Hey fellow Travelers. Sorry for the radio silence. I could make excuses, but I won't insult you all by doing that. Instead. Here is a late Christmas gift. I meant to have it up yesterday but editing and finishing the chapter took longer than expected. I also overhauled all chapters, as per the norm for my updates, added I think a thousand (?) words to the previous chapter? Once again. I apologize for the silence. And Remnant will be updated soon. Likely before the new year. I will be on leave starting on the 30th so plenty of time to write and unwind.
Cain-1? Here's the thing about him. Old guy. Been here since the Dark Age nearly. Bout 700 years old and the craziest Guardian I have seen. One of the best Hunters when he actually gets serious. I heard rumors about his first training session with Andal. The day Andal shows up and takes the first step in the spar he's ripped apart, blown up, then the bits left over incinerated. Cain had laid over 200 traps like that. That was just one. But as nutty as that bucket head is, he's one of the most loyal. Let me tell ya something though. He isn't afraid to get dirty. If it gets the job done? He'll do it. No matter what.
If you hurt his daughter?
...There's no other way to put it.
You're so far beyond fucked it's not even funny. If you hurt her, Light have mercy on you because he will Hunt you to the end of the stars and only when he is done tearing you apart atom by atom, then and only then will he allow you to die.
Getting Cain-1 angry, actually pissed off, is the worst thing you can possibly do. Look at when he fights Cabal for example.
He fuckin' destroys them every time with extreme prejudice.
No clue what they did to piss in his Light-O's but I hope I don't make that mistake.
-Hunter to Newly Risen Hunter
He had to call the Vanguard, immediately.
No more putting off an ass chewing. Not when the Dark was on Pandora. Not when lives were at stake.
He pulled out the device Shift had handed him and mentally braced himself, his mission persona sliding into place. Cain looked over the device before realizing one important thing.
He never had been told how to work the damned thing.
'Alastor, contact Shadow and ask how to work this.' Cain felt the nod through the neural symbiosis and waited. Once working instructions were received from Shift-13's Ghost, he quickly manipulated the device to an operating state and placed it on a surface that was eye level. It shot out a holographic line that scanned him before receding and dialing to a tune of, he smacked a palm to his helm, "Those damn Warlocks," the old Earth tune from Pre-Golden Age called Barbie World.
Those moronic geniuses.
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Back on Earth the Vanguard were in mid talks for various topics regarding the Guardians. They were interrupted by the sudden beeping of a device and the civilian workers on the various monitors around the room began to buzz with activity.
"C'mon folks, whats happening?" Cayde called, confused by the sudden motion.
One particular worker, an ebony haired woman with head half shaved by the name of Morrigan called out as the workers set up what was needed. "Sir, the device sent with War Hound has went active! Cain-1 is requesting a call!"
With that sentence, the trio understood the cause for sudden hubbub. It had been six months now since Cain had been missing, and they had been waiting with bated breath for the this moment.
"Put him through," Zavala stated.
A few moments later, a life-sized figure of the Nighthawk appeared on the center of the the table. "Aw man, did ya have to put him on my map?" Cayde whined, pouting as best an Exo could. Seeing his brother through bond he suddenly remember the very cross words he had been holding in, "Cain, you stupid son of a -" The Hunter Vanguard was cut off when The Nighthawk held up a single hand, in it the head of a Minotaur.
"Vanguard, we have a major problem." Cain stated bluntly. With that single sentence, that tone, and with the current object shown, Cain shifted the entire direction the trio had initially been planning to take.
The dressing down could wait.
"The Vex are in your system," Zavala spoke, his voice flat, "Where and how?"
"Unsure as to how Commander," Cain replied, his Nighthawk helm absent showing the seriousness on those metal plates of his face as he lowered the head to his side, "only one I have encountered so far and this one was found to be the source of a strange signal Alastor could not identify. It was found in a cave deep in the planet's crust. Unknown how long it has been there and transmitting. Estimates from decay of chassis place it between a seventy-five years to fifty. The fact more have yet to appear means either, best case, the transmission didn't reach other Vex, worst case, they're biding time planning, or a third option, something wiped them out."
Three of Cain's most trusted were silent for a moment before Ikora spoke, "What is it you believe?"
"The Minotaur showed signs of battle, its chassis scraped by blades and gunfire and Radoloric Container was destroyed from the outside. I am hoping best case, but truthfully? Luck has rarely been in our cards," he raised and looked at the head carefully, staring into its depths hoping it would provide insight before lowering the limb once more, "We may be looking at a worst case or outside force. I plan to have the Warlocks examine this alongside the other project tasked."
"Other project?"
Cain nodded sharply. "Yes, Warlocks Fox and Skitter have been tasked with examining a seemingly naturally occurring phenomena called 'Sirens' that seem eerily familiar to Light Abilities."
As Cain spoke, Cayde slowly tuned him out, too much egghead speech for his liking. Leave that to Ikora. He'd get the Hunter Version later. 'This persona never fails to unnerve me, its like when he lost Meri all over again,' Cayde reflected, 'Same seriousness, same emptiness, all business, no joke. Its so far from the lovable idiot. He actually doesn't hide the smart part like he always does.' One thing the Hunter said tore Cayde from his rumination and caught the attention of all in the room.
"-and Humans exist here. Exo's do not. Sentient robots do. Awoken do not. Alien wildlife does. Technology is inferior to Golden Age. Investigations are ongoing."
"Woah woah woah, wait a moment," the Hunter Vanguard piped up, waving his hands animatedly. "You're telling me humans, fully formed, two armed, two legged, humans like ours exist?" He looked to Ikora, "Isn't that mathematically impossible or something if they aren't our people? What language do they speak?"
Cain seemed to think for a moment. "English, and that is what is confusing. I am led to believe they may be a lost early Golden Age expedition that grew or an alternate timeline in which the Traveler has never visited Humanity. However, they know nothing of the Traveler, or anything about our Earth as we know it. Even their mythos doesn't reference it. In the near six years I've been here-" this time Cain was cut off as Cayde blinked then shared a look with Ikora and Zavala.
Ikora barely hid a grin.
"Um, six years? It's been six months here brother."
Cain paused, his body locked. "...copy. Alastor. Remind me to speak to Toles later. As I was saying, in the time I have been here I have noticed they are exactly like our Humans on a biological level, but they have no traces of Light, if we continue the theory of lost colony from our timeline, centuries of being away from the Traveler may have ceased its influence and thusly any legends. Which brings us back to the Siren's. How do they have their powers? Where do they come from? Is the Dark here? These are questions War Hound will find out and update on. Report finished." Cain relaxed a small amount, his form adopting a tiny bit of the slouch he normally had. "I have a request."
Zavala raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."
Cain crossed his arms, standing tall, a finger tapping his bicep in anticipation. "I wish to extend where I am for the time being and to inform those I work with about the Traveler, the Dark and Guardians. They may be facing a Collapse in the future and they have no idea the other team is bringing a nuke to a fist-fight."
"Ikora, Cayde, thoughts?"
Ikora motioned to Cayde as she thought on her own, sighing, he nodded, his arms crossed. "I vote he does. If they're our people or even if not, leaving them to the Dark is ain't somethin' I can stomach. If we can prepare them, go for it, if we need to evac 'em, do it."
Ikora nodded slowly, her mind racing with the possibilities a new branch of humanity would bring. "As much as I would prefer to have one of the Tower's strongest back home sooner rather than later, Cayde makes a valid point. We are Guardians. We guard humanity. No matter how far from home they are. Bring them back to their cradle."
Zavala nodded. "You have the go ahead Cain. Do what you believe is right. I know it is a formality considering the time dilations and the time so far spent, but you have full autonomy. If they require large scale evacuation, we shall assist."
Cain popped to attention and gave a Hunter's salute, two fingers pointed out with the rest folded to the palm with the thumb and a quick touch to the brow. "Copy all. Anything else?"
"You're an idiot for lettin' the Vex pull you into a trap." Cayde began, "But I'm glad you're safe Nighthawk. Give 'em hell and bring back some loot."
Ikora smirked, a rare expression for her. "We shall have save the dressing down for later I suppose."
"Go forth Guardian. May the Light guide you." Zavala finished, his hand signaling to end transmission.
The hologram of Cain faded and the call was ended.
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"Al," Cain called, his voice low. His Ghost emerged from his Light, ready to fulfill any order. "Connect me to all Guardians," once assured the connection was strong he began to speak orders that all Guardians prepared to hear if they were smart, "Beastmaster to War Hound. Activate Calamity Stratagem: Duskfall Protocol initiated, Time Stalkers present. Proceed to Base Sol. Further direction provided upon arrival of Beastmaster. Fulmin Vulpes and Sunbug to halt Siren investigation until guidance has been given. Nightfury in command, to be relieved upon arrival of Beastmaster. Shock Viper and Ironclad Beetle to gather Thrill Seekers, Red Captain, Mad Doctor, and Phoenix. Subdue Mad Doctor if necessary, fetch medical tables as well. Pup on overwatch. Once objectives complete, secure Base Sol and await further guidance."
With his bit said, Cain ended the connection and lowered a leg onto the other side of his Hornet and took off, a blazing trail in his wake.
The ride to Sanctuary was relatively short, still taking the better part of an hour. When he arrived inside the gates, on his first step he was immediately flanked by Shift-13 who held his Thorn at the ready, his invisibility dropping.
He said nothing.
No words were needed.
They moved to the house of Cain. Upon approach, he saw the glint of a barrel peek out from one of the two second floor windows.
Atta girl.
Alastor quickly relayed that Nyx would be present in her stead at the meeting. They arrived on the doorstep and heard many voices from inside. The door was pushed open and the loud chatter instantly ceased, the air becoming charged with something no one could explain.
"Cain," Roland said calmly from his position against the wall. "Mind informing us on what's going on? Why were we all ushered here, rather rudely might I add," he glared briefly at Sevin and Jabaho, who both stood with an an auto rifle and shotgun at the ready respectively. "Why was Tannis tied up? Why is there a medical table? Why won't any of your team say anything? Why are there more 'Ghosts?' Why-"
Cain walked by him and stood at the edge of the referenced table. Shift, Skitter and Fox immediately gathered around him.
He seemed so much bigger now. He stood taller, his presence that much more. This was not Cain, Sanctuary's Savior and gunslinging goofball. This was the Exo who had served the Traveler nigh on a millennia. This was Cain the Guardian. The Exo who had led teams into hellish nightmares and emerged victorious on the other side. This was Cain the God Killer. The man who held his own alone against the Fallen at Six Fronts until Shaxx had found him.
This was Cain the Nighthawk.
"Alastor." Cain ordered, his voice commanding compliance from all.
In a shimmer of blue, the inactive body of a Vex Minotaur appeared on the table. The Warlocks on either side of him shared a look, a silent conversation beginning.
"What...is that?" Tannis asked, an inquisitive glint in her eye from her position on the couch.
"That, Doctor Tannis, is a Vex Minotaur, one of the many enemies of Humanity and the Traveler. You will be free to examine it and reference our own notes after we are finished, in fact take notes over the course this conversation. They shall be useful in informing the populace. Before I continue, please hold questions until the end. Trust me. Now, I believe proper introductions are in order," Cain responded, his hands lowering his hood and disengaging the pressure seals on his helmet with a small hiss as the air leaked. All eyes were drawn to him now. Black metal peeked out and electric blue optics greeted their own. Cain stood before them in all his glory, Exo body on display.
"My name is Cain-1, an Exo Hunter of the Tower and leader of Fireteam War Hound. You may want to sit down Vault Hunters, there's a lot to talk about."
Gaige stared at the object of her affection while he talked, her head tilted in confusion as she took in the midnight metal. Her mind was overloading from the new information.
'Okay Gaige, back to the basics,' she thought. 'Cain's apparently a robot. Do we have a problem with that?' Not necessarily. He was sentient wasn't he? 'Wait does that mean he lied about the arm then?' I mean, it was logical wasn't it? We would have freaked otherwise probably...one way or the other. 'Trueeee...but how do we feel about this?' I don't think we have an issue. Something's bugging me though. He said Exo, unless that's a special name for a robot, it seems different. 'True. One second.'
"Cain, what's an Exo?" She asked, interrupting the Hunter in question, who was just about to speak to break the tense silence.
Blue optics blinked. Then a sigh. How he did that without lungs? Hell if she knew. Voice box? Simulated breathing? Lots of possibilities. "Shoulda known you'd have the question. And shoulda figured the robo-bits woulda been it," he slapped his thighs and sat up straight. "Alright you hungry wolves. Listen up because I'm only going over the humanoids once. Any other questions will be after." He took a breath.
Once again. How?????
"Okay, so firstly we have humans, like yourselves, on a place called Earth. Homeworld. Humans made Exos. A race of robotic bodies with implanted human consciousness," multiple hands shot up, and he simply gave them a tired glare, "Yes. That means I used to be human," the hands went down. "Got myself uploaded from squishy body to this one. Luckily I was custom made from what I have found in records. Most get a one size fits all, male or female. Rarely get one so close a fit. Turns out the bodies have to be as close to human as can be. Otherwise? The only human bit in the shell, the consciousness, freaks the fuck out. Go figure."
Hands shot up once more. A withering glare met them.
"Yes we have sex organs," the hands lowered. "No they don't have reproductive material. No we can't have kids. Yes we screw. Yes we eat. Yes we drink. Surprisingly use bathroom too. But Guardians? What we," he waved a hand to his team, who had been internally snickering at their leader's dilemma, "are? Moot point," Cain adopted a thinking pose for a moment, "at least I think. Never heard of a Guardian having a kid." He shook his head. "I digress. Sometimes we lose our memories and reset. Indicated by numbers after name normally. I've only been reset once. We have a gunsmith who has been reset 44 times. Moving on. Next we have the Awoken. Jaba. Helmet."
The mountain of a man stepped forward and removed his helmet, snow white hair coming into view, blue skin glowing softly. Cain thumbed towards the large fellow. "He ain't pale or dead. Natural skin tone. His people are originally human. Got trapped in some time-space bullfuckery that resulted in that. Some came back home to Earth when they escaped. Some didn't. Got all the same bits as humans. Some are pricks. Some are tall silent types like big Blue here. Thank you Jaba." Taking the dismissal for what it was, he moved back to his position, helm back in place.
Gaige noticed Zer0 had been paying particular attention to the Awoken portion.
Huh.
"So," Cain spoke back up, drawing attention. "Moving onto Guardians. Where to start?"
"The Traveler." The man with a cloak and glowing violet helmet by the window said. Shift if Gaige had the name right.
"Ah. Thanks Shift, he's an Exo by the way. The Traveler, man that is a story in and of itself." His eyes looked at nothing, his mind clearly far away. "I remember first seeing it." His optics refocused and 'blinked.' "It looks like a big ball of- oh. Wait. Al? You mind?" His Ghost flew out, Green crystal shell in view. Another with a black shell and red eye flew out as well. They both cast a cone of blue light into the air, a hologram forming between them.
It was a mostly whole ball with a branching hole on the bottom, missing pieces of the shell.
"It looks like that. But white and almost nine miles in diameter," she felt her eyebrows shoot up, her shock was mirrored throughout and Tannis moved to speak up, but was quickly silenced with a look from Roland. "Yeah. That big. How to describe it...okay. Scientific version first. Its a paracasual machine with sentience on a level we cannot understand. It is capable of terraforming planets from uninhabitable hell holes over," he did a quick calculation, using his fingers of all things. "800 degrees hotter than this, air pressure that is equal to sea floor readings, clouds of sulphuric acid, and volcanoes galore, or the closest planet to our sun, into garden worlds using a paracausal energy called Light. More on that later. It created the Ghosts, and advanced us forward in tech by hundreds of years. In simple terms?" The Hunter's gaze matched theirs individually. "It's a god. Al? Mind explainin' yourselves?"
Alastor dipped in a nod and broke the connection with Shadow, who floated silently by his fellow Light construct.
"I, like all my fellow Lights here," began Alastor, his blue eye roving over all present, "am a Ghost. We were created by the Traveler in order to better serve our Guardians. Are we AI's? Yes. Are we fully capable of sentient thought and emotions? Yes. For a Guardian, their Ghost serves as a companion, scout, librarian, and mechanic, waking ancient machinery and cracking ancient codes. Ghosts can support Guardians by performing certain actions such as illuminating darkened areas, repairing technology from the Golden Age, hacking into machines, informing Guardians of incoming hostile threats, calculating complex enemy behaviors, determine combat outcomes, mapping numerous projectiles and their myriad of trajectories, and providing communications." He briefly paused and looked to Cain, who nodded. He turned back to the mortals among them. "Our primary function however, is that Ghosts may revive Guardians from death," the Light's words were interrupted immediately by the Vault Hunters and Roland, all of which immediately began vocalizing disbelief. Tannis herself was furiously writing down on a datapad she had brought with her, mad grin in place. There was a sigh and the click of a hammer being cocked back. All eyes immediately turned to Cain who stepped forward.
"Al speaks the truth," Cain raised his right hand, Eyasluna gripped tight as he pressed it to the side of his cranium. "Allow me to demonstrate."
An ear-shattering crack rang out and Cain's body fell limp against the flooring.
Maya's eyes widened and she drew Gaige to her, who was getting ready to scream. Zer0 was silent, but his posture was shaking lightly. Salvador's brow furrowed, Axton raising a lone eyebrow. Kreig simply tilted his head
Cain's body faded and Alastor's pieces ballooned out, an orb of Light connecting the pieces around his eye. He pulsed and Cain reappeared good as new, Eyasluna held on his thigh. He spread his arms and the Vault Hunters tentatively inched forward. Tannis held no such reservations and proceeded to immediately dart to the newly resuscitated Hunter and began inspecting his head while continuing her notes.
"As long as the Ghost survives," said Cain, his voice snapping them from their stupor, "and barring special circumstances, Guardians are effectively immortal and may be resurrected fully intact from any death without consequences. The death doesn't have to be immediate, nor do they have to be revived in the same place they died. Ghosts may also repair any injury a Guardian suffers in a matter of seconds, though can sometimes have such difficulty repairing Guardians that are Exo's like yours truly. Sometimes it is easier to resurrect from scratch." He lightly pushed off the good Doctor Tannis as blue orbs roved over them all. "Before any of you get any ideas, Ghosts are damned durable, and should you go after any Guardian's Ghost without a damned good, justifiable reason?" His gaze hardened, "I'll Hunt you down myself."
A hand was raised. "Question," Axton began, jabbing a thumb towards Lilith who seemed unaffected by any of the bombshells dropped upon them. "Why ain't she freakin'?"
Lilith rolled her eyes. "Because I already knew," holding up a hand before Roland began a tirade about withholding information, "remember how I told you I met Cain again? Thats when. It wasn't my place to tell you, nor was the threat this big." She sat up from her relaxed position on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees. "So the mooks of Big Bad and Dark, whatd'ya got?"
The two Warlocks of the group stepped forward and Cain stepped back, leaning against the wall. "Explain. Start with the Vex."
They nodded as one.
Fox spoke first, "So the Vex-"
"Also known as the Time Traveling murder bots," Skitter continued. "Here's what we know."
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The Vault Hunters walked out, thoroughly mentally exhausted, even Kreig. It was night now. It was early day when they had begun. They had been given the run down on every enemy seen by the Darkness so far. They had been run down on what Guardians were, and that apparently Cain hadn't made it out of that rocket to face introduction when Hyperion invaded. That...all that was a lot to take in. They had questions that were answered by one member or the fireteam or another, even Shift spoke, piping in on the Hive and Taken.
Tannis moved the Minotaur to her own office, being assisted with transmat by Skitter and Fox both who offered to provide further notes on Vex.
Cain sighed as Toles finally left her perch from the window and she crept down, unnoticed by him and the remainder of War Hound.
Cain had his palms flat on the table, Sevin to his left, Jabaho to his right, and Shift across. "Do you lot think I did the right thing by telling them? They seemed...off when they left."
Toles crouched down, hiding behind the stairway.
It was Sevin who spoke first. "I think...they need time to adjust. You did just drop several nukes on them."
Jaba continued the thought train, "And with how you truly are? After posing as a human for a while? They need to think. Time to process."
Shift's Graviton Forfeit clad head nodded. "They are unversed in these matters unlike us. They had no Collapse."
"And with luck they won't ever," Cain huffed, "...I worry for them. All of them. I don't care if they are our people or not, I can't leave them to the Darkness." Toles was about to make herself known when a phrase she never thought she'd hear from Cain reached her. "I'm scared," a leather hitting metal echoed throughout the house. Cain had hit the table or a wall it seemed. "Genuinely. If there is a Collapse here, they'd be wiped. No doubt. And we can't save them all. As strong as we are, we are seven Guardians. The closest thing to us are the Vault Hunters. And they can die. They don't come back. If an Ascendent Hive came? Like Crota? They'd be goners. This entire system. As much as a pain in my side as Fugly Jack is, leaving even him to the Darkness isn't wise. Knowing Hyperion they'd find a way to weaponize it and corrupt the place...we gotta deal with this." A hand laid itself on his shoulder. A large one.
"It vill be okay," said Jabaho, his voice soft. "Ve vill come back vith more Guardians. More Light. They von't be left alone. Not like ve vere."
Cain was silent a moment, and Toles peeked around. He stood straight and nodded, sliding the Celestial Nighthawk back onto his head and raising his hood. "Thanks J." Abyssal eyes peered over his shoulder right to her hiding place, the moment his head moved Toles moved back. "Alright. C'mon out kiddo. The floorboard two back creaks. Heard ya a few minutes ago."
Slumping in her position with a low whine, and a sympathetic look from Nyx, creaking thumps echoed throughout the house. "Mann, thought I was quiet enough."
A leather glove ruffled her hair, she pouted.
"Bit more training needed," Cain began. "So why'd ya eavesdrop?"
"Wellllllll, I had a question now that ya told the V Hunters all the Light and Dark jazz." She hopped up on the table, swinging her legs. Sevin and Jabaho walked out, already having taskings. Shift had disappeared at some point when no one was looking.
"And that is?"
"Gaige," she said, ocean orbs staring deeply at the elder Guardian. "You know how she feels about you don'tcha?"
Cain didn't speak for a moment and instead chose to sit on the couch nearby and begin sharpening a knife from his boot. "Cain?"
"Yeah...Yeah I do." His voice was low. "And she looks and acts so so much like Meri...I can't help but see them as one and the same at some times." He gave one final slide on the whetstone stabbed the knife into the coffee table. Armored boots kicked up onto it immediately after. "And I don't know what to do. Part of me wants to let her in. To try. On the other hand, for multiple reasons. It's a bad idea. It wouldn't be fair firstly."
Toles tossed her head side to side. "Hmm. How so?"
"She's mortal T. You're closer in age to me than she is. Hell if she was one if us it'd be different. Gaige doesn't even know how old I really am. How you could multiply her age by fifty, you wouldn't get my age. How no matter what I feel for her, it wouldn't work. I couldn't give her kids if she wanted due to my Exo bits. How I couldn't grow old, while watching her do just that. I'm at a crossroads Toles and I just... I just don't know what to do here."
The two inside went silent as both had thoughts going rampant through their minds.
A metallic hand lowered from the door, green eyes watery. Gaige spun on one combat boot heel, and wandered away.
She had heard everything