Transmission 4

Transcript

## Date/Universe

April 15. No indications of an alternate universe.

## Plot Synopsis

Holly receives a phone call from her commanding officer, Brigadier General Tom Willard. It's the same call that starts at the end of Transmission 3.

Willard asks how Holly is. She incredulously asks why he cares, and he responds that he still worries about her in the field. She says she doesn't want to talk about it and asks about Oak.

Willard tells Holly that Oak is in Fort Leavenworth maximum security military prison (United States Disciplinary Barracks) in Kansas due to attempting to murder Willard. Holly mutters that it's unfortunate it was only attempted, which offends Willard, especially after he dropped "all those civil suits" against her. Holly is confused as to why that didn't happen automatically when she died, but Willard laughs that she's not *legally* dead. Holly is angry and confused why he would fake her death at all, but Willard's answer is partially censored from the audience. Holly persists in asking questions, but Willard smugly tells her it's above her current security clearance.

They briefly argue over him being condescending before Holly threatens to hang up on him. He in turn threatens to to bring her in. She reluctantly agrees to stay on the phone but asks him to get to the point, calling him "Sir," which seems to throw him off-balance. He stammers a bit while asking her what Operation Symbiosis and the deadline are, revealing that they're unknown to him. Holly insists that she doesn't want to talk about it over the phone, then gets sidetracked and asks if her security measures are working and if he can still see what sites she visits. He says he doesn't visit "every hockey porn site" she visits because "it's a long list—a long, *long* list." Holly says she'll read some extra Senators RPF so he has more to wade through while figuring out what she's concealing from him.

Holly asks why she's in Alabama. He says it's so she doesn't freeze to death and so she's near a military base. Holly pushes again, asking why she couldn't just continue hiding in Ottawa/her apartment, and Willard says it's complicated but involves her safety. He won't tell her who might want to hurt her, but his tone implies he might not be fully telling the truth anyway.

Holly then asks how she got to Alabama. Willard says that he had a team add a sedative to her chocolate milk at home, then they waited for her to drink it and pass out to transport her. Holly grows upset, demanding to know the point of what he's putting her through. He reminds her that her job is to do as she's told, which she agrees with but then reminds him she does better when she knows the rationale behind his orders.

She finally asks if the whole thing is to teach her a lesson, and he reluctantly admits that it's to prove that she's competent enough to stay in the field despite her playing up her issues during the court battle the past several months. He says he's been trying to clean up her mess the whole time. He says that if "they" believe Holly is actually incompetent, it will put [redacted] in jeopardy. Holly accuses him of wanting to look good in his new position as general, but he accuses her of being ridiculous.

He apologizes for how everything went down between them. He says he knows she just got caught up in a lie trying to protect herself, a lie which Oak tried to take to extremes. Holly says she remembers it differently, and he reminds her that she herself said she was having memory issues, but he hasn't, asking if she's sure she can trust her memory. Holly doesn't answer.

He asks how she's doing with the field assignment. Holly says she's been a "total wreck" and says that she should probably have her security clearance revoked. Willard tells her not to be so hard on herself, praising her for acquiring her laptop. Holly demands to know if he had anything to do with the arrangement that netted her her Chromebook, but Willard denies it.

Holly asks if he called to gloat about how she must be less traumatized than he thought if she's capable of engaging in sex work, but he also denies that. He says that he's calling for two reasons. The first is to tell her to stop talking about sensitive information (such as her and Oak's mental illness and drug use histories) on the air. The other reason is to ask for her help in convincing Oak to finish an assignment.

On the first point, Willard reminds Holly that he taught her to keep her head down and her issues to herself when they first met and he began mentoring her. Holly asks what happens if she refuses to stop talking about sensitive topics on air, and Willard threatens to have Holly spend some time "in Kansas," although Holly would likely have ended up in the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility due to the lesser severity of her crimes.

On the other point, he asks her to talk to Oak on the phone to finish the unfinished business. Holly asks what specifically Willard is referring to, but he very condescendingly reminds her about her security clearance. When Holly angrily reminds him that she already knows about it, he asks if this isn't what she wanted—like she's "too disabled to function." Holly once again threatens to hang up on Willard, who asks if she wants to talk to Oak or not. Holly reluctantly says she does.

Willard says if Holly persuades Oak to finish the mission, they can both receive honorable discharges and leave to start civilian lives together. Holly asks why Willard thinks Oak will talk to her, and Willard just laughs until Holly concedes that he has a point. Willard then informs Holly that she also has to sign a statement saying that she committed perjury, which Holly isn't keen on. She refuses to lie and say she committed perjury while under oath, but Willard assures her the statement won't say that. When she refuses, he asks if she isn't ready to get back to her life, her apartment, and all her "little gemstones."

Willard tells Holly to sign the paper, talk to Oak, and then keep her head down for a few months, and it will all be over. Holly breaks down completely, shouting that he won and everyone believes him, not her. While he's enjoying his new rank, she's homeless in Alabama and Oak is in prison at Fort Leavenworth. She demands to know why he's still torturing her, prompting him to joke that if he wanted to do that, she'd be in a cell next to Oak's. Holly says, "I swear to God, Tom, if you're hurting Oak even a little—" but Willard assures her that Oak is fine... as long as Holly follows orders like a good Marine.

Holly asks if she can decide on the paperwork after talking to Oak. Willard agrees, then tells her she can talk to Oak that night. He tells her to have a nice Saturday.

## Inventory

### *Previous*

* Prescription eyeglasses
* The clothes she fell asleep in (blouse and skirt suit)
* Some dress shoes
* A smartphone and its charger.

* A worn-out backpack
* Several plastic grocery bags
* A few extra pieces of clothing
* Some toiletries
* A pair of earbuds
* A large piece of unpolished quartz and a smaller piece of pyrite

* Baby wipes
* Makeup
* Tweezers
* Holiday Inn towel
* A Chromebook in "fair" condition
* $12 USD
* A cat

## Morse

N/A

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