"Now, until the Vanguard get a look at you, while we are in the Tower it's gonna be for your safety as well as everyone else's that you remain bound so you aren't perceived as a threat, and won't be shot down on sight the moment we land. Cool? As soon as I can trust you, I'll untie you and let you walk free beside me without trouble." Shadow explained sternly, almost as if she was talking to a youngling.
By this point Voxen was beginning to grow tired of being hunched over, but she wouldn't dare openly complain; so she nodded her head so they could be out of this ship faster and she didn't have to hutch over any longer than she had to. Even if it meant she'd be going straight into a human lair with no weapons and bound up with no chance of defending herself if they decided to kill her where she stood. She placed her life into the single pair of hands of her newly declared Kell.
Shadow seemed satisfied enough that Voxen understood what needed to happen, nodded and walked into the pilot's seat to strap in for take-off. Voxen made do with the small chair in which she was close enough to sit next to and flopped down onto it, finally able to stretch out her spine a bit and relax for the trip. Despite the prisoner treatment, the Vandal ignored the fact she could chew through the ropes and free herself if she wanted right now.
Voxen's eyes flashed open suddenly jumping upward ramming her head into the ceiling of the ship, hard, hard enough to make her vision spin and force herself to fall right back into the seat she somehow had managed to fall asleep in for the trip. Standing next to her was the Huntress, hovering over her with another one of those odd threatening- but not supposed to be threatening expressions, this time without teeth.
"Caught some Z, huh? Figured it was nice that we didn't use the hyper drive to make the trip shorter. Gave me a chance to chit-chat with the Ghost for a game plan, and apparently you a chance to snooze. Oh, and I patched up those wounds too." The Guardian chuckled at Voxen.
"We've, so let's head out." The Ghost chirped. "The upside to this is we finally get a chance to study a Fallen up close. The cryptarchs will be pleased, and worried..."
"Only follow Kell." Voxen looked at the Ghost, almost glaring at the small robotic A.I. She didn't want to stray far while literally in the den of what would be full of not just humans, but Guardians armed to their teeth with weapons to kill her with. Besides she wished to prove her loyalty to her new Kell and earn some trust. At least her wounds quit throbbing.
"Ladies. You're both pretty, comm'on, let's get this over with." Shadow stepped in. Reaching over and untying Voxen's rope from the ship so they could get on with it.
With the rope in hand the Huntress hit the bottom to open the door and made her way out of the ship and into the hanger. It was apparently wasn't that busy as there were only a few Guardians, and others humans, robots, and awoken that Voxen could only guess to be non-guardians with some purpose to be there, judging by the lack of gear they wore. At first all was going well. No one paid much heed to a Huntress and her Ghost's arrival, so used to the coming and goings of Guardians from the hanger. That was until they passed by a semi-humanoid robot that's single eye went from blue to red upon seeing Voxen.
"ERROR, ERROR, INTURDER, INTUDER-ALERT! ALL NEAR BY GUARDIANS! SINGLE INTURDER TARGET SPOTTED!"
And then all eyes turned onto them, and there was a rush of more Guardians that the Vandal hadn't seen before surrounding them with guns drawn and aimed at her. She shrank down, almost cowardly, noting that her odds weren't good. She looked to the Huntress that brought her here, and Shadow seemed unphased with all the guns in her direction but she had stopped.
"It's cool guys, she's tied up and I disarmed 'er. I got 'dis!" She exclaimed into the crowd of very agitated Guardians.
A large Titian stepped forward from the crowd, but refused to lower his weapon. He didn't wear his helmet, and Voxen could see his blue-grey skin and glowing eyes of an Awoken.
"Hunter..." He growled.
"Hey it's cool."
"What's the meaning of this?!"
"Calm your tits. She's with me. She surrendered and I thought it'd be a good chance to learn a bit about the Fallen enemy out there."
The Titian growled again, storming straight up to Voxen and put a large pistol-like weapon to her face. It was hard for her not to want to react as she wanted to, which was to defend herself and strike this strange awoken down.
Apparently, Shadow didn't like the gun in Voxen's face either, lashed out kicking the guardian between his legs without warning. He groaned, dropped the weapon and knees first hit the floor. Voxen had never seen anything like it; more certain now that she'd picked a worthy leader to follow under. The huntress kicked the pistol away from the fallen Guardian and didn't give him any more heed as her attention went towards the crowd.
She pointed to Voxen with her free hand. "MINE! Got it? She causes any problems I'll put a bullet into her skull, myself!"
The crowd went silent, and the guns went down or were put away entirely. There was some murmurs and glares shot there way, but apparently the hint was taken to back off and everyone went back about their business.
"Hmmpt! I told 'em." The Huntress grumbled, and then started to make her way to the exit, pulling the Vandal along behind her.
"You didn't have to make your point like that against your fellow Guardians" The Ghost materialized beside her.
"He pissed me off."
"Apparently so. Glad to know you're still as violent as ever." A sing-song, almost light voice came from their right.
Making her way up a small flight of stairs was another Awoken, but female and a Warlock this time. Coming up to them without hesitation, and Shadow stopped to look over grinning when she saw the Awoken. Voxen was just confused...
"Raven! Hey! Saw that huh?"
"Yep. That was funny kicking that Titian in the balls. He's a jerk anyways; he doesn't take "No" for an answer."
"Ah, now I really don't feel bad for 'em. Thanks Raven."
"Anytime. Where you headed?"
"To the Vanguard. I'm going to get them to look Voxen over. She's stickin' around for a while I think."
"Voxen? You know its name... no wait her name?! It's a she?!" The Awoken suddenly became excited, almost bouncing up and down.
"Yes, Vox's a chick. You get to make Draco cough up the money! But I wanna see it when you do." Shadow laughed, taking her helmet off and clipping it to her belt.
"YOU GOT IT! I'm coming with you! Once you get the okay from the Vanguard, we get to go straight to the lounge and go rub it in his face!"
"Sure." Shadow continued out. Walking through up a flight of stairs and through a couple of weird choke-points that seemed to be scanning them as they went through. Voxen was just trying her best not to be overwhelmed with what was happening around her. Still getting some dirty looks from the locals as she went past them.
They made their way out into an open platform, and to their left Voxen watched as ships flew past and the Large sphere hung in the background, the Traveler as it was called by the Humans, looking beaten and worn. The Vandal stopped a moment to take it in and wonder if perhaps the Traveler had visited her species once upon a time? Might make sense why the Servitors, the very thing that kept them alive, were of the same shape... She might not ever know the answer.
"Heeeeey, Vox? Anyone home?"
Voxen snapped out of her own thoughts and chirped as she looked towards the Huntress and Warlock that stared at her.
"Sorrrrrry my Kell... Was thinking."
"Huh. Okay. And stop with the Kell shit. You can call me by name, I won't bite." Shadow shook her head at the Vandal. Raven seemed amused by the whole thing.
"Kell huh? That's cool. Explains why she hasn't put up a fight."
"Yea, yea. Come on, let's get on with it."
Shadow lead them down a small flight of stairs and to the right, close by another Awoken that wrapped himself in a gold robe. He looked their way, about to say something, but he caught sight of Vox and his mouth just remained open and speechless as they continued to walk past him without heed. They took a left just before they got to another set of stairs that would take them up again, heading towards an opening that looked like they were going down instead. Heading down through, yet another set of stairs Voxen saw a Banner of sorts carved into a wall that awaited them. She guessed it had to be the Banner of the Guardians that lived here and she wondered if there were any other Houses of Guardians or if they all fell under the same one.
While her mind wondered again, she was lead through a hall, and missed the uneased and agitated glares she was getting as they walked on through.
"Hunter."
Voxen snapped her attention back on this strange world that opened around her. Apparently, someone had run the news over to the "Vanguard" first, as there Guardians stood before them to meet them. The one that had addressed them first was a very hostile looking Warlock that stood beside a grim-looking Titan, and another Hunter. The Hunter was hard to read as "he" was one of those human-like robots, these didn't just seem to rattle basic stuff, but to actually fight and move as if they were a self-thinking, living creature. His glowing eyes seemed to be focused curiously on her.
"You've caused quite the commotion Guardian. Why have you brought one of the enemy here?" The Titan demanded sternly.
Shadow merely shrugged her shoulders. "I was ambushed outside of the Mothyards by her group. They all died, save for her. She surrendered, in a way, and keeps callin' me her Kell for some strange reason. She hasn't tried to take a stab at me since, and I figured she'd be good to learn more about the Fallen from."
"That was... Risky, but gusty and smart. Not bad Hunter." The Exo replied, without removing his gaze from Voxen. To Voxen he seemed adventurous and a bit reckless, but so far he had the best reaction. "Your friend here got a name?"
"I am Voxen." Vox needed no prompting for that.
"A "she". By the way." Shadow added, and Raven giggled.
The Titan stepped forward, hands behind his back as if to convey he wasn't going to react violently, but merely getting a closer look at her. With Voxen bound, it meant to her that she didn't need to worry about being able to defense herself. He got right up in her face, well as much as he could anyway. For an Awoken or even a Titan, he was pretty large but he still fell short a few inches compared to Voxen's full height. She breathed in and took in his scent to remember him later. Then he stepped back and grunted.
"It doesn't seem to have any ill intent." He began. "Hunter, what do you plan on doing with it?"
"She wants to stay in my company. I have no problem with it. Get her some new gear so she doesn't look fresh from a Skiff, so no one's trigger happy, and call it good." Shadow answered, glaring at the Titan.
"Make sure your Ghost keeps a record of it-... her, to send to us so that we may be able to study her behavior." The Warlock spoke, her voice sounded a little less hostile towards Voxen and her Kell.
"I suggest you also get the Speaker's approval too. Perhaps he can even give Voxen something to keep Guardians from shooting her without question." The Hunter leader added.
Shadow huffed, rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Humans' gestures were so strange to Voxen, something she would have to learn she supposed.
"Alright, we'll go bug that asshole..."
"You should show him more respect Huntress." The Warlock growled, narrowing her eyes at her.
"Why? I still remember when he gave me that long pointless speech when my Ghost first brought me to him, "I could tell you" this that and the other, but no, I won't 'cuz I'm a dickwad and I love confusing new Guardians!" Shadow snapped back.
Voxen heard a snicker from Raven beside her. "She's got a point."
The Warlock leader looked very agitated again. "GO! Leave from my sight before I do something rash with you."
"Don't need to tell me twice. I'm out. Come on Vox!" Shadow turned and beckoned for Voxen to follow. She did as her Kell asked willingly, regardless whether she was still bound her not. Raven followed after them both, giggling again as they went.
As soon as they had come out from the entrance to the little tunnel Raven looked to Shadow "Nice job pissing off Ikora Rey. It's funny to see how irritated she can be when someone doesn't practically worship the Speaker."
"Eh, anytime."
They made their way to the other side of the tower, through a damp hall that had some standing water puddles in it, and down into a large cylinder room with a large ball in it that Voxen didn't understand. Up on top of another flight of stairs stood a human with a blank faceless mask and white robes, looking down at them as if he had been awaiting their arrival.
"Greetings, Guardians and... to our Fallen friend here." They were greeted at what Voxen assumed was the Speaker. "I had heard there was a Fallen in the tower, but I had not expected this. What brings you to me?"
"I'm sure you know more than you're letting on, Speaker, but Voxen wishes to stay in my company. The Vanguard agree it would be a good way to study the Fallen without getting shot at, they also figured you could help in making sure she isn't shot on sight while she's here." Shadow replied, her voice almost a growl.
"I can see this Fallen isn't hostile, different somehow as well, but however all I can offer in to assist in keeping it alive is to send you to Banshee and the Outfitter with a special request with my Blessing so as they don't give you any trouble." He answered as if Shadow hadn't been so aggressive in her tone with him. His voice and appearance, unsettled Voxen as if there was something beneath she couldn't quiet grasp about him.
"Alright, guess that's better than nothin'." Her Kell huffed, clearly irritated with him.
"I'll send my Ghost with you to stick with you until you leave the Tower. This way no one will bring the Vandal harm and none of the venders will give you trouble either." The Speaker sent forth his Ghost and it flew over to them, nodding a blinking its eye at them in greeting. "Good luck."
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