Chapter 1: Discovery I

"Wish for tea?"

Wishing was a dangerous thing just asking for trouble, but he smiled and shook his head all the same. "Thank you, but no, I will not be long."

The Fallen, who would have perhaps been a Vandal but for the long robes of a scribe and the royal colours of the Reef, closed his outer eyes with an alien smile and left the Warlock to his records.

The scribe returned hours later with refreshments and the human smiled sheepishly. The nitrogen tea was scalding hot, but the sensation was far away from the Warlock's detached attention. His finger followed the words of the datapad and he mouthed each one with a special reverent care. His pale eyes twinkled with keen interest.

... Exodus Prime...

The scribe, seeing the hint of a satisfied smile, chirped lowly. "Find sought-thought?"

For a moment, the Warlock allowed himself to admire the quality of the translator. It was undeniably inhuman, but like that used by the painfully absent Variks, it was something clear and comprehensive. The clicks and barks were difficult to avoid, even with a high-quality vocal synth, but understanding was all that mattered. The Awoken didn't seem to mind. Neither did he - as long as the cloaks had the right colours.

"I have," the Warlock answered. "Thank you for allowing me this opportunity."

The Fallen scribe closed his outer eyes once more. A polite gesture, the Warlock knew. "I have next-inherit and guard work of Master Ives. Is mine-honour-task, yes?"

"I understand."

"Hello, Failsafe," the Warlock greeted softly. He sat by the wall of the AI's mainframe. It had been some time he had visited her last. Nessus was far removed from the troubles faced by Sol at large, even as cursed as it was with an overwhelming Vex presence.

He was glad for the chance to return.

"Captain! I received word of the Cayde Unit's life status!" ("Donezo.")

It hit him like a quick punch to the abdomen, and the Warlock found it altogether tougher to breathe. "Yes. He's... gone."

"Please let me know if there is anything I can do to accelerate and conclude your grief process!" ("'Cause I'm fine.") "As the AI of Exodus Black, I experienced the death of every single one of my crewmembers! I hypothesized that the more loss one has suffered, the easier subsequent losses become! Field research has proven my hypothesis false! Losing Cayde makes me feel... f-f-feel... f-f-f-feel..." ("AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH.") "I feel terrible!"

He took a deep breath and welcomed the burst of support in the back of his mind and the warmth in his hand. His Ghost was ever-vigilant, and he adored her for it. "Actually, there is something I wanted..."

"What is it?" ("Another chore. Joy.")

"What do you know of the Exodus Prime?"

He expected Failsafe to cheerfully give him everything he needed to know - she was the cheeriest, most helpful AI he'd ever had the pleasure to meet - but he never anticipated what felt like all that was left of the Exodus Black freezing up around them. Lights flickered and speakers fizzed. The hull groaned with static tension.

Failsafe recovered moments later, but the pause was extreme. "I apologize, but my databanks are experiencing obstructions. I'm afraid information regarding your inquiry is simply inaccessible!" ("We're under orders.")

The Warlock frowned thoughtfully. "Who's orders?"

"I am not authorized to say!" ("A Warmind.")

"Maybe Zavala's right," his Ghost said, manifesting beside him. "Rasputin causes trouble everywhere he's involved."

But the Warlock wasn't deterred. "If there's records of it in the Hygeian Cryptarchy, then there will be other sources." He stood up.

"I hope you find what you find what you're looking for!" Failsafe happily told him. "Perhaps Captains Lennox-Unit and Jaxson can assist you! Together, a fireteam never loses!" ("Except when they do.")

The Warlock's stance faltered. It felt like a Cabal had hammered the breath out of him with its bare fists. "I... I'm afraid that won't happen any longer, Failsafe."

"What do you mean? Please elaborate!"

"We have... parted ways," he admitted. It was frighteningly easy to say, as lies went.

"I am sorry to hear that!" ("No news like bad news.")

"As am I. I bid you farewell."

"Well, that was a waste of time." His Ghost finally said, once they were out of the centaur's orbit. The Galliot around them purred like a living beast, a swift bird of prey still searching for Skiffs and Harvesters to rip apart.

"On the contrary, I think we've learned much."

His Ghost gave him a disbelieving look. "We barely talked with her for two minutes, and you tell me we got what we came for?"

"No. But she has put us on the right path."

"Oh, I can't wait to see how this pans out."

There was no doubt in the Warlock's mind that the Cryptarchy of the Last City would have records holding further information on the topic, but those gates had been closed to him. Possibly forever. Instead, he turned to Mars. If nothing else, he thought he might dig up something of worth in the Futurescape.

Ana intercepted him before he could enter the Mindlab. A two years apart and she still looked as busied and tense as ever.

"I heard what went down," she told him, fidgeting with the edge of her scarf-cloak-thing. "I'm sorry. But you're probably sick of hearing that."

The Warlock shrugged. "I could do without the reminder," he said coolly.

"Then sorry for reminding you." Ana took a breath. "What are you doing here? Not that Red and I don't like you, but isn't there a big bad monster that needs killing?"

"Jaxson has that covered."

"He's good at that."

"Titans usually are. Their obtuse methods sometimes has its uses."

The Hunter smiled. "So, what are you here for?"

"I'd like to talk to 'Red'. There's a topic I've been investigating and I've been led to believe he may have the answers I seek."

"What is the Exodus Prime?"

::Gone. Beyond.::

"Gone?"

::Everything is gone.::

"But the Exodus Prime, where has it gone beyond?"

::Beyond my sight.::

"That's... Wow, okay. Thank you."

"What's your interest?"

The Warlock spared his Ghost a glance. "I'm just curious."

She wasn't finished, though. "No one's heard of it. Even me, and I've been inside more Exodus Golden Age installations than you've had dinners."

"Project Amrita came after it," he murmured.

"What?"

"The Yang Liwei. Mara's ship. The Exodus Green."

"So..."

The Warlock smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Not explaining very well, am I? The Yang Liwei and every other ship of Project Amrita were armed to the teeth. They weren't the first to attempt to leave Sol. The ones before just disappeared, right off the map, communication lines cut."

"And?"

"Right, you know about the Exodus Black? An attempt to colonize Kepler-186f. The Exodus Green was meant for the same thing, to live outside of the Traveler's gaze. Well, my theory is that the Exodus Prime was the first. The one we lost."

"What d'you think happened?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe the Hive found it, or the Cabal, or the Vex, and in every one of those cases it's truly gone."

"But you think otherwise."

"No, I hope otherwise. And yet it's the worst case scenario. If there's any chance it's any way like the Awoken and their mythical Distributary, then it's a weapon for the Hive to use. We already have enough trouble with the Dreaming City. Imagine they found a stranded pocket universe, out of our reach. It would be a kill battery with which they could amass infinite tribute and power."

"Oh. That isn't good."

The Warlock wholeheartedly agreed.

His Ghost flexed her shell. "What do we do?"

"We need to find it."

"And then?"

"Keep it out of the enemy's hands."