Beginning Pt1: The Mission

It was a normal day for Naomi as darted through the wilds. The sun was shining brightly on Nessus. Naomi would have just sat around and enjoyed the day, but she was here on a mission. She had to find out what the Vex where doing here. She had already meet Failsafe, who was an AI with a spilt personality disorder and the only thing felt of the Exodus Black.

{Failsafe is weirding me out.} Raven said.

{I know. It's like talking to a happy hunter and a very serious Titan.} Naomi said as she ran and jumped around keeping a good speed in case something tried to kill her. She jumped from rock spire to rock spire getting deeper into the Vex territory lunching her void arrows to keep the Vex number low as she moved deeper into the shadows.

{I am surprised by the lack of Vex.} Noted Raven.

"Failsafe, what's with the lack of Vex." Asked Naomi.

They though they are still studying everything they can about Nessus, they are moving on to the moon. Explained the cheerful Failsafe. Apparently, they want to learn all they can about the Hive.

"The Vex and the Hive… I can see so many ways that can go down." Said Raven. "Mostly them trying to slaughter one another." Naomi laughs at Raven's theory given how spot on it was.

I can't wait to see what they learn. Said cheerful Failsafe. Hopefully they leave me alone. Said unpleasant Failsafe. Naomi and Raven sigh. This was going to be a long mission. Naomi slowed to a walk noticing a narrow corridor. She took a deep breath and squeezed through the corridor with a little bit of difficulty. She found her way into a clearing seeing a cuople Vex goblins sleeping against rocks. Activating her armor's new stealth ability, she sneaks by them not wanting to awake up unwanted attention.

{Found an access point?} Naomi asks. There had to be some kind of Vex terminal around to form them to discover exactly what the Vex were doing. There seemed to be something big going on.

{I have. But access is right below us.} Said Raven.

{Then down we go. See if you can find a way down that doesn't involve me falling to my death and having to respawn.} Naomi requested. Raven only laughed before beginning to find a safe way down.

{Marking the path now.} Raven said.

"Failsafe keep us posted if anything up top changes." Asked Naomi.

I will be more then glad to be of assistance. Said cheerful Failsafe. Even if you aren't my captain. Said unpleasant Failsafe in a rude tone. Naomi rolls her eyes.

"Every little bit helps." Said Raven. Naomi follows the path that Raven made for her and stops at the edge of a cliff noticing floating rocks.

"Failsafe what's with the floating rocks?"

The Vex caused this. But as to how or why, I am afraid I can't answer that. Explained cheerful Failsafe. Please be careful Guardian Naomi.

"Will do you, thanks Failsafe." Naomi said jumping from floating rock to floating rock.

{You think this is a trap?} Asked Raven noticing the Vex weren't around at all.

{Since when is it never a trap?} Asked Naomi as she landed on the other side of the floating rock chasm. They notice a little pillar of light in the center. Naomi reads her gun as she lets Raven scan it.

{Interesting.} Raven notes scanning the pillar of light.

{What?}

{The Vex plan to use Nessus as a testing grounds for bringing in creatures from other realities.} Raven explains still scanning. Naomi takes a quick look around noticing that there were still no Vex. This was getting weird.

{So, the city could have more enemies?} Asked Naomi worried that was what the Vex where planning to do.

{Possibly. But the Vex are very interested in this one reality. Something about Spartans.} Raven said not sure what to make of it. She kept digging while trying not to alert the Vex.

{Like Ancient Greece Spartans?}

{Something like that, I'm guessing. This data is incomplete though. But it does have a location of a Vex teleporter that they plan on using for these series of tests.} Raven explained.

{So, where is it?}

{Looks like it's at Watcher's Grave in the center of Arcadian Valley.} Raven said invested tone.

{Why am I not surprised?}

{Because the Vex love toying with us. Let's get moving.} Said Raven as Naomi nodded.

T—a hour later—T

Naomi drove her sparrow around Nessus trying to reach Watcher's Grave. She had to make a cuople small stops to deal with Fallen patrols. They down right hated her disappearing act and void arrows. They didn't even get a chance to fire back. Naomi saw them as good practice and a warm up, so she would be ready to face off with the Vex. By the time she got to Watcher's Grave she found a good perch to survey the area. The Vex didn't lack a sense of style when it came to building things.

So that must be the teleporter that Raven mentioned. Thought Naomi looking at the large floating circle in the center of the Arcadian Valley in Watcher's Grave. She noticed a lot of Vex guarding it. There were even four Gate Lords where around it. They all were stuck in a worshiping position.

{Raven?}

{They've already started their first test from the looks of it.} Raven said monitoring the portal's growing energy levels.

These readings are off the charts. Be careful Guardian Naomi. Warned both cheerful and unpleasant Failsafe.

Did they both just talk? Wondered Raven and Naomi. Failsafe was more confusing than trying to figure your way out of the Infinite Forest. Which Naomi would never do. She had no interest in getting stuck in that place.

{They're right about the readings being of the charts. Portal looks to be getting unstable.} Raven says.

{What should we do? Stop them? Or see if it works?}

{See if it works then piss them off.} Said Raven with a shit-eating tone. Naomi smiles and agrees getting her bow ready. The light of the portal gets so bright and Naomi has to look away.

"What the fuck is that!?" Naomi tensed hearing a voice it sounded like Cayde.

"Run!"

"Look out Vale!"

"BUCK!"

"TANAKA!" Then the light stopped, and the portal shut down with a piece of it missing.

{Well that was interesting.} Raven noted.

{Looks like it worked. Look there are people, I think.} Naomi said noticing the four armored bodies passed out on the ground. She also notices that most of the Vex where taken out by the portal. Except for Vex Gate Lords.

{The Vex are going to kill them.} Raven said.

{Well let's save them.} Naomi said launching several shots of her bow before disappearing to another perch. The Gate Lords didn't stand a chance. But knowing the Vex, there would be more. Naomi ran over to the four-unknown people and slid to one of them.

"Wake up!" She shouted at one of them. There was a groan of a female voice coming from the one she was shaking.

"Tanaka?" Asked the woman.

"No, girl you need to wake up." Said Raven as the woman shot up alert. She looks around and jumps at the sight of Naomi and Raven.

"Take easy miss." Said Naomi in a clam tone.

"Who are you? Where am I? Oh god, Buck!" She rushes over to the other one next to her. "Buck wake up!" Buck groans.

"Vale? You okay?" He asks, and Naomi and Raven look at one another in shock hearing Buck's voice. He sounded exactly like Cayde! Vale helps Buck sit up. "Who is that?"

"I am Guardian Naomi Lea." She introduced herself. "And this is Raven." She gestures to Raven.

"Hello there…"

"I'm Spartan Buck. And this is Spartan Vale." Buck introduced as they stood up. "Where are we?"

"Nessus." Explained Naomi.

"Buck! Vale!" The other two of the group came running over.

"Locke." Said Buck.

"Tanaka." Said Vale.

"You both alright?" Asked Locke.

"A little dizzy." Said Buck.

"Peachy." Vale said with sarcasm. Tanaka chuckles and Locke might have been smirking. Locke looks over at Naomi.

"Who are you?"

"Formal introductions are going to have to wait, Mr. Locke." Naomi said respectfully. They were going to need to leave soon. The Vex could arrive at any minute.

"Mind telling us where are?" Locked asked.

"Nessus." She said. "Speaking of which, this area might not be safe for long. Come with me." She said.

"Why?" Asked Buck.

"We'll explain more when we reach Failsafe." Said Raven.

"Failsafe?" Asked Tanaka.

Accessing your coms now. Hello, I am Failsafe AI of the Exodus Black. Cheerful Failsafe said through their coms. Guardian Naomi I am detecting Vex teleportation fluxes around your location.

"Shit." Naomi said. "I hope your guns are loaded." Said Naomi.

"Because you four are about head into a fight of your lives." Continued Raven as the Vex appeared out mini storm clouds.

"Aw hell." Said Buck as they all took aim. They fired on the Vex and the Vex fired back. Naomi uses her subclass to help weaken the numbers.

"How did she do that!?" Asked Buck watched Naomi while he took out a hobgoblin. Then he hit another one only for it to heal and attack him. Today was so not his day.

"What are these things!?" Asked Vale.

"Evil robots called Vex!" Shouted Naomi.

"Mother hell they teleport!?" Demanded Tanaka seeing her target, a minotaur, move.

Yes. The Vex have been converting this entire planetoid, killing all living organisms, reformatting molecules, and digitizing brain waves for further study. It's all a rather fascinating process! There are even parts of Nessus that have little streams of Radiolaria, otherwise known as Vex Mind fluid which is completely organic. Said cheerful Failsafe.

So, the Vex aren't just robots. Thought Locke processing the information Failsafe had given them.

They are like, so smart. Said unpleasant Failsafe.

"Um…" Buck began not sure what to make of the rude tone he heard in Failsafe's voice.

"Those are our friends. Allow me to introduce you to Cheerful Failsafe and her evil twin Unpleasant Failsafe." Said Raven.

If I had feelings, they would be hurt! Said cheerful Failsafe.

Cheerful and Unpleasant? Questioned Vale.

"Sounds like she's going through rampancy." Said Tanaka believing to already understand what Raven meant. Tanaka head shots another minotaur and covers Locke as he "Spartan Charges" a small group of hobgoblins.

What's rampancy? Asked cheerful Failsafe.

"It's when an AI begins to die." Tanaka explained. "They start showing side effects after seven years of being put into service."

"Well that's strange." Said Raven.

"What is?" Asked Vale.

"Failsafe and the Exodus Black crashed here on Nessus centuries ago." The ghost explained.

"Centuries!?" Exclaimed Locke as he took down a Vex goblin.

Why yes. The Exodus Black crashed here many centuries ago. You could ask the crew about it. Said Cheerful Failsafe. But they're all like super dead. Said Unpleasant Failsafe.

"Okay… this has to be the weirdest conversation I've had yet." Noted Buck.

"I know. The fact that Failsafe is malfunctioning this bad, due to rampancy for centuries is kind of sad." Said Vale agreeing with her teammate.

Spartan Buck, Spartan Vale kindly delete yourselves. Said cheerful Failsafe. I hate you both. Said unpleasant Failsafe. Naomi and Raven struggled down a laugh. They managed to clear out the Vex a few seconds later.

"Damn they were tough." Said Buck. "I would like to go back to fighting Promethean and Covenant." Buck asked looking at the sky as his team laughs to themselves also wishing the same.

Naomi shakes her head. These guys are in for the shock of their lives. "Come on, follow me. We need to bunker down in the Exodus Black, so I can explain what's going." Said Naomi. They nod and follow her.

Here? But my hull is in 108 pieces. Decks 1 through 20 are buried. And my coolant system… Trails off cheerful Failsafe. Then unpleasant Failsafe groans aloud and says, I am a mess.

"Oh, we know, Failsafe. We know." Said Buck making everyone struggle down a laugh. They hurried through Watcher's Grave having to shot Fallen as they go.

T—sometime later—T

They had finally reached Failsafe's position by the end of the day. The whole group was exhausted from all the running and shooting.

"Welcome; Guardian Naomi, Raven-Unit, Spartan Buck, Spartan Vale, and…"

"Spartan Locke, and this is Spartan Tanaka."

"Oh! Well, welcome all of you. It is so nice to meet you all in person." Said cheerful Failsafe. "I am so glad you're here." Unpleasant Failsafe said rudely.