Destiny: We Stand Alone
by Bad Nano_9MM
AN: All rights belong to both Bungie and Activision for the characters, concepts, and universe as seen in the game with the exception of OC's as created by the author. This story is solely meant for the enjoyment of fellow gamers who have played the Beta and eagerly await this title's arrival on 9.9.2014 … Finally, I'd like to dedicate this story to my clan [DOB] with whom I've shared many harrowing moments in The Crucible…
The Last City
Tower North, Earth
The Speaker exited the Hall of Assembly amid angry outbursts and shouted expletives in a dozen languages as The Consensus was just informed of an impending Hive invasion from the Moon. He had delivered the announcement knowing that this vital intelligence, gained by the noble sacrifice of several dozen Guardians, would not be welcome news to the City's representatives. The meager resources of both the Vanguard and the FOTC were perilously stretched to the breaking point. His footsteps were soft compared to those of his escorts, a squad of Titans outfitted in Illyrian Type-2 heavy armor and carrying Cydonia auto-rifles at port-arms. Their boots crashed onto the ground which made the walls tremble. His ghost, Cersei, floated alongside him lost in its own thoughts.
As the procession neared The Speaker's residence, the Titans split off and took up positions at the entrance. Their Cydonia auto-rifles were lowered but at the ready position. Merchants and their customers whispered their concerns. For this was the first time they ever witnessed armed sentinels in front of his home. Cersei scanned the environment for any threats to her partner's safety. Satisfied there were none, the ghost opened the defensive screens to allow herself and The Speaker to enter. Then she closed the screens and activated the perimeter anti-personnel and anti-vehicular defenses. These were FOTC rated Lethal Type-S, more than enough to vaporize a Fallen Devil-Walker.
"Cersei, locate the Vanguard here in the Tower." The Speaker waved his hand once and a virtual keyboard appeared in front of him. He immediately tapped in a series of commands as the ghost consulted the FOTC intranet to locate the commanders of The City's defenses. She noticed that he was retrieving a file that was marked with an Umbra Seal. The Umbra Seal meant there was forbidden knowledge or limited-access intelligence that was view-only to The Speaker and his Privy Council. An effective system for controlling information that served The City for ages. That didn't surprise Cersei. The ghost knew The Speaker reviewed thousands of files a day; a third of them bore the Umbra Seal. What surprised her was the one he was currently reviewing. Two words that made her sub-routines freeze and then seize up her logic circuits.
FIRETEAM OBSIDIAN.
"By all the gods, Speaker, are we that desperate? You're going to use The Rite of Recall to summon them ? The Consensus is already hostile towards you after sending Guardians to The Forbidden Zone without a briefing. Plus, the Vanguard will not risk unleashing these 'Liege-Killers' without some method of control. I ask you to reconsider. Is this truly the will of The Traveler?" The ghost levitated in front of The Speaker, its single optical lens faintly glowed an iridescent blue. It seemed as if the ghost was angrily staring down at her partner.
The Speaker didn't flinch from the ghost's rebuke. If anything his face seemed to be more clam than it had been during the announcement to The Consensus. He gently laid a hand on the ghost floating in front of him. When he spoke, there was steel in his voice. The fate of humanity was riding on this roll of the cosmic dice. He was content to let historians judge him later as long as the Earth survived and humanity reclaimed its destiny among the stars.
"Cersei, it would be a tragedy if the human race and its allies perished here on Earth. It is the will of The Traveler for our people not only to survive the coming Darkness but to give hope to the rest of the universe as well. And if I have to unleash hell to succeed in that goal, then so be it. Now, transport the Vanguard directly here without any more delay. It's time for The Rite of Recall to be invoked."
The ghost nodded once then activated the transmat network. It located the biometric signatures of the Vanguard and transported all three leaders into The Speaker's atrium. After overcoming the initial disorientation after the transport, the Vanguard turned as one towards The Speaker. It was clear from their expressions that they were not happy to be taken away from their duties without an official notification. The Speaker carefully assessed each Vanguard as he readied himself for yet another heated argument this morning.
Commander Zavala led the City's Titan Corps. The Awoken male came from one of the most prestigious noble houses and set a number of records in The Crucible. He stood at over 3 meters tall and weighed in at 200 kg, every inch was solid muscle. Clad in red-and-white Imperator Rex heavy plate armor, the Awoken commander was every citizen's ideal of what a Guardian should aspire to. His likeness graced the numerous recruiting posters for the FOTC. His perpetual scowl amused The Speaker.
"Speaker, I assume there is an emergency that requires our collective presence and not another impromptu excuse for tea?" growled the commander. He was definitely not amused at this development.
The Speaker gave a hearty laugh. "Were that the reason Commander, I'd simply voice-comm and issue a formal invitation. I assure you that we are meeting now to undertake decisive measures to ensure The City's survival." He gestured for his guests to take a seat. They all sat on padded stools in front of The Speaker. Cersei summoned a robot to bring refreshments for the Vanguard. As soon as they were plied with drinks and food, the conversation was resumed.
Cayde-6 was the next to address The Speaker. The Exo Warden of the Hunt once roamed the Earth as a lone wolf who waged a solitary guerilla war against the various alien threats that plagued The City. His exploits as a Scout-Sniper with the FOTC was still remembered decades later. Although he longed to return to the wastes, The Speaker assigned him to mentor young Hunters in fieldcraft and survival skills. His cloak told of a history filled with slaughter and tragedy. A well-worn combat smatchet crafted from spinmetal and emblazoned with the Mark of the Hunter hung from a Vandal-skin scabbard on his utility belt.
"I assume that the Vanguard is here because of the uproar we heard coming from The Hall of Assembly. And that the reason for their ire is because of a mission to The Forbidden Zone that even we weren't aware of." Cayde-6's photo-receptors flashed with an angry strobe. He didn't appreciate losing Guardians especially to the Hive. The Exo Hunter had a long memory of the massacre in Old Chicago. His hand reflexively gripped the handle of his smatchet.
"Warden Cayde, I understand that you have taken exception with the decisions I have made these past weeks. While it was unfortunate that those Guardians who volunteered to journey to the Moon were killed in action, the lone survivor did return with vital and actionable intelligence. The Hive is ready to invade our world again. Had we been caught unprepared here in The City, our people would be wiped out. Awoken, Exo, and Humans we all would have perished in place. The sacrifice of those Guardians won't be forgotten. The price they paid in blood gives us hope."
Cayde-6 nodded his head and relaxed his grip on the smatchet. While the Exo still felt resentful of The Speaker's decision to proceed with the lunar excursion without Vanguard approval he understood the necessity of it being sent in the first place. He accepted a bulb of lubricant from the robot serving them as Cersei floated closer to the gathering. The ghost wanted to be close by in case these proceedings got heated. So far The Speaker was succeeding in his endeavor.
Cersei focused her attention on the final member of the Vanguard. Ikora Rey was The Supreme of the FOTC Coven, commander of all warlocks. She mastered both the Sunsinger and Voidwalker disciplines at a very young age becoming the first Warlock champion of the Iron Banner tourney. Lord Saladin himself was so impressed that he personally awarded her prizes in the main plaza of Tower Watch. Rey made her name when she literally disintegrated three Hive wizards in a single battle during an expedition to the Mumbai Push. Her fellow Guardians who survived that encounter petitioned The Consensus to elevate her to become the next Supreme. Since accepting the position, Ikora Rey has made it a priority to recover as much Golden Age-era technology towards the goal of reclaiming the Sol system from alien occupation. The dark-skinned Supreme finished her chai tea before addressing The Speaker.
"Am I to understand that after all that has occurred today that you need the Vanguard's support in yet another independent action that will likely result in your censure?" Rey's hazel eyes twinkled with mischief. Cersei chirped, the ghost giving the machine version of a snort. Commander Zavala continued to fume. Cayde-6 helped himself to another bulb of gold-flecked lubricant that went down silky smooth with his internal gears.
The Speaker stood up then gestured for an orange-hued holographic screen to appear before his gathering. On the screen appeared the ominous Umbra Seal which alerted the Vanguard leaders that the small talk was now over. Whatever The Speaker had in mind, they knew that it would not sit well with The Consensus or the factions vying for control here in The City. Each of them knew the peril of fighting the Hive. No option was too extreme. Until they saw the file's header. FIRETEAM OBSIDIAN.
Ikora Rey shot to her feet so fast that Cersei had to dodge to the right to avoid colliding with the warlock leader. Her face hardened with unbridled fury as she pointed a trembling hand towards the screen. Sweat broke out on her brow. Cersei never saw the Supreme overcome with so much emotion. The ghost filed away the warlock's reaction in her database for later review.
"Have you gone mad? You want to recall the 'Liege-Killers'?! Those Guardians are butchers! They are as much a threat to The City as our enemies! They're just as likely to kill US as the Hive. I know as well as anyone on the Privy Council just how desperate our situation is but this is unthinkable!" The warlock used a meditative technique to calm her but inside Ikora Rey was seething. Recalling Fireteam Obsidian meant releasing The Emissary of Oblivion, an Awoken male who brought down the Hall of Assembly with a Nova Bomb. She shuddered at the thought of that mass-murderer walking the Earth again.
Cayde-6 raised a toast to The Speaker. If Sliver Longstride returned from beyond then the Hunters he commanded would benefit from the Master Huntsman's experience. While the Exo never served with the legendary Hunter, Longstride's exploits were still talked about over many a campfire in the wastes. It would be interesting to say the least to see the man in action.
Commander Zavala kept reading the lines of code that streamed on the screen. His eyes widened in surprise when he came to the final member of Fireteam Obsidian. A veteran of Twilight Gap. One of The Hundred Who Held The Line. He was eager to speak with this Titan who he idolized as a boy. An ancestor of his, of his noble house The Fist of the North Star. The commander of The City's Titan Corps overlooked the fact that his illustrious ancestor was nicknamed 'The Berserker'. Whatever the cost, he would work with The Speaker to invoke The Rite of Recall.
Cersei lowered armored shutters over the main entrance and throughout The Speaker's residence. The ghost initiated a number of security sub-routines, one of which disabled any surveillance directed at this location.
The air shimmered and in The Speaker's hands was the symbol of his office, an Iridium Crozier etched with mysterious runes which seemed to flow up and around the length of the staff. Everyone, including Cersei, felt the power that emanated from that object. The Vanguard stood in awe as The Speaker murmured an incantation that electrified the air and made their perception of the atrium become hazy. When their vision cleared, both the Vanguard and The Speaker found themselves in a featureless cube that floated in a geo-stationary orbit above the Earth. In the center of the room they currently occupied, three ghosts floated in stasis. The first was jet-black with crimson accents. The second was crimson with onyx stripes. The final one was titanium yellow with scarlet markings. All three ghosts appeared to have been inactive for several hundred cycles. Cersei appeared next to The Speaker then activated a series of controls that powered the three inert ghosts to life. Before Cersei released them from the stasis field, she rewrote some lines of code and installed some much needed updates. The Speaker nodded once as Cersei's voice boomed inside the orbital prison.
"0-7-Foxtrot, arise! Heed the call of your Speaker! Ready yourself and your partner for return to the material world…"
As Cersei made the announcement, The Speaker slammed his Iridium Crozier into a slot measuring 1.5m in thickness. The Crozier was twisted first to the left then the right as the air became ionized and three concentric circles appeared. Within each circle hieroglyphs materialized then slowly turned counter-clockwise as The Speaker continued murmuring words of power from a bygone age. He motioned once to Commander Zavala who in turn took a platinum cylinder from his own belt. The Titan pressed a stud on the cylinder that unfolded into his Commander's Mace. It eerily glowed with a greenish light and was topped with a wicked-looking flanged head. Zavala raised his mace over his head then roared as the winds swirled around the gathering.
"I am Zavala, Commander of The City's Titan Corps! I invoke the Rite of Recall and summon forth Keisari dux Hawkmoon; Foehammer, Berserker, Ravager of the Unclean. Step forth among the living once more Titan!"
Zavala swung his Commander's Mace and struck the Iridium Crozier that rang like a thousand church bells that echoed throughout the cube. A bright light flashed which momentarily blinded those assembled on the main deck. In front of The Speaker and the Vanguard materialized a Titan armored in Durga GNT-S heavy plate colored jet-black with crimson stripes. Around the Titan's waist was The Mark of the Executioner which was given only to a select few at Twilight Gap. Keisari dux Hawkmoon, a legendary guardian among The City's Titan Corps, took his first steps in a different world. His ghost, 0-7-F or Oh-Seven, floated next to him. Cersei adjusted the defensive counter-measures of the station since the Vanguard made their concerns known back on Earth. She didn't share the Speaker's optimism regarding Fireteam Obsidian.
Cayde-6 drew his spinmetal smatchet as he approached the Speaker. The hunter flicked his wrist downwards and watched as the smatchet's blade lengthened to the size of a short sword. Blue lightning coruscated along the length of his blade as he raised the weapon over his head. Cersei's voice boomed again through the chamber as the winds began to howl again.
"0-8-Foxtrot, arise! Heed the call of your Speaker! Prepare yourself and your partner to hunt the Darkness once again…"
The Exo Hunter reached behind his cloak and took a writhing Mumbai pit-viper with his right hand. The snake tried to penetrate the hunter's armor with its fangs to no avail. Cayde-6 slit the pit-viper on its underside, from its triangular head to the end of its tail. Long, flowing ribbons of blood fell onto the deck. As it touched the glowing circles of power, smoke rose and more blue lightning crackled in the air. Cersei kept an eye on the status boards making sure the swirling energies here didn't jeopardize the station.
"I am Cayde of the Exo, Master of the Hunt and Prime of Those Who Hunt the Night. As leader of The Circle, I invoke the Rite of Recall and summon forth Sliver Longstride! Skull-Crusher, Heart-Piercer, most revered Warden of the Wastes! Stalk the Darkness with your brothers once again Hunter!"
Cayde-6 threw the dying Mumbai pit-viper into the air then decapitated it. As the viper's head fell, the hunter swung the spinmetal blade and pinned it to the deck which burst upon contact with the coruscating lightning. A second bright flash of light blinded those assembled as a Guardian outfitted with crimson Dustwalker armor strode into the chamber. Onyx stripes could be seen on the revived Hunter's shoulder pauldrons, chest-plate, and greaves. A leather-handled, gut-hook fighting knife hung on the revived Hunter's left side while on his right side was a mono-edged tomahawk that bore Longstride's emblem: a soaring hawk in flight. Sliver Longstride held out his hand as O-8-Foxtrot floated towards him. Both Guardian and ghost seemed deep in silent conversation as the winds picked up around them.
The Speaker looked withdrawn and haggard. The Rite of Recall hadn't been used in centuries but the need was too great. The remaining active ghosts were reviving as many Guardians as possible to re-form The Phalanx, the City's Grand Army of Light. Yet as revived Guardians were trickling in individually and in small groups, it was in far fewer numbers than the Hive was creating. He still believed that Fireteam Obsidian would give The City the edge it needed to fight against the Darkness. Cersei called forth a squad of re-programmed Shanks which hovered along either side of The Speaker and the Vanguard. The chrome and black striped drones powered up their plasma cannons as Ikora Rey stepped forward with a golden rod inlaid with precious gems. She still harbored doubts about releasing a psychotic warlock no matter how much the Speaker reassured her. Armored shutters slammed down on all viewports as Cersei sealed the main chamber in case of atmospheric decompression. The ghost activated additional counter-measures including emergency beam-out back to the Tower. Cersei's voice boomed a final time throughout the station.
"0-Nine-Foxtrot, arise! Heed the call of your Speaker! Prepare yourself and your partner to return to the living world…"
As Cersei made her announcement, Ikora Rey murmured a couple of incantations herself as a protective shield flared into existence. She clutched the Rod of the Supreme with a tighter grip. Her body was drenched with sweat as she shouted to be heard over the howling winds.
"I am Ikora Rey, Supreme of the City and leader of the Coven. I invoke the Rite of Recall and summon forth Malx'ian Chak-Tii! Emissary of Oblivion, Shatterer of Hordes, Zenith of Annihilation we the Vanguard compel you to unleash havoc on the enemy once more! Step forth onto the material plane!"
Over the City, the Traveler pulsed once then a shockwave blasted forth that parted clouds and briefly caused thunderstorms over the vale. A brilliant golden-yellow beam streaked forth from the Traveler and struck the orbital prison above. Both the Speaker and the Vanguard struggled to stay on their feet. The other members of Fireteam Obsidian were comfortably seated in lounge chairs as their ghosts played back holographic video of the current situation on Earth and the rest of the solar system. Alarms sounded throughout the station, fire suppression systems blew out small fires, and Cersei switched on safety inter-locks that bled off excess energy into space. The ghost increased the strength of the structural integrity fields as a keening whine filled the chamber. It sounded like the howls of a thousand damned souls being released from hell.
A red-tinged gate opened before the group and stared in amazement at the spectral figure that leapt through the dimensional door. Ikora Rey recognized the legendary armor set worn by the warlock with abject horror. The King In Yellow. So the rumors were true of the warlock that dared to defy Supreme Callisto and clad himself in the Royal Robes of Hastur, The Terror of Aldebaran. The Elder Sign, Chak-Tii's bond, gleamed malevolently in the station's dim lighting. Seeing the people assembled before him, Malx'ian Chak-Tii gave a maniacal laugh. The sound chilled the Vanguard to the bone.
"Who dares to summon me back from beyond the void?", hissed the revived warlock. A whirling globe of void energy formed in his outstretched hand as the Shanks closed in threateningly around him. Cersei thought to herself, This was a really bad idea…
END PROLOGUE