is complete, I'm taking the chip and leaving.

???: Felicity.

Steele/Crimson: What?

???: Felicity, it means happiness, my name shall be Felicity in honor of the life you wish me to have.

Crimson: Good on ya, now if you want, you can travel through the ECHOnet right now and go to whatever planet in the six galaxies you want, join Atlas, or come with me through my ECHO HUD. Contact me when you come to a decision.

I turn back to Commandant Steele.

Just so you know, I won't activate it until you die, so make sure to give that future project plenty of things to remember.

Crimson(present): Looking back, I never realized the type of connection Steele and I had. I miss her, but honestly, she was a bit nuts.

Athena(present): Can someone separate me from this asshole?

Once I leave the building I pull out my Echo and start searching the ECHOnet for the Hyperion "New-U" registration site. I quickly find it and sign myself up.

Crimson: Damn, first Axton ditches the Dahl forces and runs off, and now I'm gonna do the same with the Lancers. I guess there ain't no rest for the wicked.

As I stand up from the chair that I'm sitting in, I walk towards the door before I get a message from commandant Steele.

Crimson: This better be good after that stunt you pulled.

Her voice comes through, excited but also soft and sorrowful all at the same time

Steele: Crimson, I'm sorry about what I said earlier, but we've found the Vault! The key we have is almost charged. The scientists in the labs say it should take a few more days before it's done. And.....If you leave.

I hear her voice catch. Damn it

Steele: If you leave, I won't hunt you, but I won't be joining you. And if those Vault Hunters end up killing me.

Her voice catches again.

Steele: I just want you to know, that.......that I want you to find where you belong.

My eyes start tearing up, but I steel my nerves and start speaking.

Crimson: Commandant, you are going to survive this. It's not just you, but it's both of us who're going to that Vault. And we will claim it for us and for Atlas.

Lilith(present): But then shut went sideways.

Crimson(present): Exactly.