Of all the ketches patrolling the borders of the city, one appeared different. Markings along its sides asserted it was Phaetin's newly appointed flagship, and as such the very warlock comfortably took his seat at the helm of the vessel within its bridge. Trusted eliksni scurried about, tending to all aspects of the ship's functionality when a pair of peculiar individuals entered the bridge.
"Earth is yours, sir," a fellow warlock announced as he and his hunter associate approached Phaetin.
"Excellent," Phaetin beamed, spinning around in his throne to greet his loyalists.
"What's our next move, boss?" Roxy asked, crossing her arms in anticipation.
"Next," Phaetin grinned, staring into the eyes of his loyalists with a burning passion. "Next, I think I'd like a chat with the Cabal's new primus."
At his words, Darius called upon his ghost to project a map of the Sol System. "About the Cabal, sir: they've been retreating. Ikora's Hidden have been keeping close tabs on our adversaries, and have noticed they're consolidating their forces at a single location."
"That location being?" Phaetin questioned.
"That location being Fleetbase Acropolis, on Mars," Darius stated. "They know you're coming for them."
Slowly, Phaetin rose from his throne. "Fleetbase Acropolis," he muttered as he rose, a hand going to his respirator as he pondered his next move. "They wish for one last, great battle. They shall have it."
"The facility is like nothing we've seen before when it comes to Cabal infrastructure," Darius informed. "Instead of being short and long, the structure is thin and tall. It juts up from the Martian sand to nearly a mile in the sky. Cannons line its enormous tower, with docking platforms for numerous warships to refuel all around it. The structure will not be easy to conquer, especially with every last Cabal legion in the system relocating to it," he further explained.
"Indeed," Phaetin admitted as he turned to gaze out the ketch's viewport. "Make contact with any guardians currently on Mars. We could use additional information about the structure before we engage their forces. When Cabal inhabit a location, they dig in deep. I expect this to be no different."
/
"That should be the end of him!" Porter shouted with enthusiasm as he looked to the collapsing skyscraper before him.
"There was a gravitational field distortion," Hercules informed his comrade, looking around as if a ghost had just snuck past them. "I do not believe Gulfrax died in the collapse."
Porter turned in disbelief, though realization eventually flooded over his face. "He'd better be dead, because otherwise you just wasted 75,000 glimmer to watch Drifter do some demolitions work."
Hercules growled at the warlock's comment, and angrily slammed his fists together. "You owe me for this," he snarled.
However, before the two could further engage in an argument, a communication link suddenly came through both their helmets. Porter was the first to answer. "Hello?" he charismatically announced.
"Guardians of Mars," Darius's voice came through.
"I don't think he's talking to me," Porter remarked to Hercules, who was also listening to the message.
"It's a prerecorded message," Hercules explained, agitation in his voice as if he had just described a simple concept to a five-year-old.
Darius's voice continued to speak. "Rasputin's Warsats have spotted Red Legion Primus Ur'azur consolidating all known Cabal assets at Fleetbase Acropolis. They appear to be readying for humanity's push against them. We know the basic outline of the facility, but more specific details are required before an assault can be commenced. We are urging all guardians currently on Mars to investigate the region. Any helpful information will be greatly reward," Darius informed. Eventually, his message faded, and the two guardians were left staring at each other with curiosity.
"Fleetbase Acropolis? He's talking about the giant spire jutting up from the Olympus Mons, right?" Porter asked for clarification.
"It would appear so," Hercules affirmed.
"All I really heard in the message was something about a reward. If that means getting us some well-deserved glimmer back in our pockets, I'm game," Porter stated.
"We must tread with caution," Hercules advised. "He said all Cabal forces were linking up there, remember? That means the Red Legion will be there, along with the Blind Legion, Dust Giants, Ice Reapers, Sand Eaters, Siege Dancers, and Skyburners. Hundreds of warships will undoubtedly be soaring around the structure, with thousands if not millions of well-trained warriors monitoring all activity around the fleetbase," he continued to warn, though Porter paid his concerns little attention.
"If we can handle a Hive god…" Porter began to say as his golden sparrow materialized beneath him. "I think we can handle a bunch of fat turtles." With that, he sped off in the direction of their target, with Hercules letting out a deep groan before finally summoning a sparrow of his own.
It took the pair nearly an hour to reach their destination, but they did it. As they raced through a narrow canyon to the massive spire beyond, the roaring engines of a Cabal carrier overhead tipped them off to being in the right location. They continued to zoom forward, until finally they were out of the canyon and heading toward a barren hill ahead. It was then that Hercules advised against continuing on sparrow, and the two hopped off in order to climb the hill with some level of stealth in mind. They crept silently up to the peak of the hill, and there found a single tree, devoid of all leaves, staring out on the world of war beyond.
"That's a lot of Cabal," Porter remarked out of astonishment. Below lay a see of neatly organized Cabal legions marching in tight formation. Harvesters dropped off and picked up squad after squad, with carriers unloading goliath tanks to the front lines for defense. Porter then glanced up for a better look at the fleetbase itself, and noticed hundreds of massive anti-personnel turrets lining the spire's walls.
"You never take me at my word, do you?" Hercules questioned, a hint of irritation in his voice.
Porter simply shrugged. "Alright, now we need a plan for sneaking in."
"Mind if I cut in?" a humanly voice asked from behind the pair. In a heartbeat, the two guardians whipped around with their rifles raised, only to quickly lower them at the presence of a hunter cloaked in the armor of the Future War Cult.
"Who might you be?" Porter asked.
"Quinary," the hunter replied. "And you are?"
"Porter, and this is Hercules," the warlock answered, gesturing to the titan beside him as he did so.
"It would seem we have a common goal," Quinary pointed out. "What say we scout out the facility together?"
Porter nodded his head as if to agree, when a bright beam of light suddenly illuminated their position. "Drat," the warlock muttered as he looked up. A harvester was overhead, and a moment later Cabal were leaping out to meet their adversaries. Members of the Dust Giants landed around the guardians, with phalanxes moving to the front of their scattered formation to protect the legionaries.
Hercules was the first to get off a shot, allowing Good Counsel's bullets to fly true and blow open the helmet of a phalanx before it could lift its bulky shield in defense. Porter then followed, whipping around with his pulse rifle to clear out the legionaries in the direction of the fleetbase. Bullets zipped in all directions as the guardians hastily attempted to fight off the encroaching Cabal. Additional harvesters released new squads of warriors, this time from the Siege Dancers and Sand Eaters.
Through the sea of flying bullets came Quinary, whose shiny blue hand cannon lit up the skulls of three legionaries before their phalanx counterparts could move into position. The hunter was not as experienced in combat as the others, yet had a fearful kind of acuteness to his surroundings the others did not possess. He planted his feet firmly in the ground and allowed his right arm to be the focus of all his movement. He would nail the arm of a phalanx, forcing it to reveal its vulnerable head, and fire. Then, he would whip around to another Cabal position and fire again. All the while enemy rounds would nick his armor, even blow a hole in his cloak, but never penetrate his flesh. In the heat of battle, his calm and near motionless way of handling his foes seemed to make him invincible.
The group continued their elimination of the Cabal, until finally none remained on the sandy hill. "Well, that could have gone better," Porter remarked, frustrated at the inconvenience of being spotted.
"More will surely be on the way," Quinary stated. "Perhaps it would be best to retreat for now."
"Without any information?" Hercules questioned. "As much as I want to agree with you, hunter, we are low on glimmer and desperately need this job completed."
The guardians were on the verge of arguing further, when they heard footsteps approaching. "Perhaps, there is no need for investigation," an eerie, threatening voice uttered. The guardians turned, only to see that the figure was not alone. "Information, I possess."
Porter sighed. "This is getting weirder and weirder."
/
Phaetin sat at the helm of his flagship, staring intently out at the lush mountains beyond the city walls. "For the first time in centuries, my kind may actually journey to such places without the fear of obliteration," Phaetin said to himself. True enough, humans were no longer limited to the city's walls. They were free, at least on Earth. However, Phaetin's blissful moment was disturbed by the sound of numerous feet clanking into the bridge. He spun around in his throne, only to be met with nearly a dozen figures before him. "What do we have here?" he asked with intrigue.
Darius introduced the group. "These guardians say they came from Mars, and their tale of this eliksni is most peculiar. I figured you would want to speak with them in person," Darius explained.
"Very well," Phaetin obliged. "Speak, guardians."
"Actually, it's the eliksni who wishes to do most of the speaking," Porter replied, moving aside for the Fallen scribe to step past. The eliksni's few followers were also present.
"Phaetin Moraki," the eliksni addressed the grand warlock. "Kell of Fallen, yes? Remember I am Variks, former scribe to House Judgement. Now, House Judgement's Kell."
"I thought I conquered all Fallen," Phaetin replied.
"Almost all, yes," Variks answered. "I became stranded on Mars, during which I found Fleetbase Acropolis. At first, its tunnels were abandoned, granting my followers and I a home. Now, Cabal infest it to the brim."
"So you understand its layout fairly well?" Phaetin theorized.
"Yes," Variks acknowledged. He certainly appeared older, and perhaps even wiser than the other Fallen in the room. His banner was weathered by the passage of time, and his former height had been reduced by a lack of ether. Now he stood at his traditional seven feet in height, with his few followers being of similar stature.
"Well, Variks, as long as you have valuable information for me, consider you and your followers welcomed guests aboard my ketch," Phaetin announced with a grin.