Zachary glanced over at the woman who walked at his side, still struggling to come to terms it.

"Mars. Eighty-four North, thirty-two East. Meridian Bay," Uldren had grit out.

"Our Weaver shall join you," the Queen spoke, looking down at him. "To protect our investment."

The tall dark-haired woman at the side of room moved, standing up straight, and then stepped forward into the light, and he barely managed to contain his surprise.

She was human.

Not Awoken. Human. In the Reef.

No brightly-colored glowing eyes or odd shifting patterns of light or blue-to-purple skin tone.

Human. Caucasian. Dark green eyes and near-black hair. Tall, only an inch shorter than himself and he was fairly tall.

And yet she'd still turned and bowed her head to the white-haired woman standing regally on the raised dais before them, seeming to pass between the two momentarily, between green and pale blue-glowing irides, before it was gone. "By your leave, my Lady."

A human in the Reef who followed the Queen.

He'd never heard of someone like that.

"He's worried."

Zachary almost stumbled at her words. He hadn't expected her to even try to talk. "What?"

The woman looked at him. "The Prince. He is worried what you might mean for the Reef. What antagonizing the Vex might bring. An end to a period of precarious stability and peace."

The strange Exo's words came to him. "A side should always be taken, Little Light. Even if it's the wrong side."

"Why is a human in the Reef?" he found himself asking.

She looked at him, one eyebrow raised, and he couldn't help but be reminded of the Queen's own imperious looks only minutes ago.

"Because I never left," she answered cryptically.

That was such a Warlock answer. Answers that told you everything and nothing all at once.

…He was definitely going to need Rigel's help decoding that one.

"We're going into an active war zone," he noted. Are you ready for that?

She just nodded, and then glanced at him as they arrived at the jumpship hangers. "Oh, don't worry about me. I've killed many, many Cabal before."

Oh. Good. At least one of them had, then.

He'd never even been to Mars.

"Don't worry! We can do this!" a feminine voice stated confidently.

Zachary blinked. A Ghost.

A Ghost had suddenly appeared from behind the fabric wrapped around Weaver's neck, floating out and around her head. And yet she was like no Ghost he'd ever seen, all black metal and sharp shifting edges.

"You're a Guardian!"

The woman gave him a Look. "Risen," she corrected.

What?

Zachary's Ghost made a sound like he was clearing his throat (really, why did he do things like that?) and spoke up. "Ah. 'Risen' is what Guardians were called before the Vanguard," he explained helpfully.

The Look turned to the Ghost. "Aaand you're not part of the Vanguard. …Right."

"It's been a while since I've seen another Ghost!" Weaver's Ghost said, drifting forward and then around Zachary's. "You're rather… plain, though," she noted, looking over the blank white shell.

Zachary's Ghost drifted back towards him, and he got the distinct impression it would be blushing. "W-well, you know! We've been so busy! What with the Fallen. And the Hive. And the Vex. And…" he blinked, turning to Zachary. "You do get into a lot of trouble, Guardian."

"Kali…" the woman warned, and the black Ghost floated back towards her.

"Sorry, Sorry," the Ghost apologized.

"…So who's ready to go fight some Cabal?"