"Stuttgart, wake up," a voice was saying.
"Nooooooooo," Stuttgart replied in human tongue, bleary.
"Stuttgart, we'll be late for breakfast. You want to go hungry?"
"Noooooooo, let sleep."
"Stuttgart…"
"Nooooooooooooooooo."
"Fine, you asked for it."
Stuttgart, Vandal and now Guardian of Light, had the most rude awakening since Exiles as his Devil-banner hammock was suddenly tipped, dumping blanket, book-of-stories and him all onto the cold, cold floor in a storm of hissing and flailing limbs. Just like that, Stutt was awake, looking scornfully for the sneaky Dreg what though they could get away with… Oh. Not an Exile dreg. Ren!
"You awake now?" she asked, trying not to laugh.
"Hrrrr, wish wasn't yet." Stuttgart replied, reaching back in the hammock for his cloak as he unfolded his lanky frame from the floor.
"Well too bad. It's time to eat, for those of us what can eat." she said, her tone slightly... What was the word? Wistful.
"Food?" Stuttgart asked, fastening his cloak in place and cocking his head.
"Yep. Probably not stuff you're used to eating."
"Hrrrr, food is food. If better than Exile food…"
He left the statement unfinished as Ren burst out laughing, slapping him on the back. Already, so close as brethren, this new Crew, new Captain!
Rest of the crew had already left, headed to a courtyard, which is where Ren led Stuttgart. So open, so airy! Other Guardians were about, sitting in chairs or on carpets on the stone floor, surrounded by green, like Venus. So much green! All Guardians were eating or reading old books, and more than a few looked up at Stuttgart, the sudden faint scent of Ether. Some looked on with anger and uncertainty, Titans. Others, with curiosity, Warlocks. Hunters, greeted him. All around, a sort of gentle buzz, chatter. As Ren led him across the courtyard, most Guardians went back to their food and books, only a few continued to stare. None had as many eyes as he, but… so many! He felt rather alone, and awkward. Very, very awkward.
The Crew did not let him stay awkward for long, though. Oh, no, no, no, no. As soon as he was seated, cross legged on an old, old carpet, a heap of food was thrust in front of him. Meat, plants, things for which he had no words.
"G'wan, eat 'et." one Hunter, blue human, said, seemingly mouth full.
Stuttgart cocked his head, unclipped his mask. Hunters did not seem bothered by Ether, though Titan two tables away wrinkled their nose. Small bites he took, testing the food as the Crew watched, slowly beginning to eat faster and faster, larger and larger bites.
"So good," he mumbled around a mouthful of meat and some soft white stuff, drawing a laugh from the Hunters.
"Heh, told you." one said. "Mikey likes it!"
"Who Mikey?" Stutt asked, swallowing.
"Old Earth hero, don't worry about it." another replied.
"Hmm," Stuttgart mumbled, and went back to his breakfast. While he ate, the Crew chattered, discussed, argued. Plans, places, things to do. Patrols, missions… raids? Raids upon who, where, what? Stuttgart didn't ask, too occupied with eating.
Finally… Stuttgart ran out of things to eat. Wasn't all bad, he felt fuller than Servitor just finished with production cycle. Still… Stuttgart whined a little as he looked at the empty plate, clicking his mask back in place and sighing heavily.
"Enjoy breakfast?" Ren asked.
"Want more." he responded.
"Later, later." she said, and rose to her feet. Others of the Crew followed suit, so Stutt scrambled up.
"What now?" he asked.
Ren shrugged, gesture still very odd to Stuttgart.
"Now, we plan the mission for today."
So soon? Stuttgart cocked his head, made confused noise.
"What doing, mission so soon?" he asked, following the Crew out of the courtyard.
"Scouting, as per usual. What we need to figure out is where we're gonna go, and what we can expect."
"Ahh." he replied, not really understanding why. Normally, Captain said where to go, what to do. Crew obeyed. Of course, this not normal. Hunching down to fit a little better through a door and almost bumping into a Titan, Stutt followed the Hunters back to their 'den,' and sat cross-legged in his little den while they got a map… big map.
Map had to be long as a Captain was tall… Wasn't sure what it was of, just that it was big. Hunters huddled around it, speaking in excited tones, using term and words Stutt didn't know.
"This area?"
"Yeah, be on the lookout for…"
"The sort of danger in the…"
"What the hell else? Devils, probably a…"
"So, machine parts, power cells and what else…"
This was part of what little Stutt did catch as they planned, seemingly for hours. Finally, the others seemed to agree on something, and folded the map back up.
"We are ready?" he asked, unfolding himself.
"More or less. Grab your stuff." the leafy Hunter said, going to a room.
Stuttgart quickly gathered his weapons, giving a start when Little Light appeared… seemingly out of nowhere.
"Guardian! You seem to be settling in well." it remarked.
"Yes," Stuttgart said, lowering his upper arms from shock of Little Light's sudden arrival and putting his shock blade in it's holder. He'd have to get another… somehow.
"We are going on… mission?" he said to Little Light, groping for the word. So many new words, so little time!
"You ready?" Ren asked, appearing in armor and with many weapons. Stuttgart nodded, adjusting his Winter cloak.
"Good. Let's go." she said, and headed out of the den, towards the 'hanger.' Stuttgart and the rest of the Crew followed, and Stuttgart was privately excited. Not even a day in the Tower, and now they went forth to patrol… fight, perhaps?
Ahh, well. Time to learn how to Guardian.