'Ve recievCORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS. AUDIO UNAVAILABLE.
Thank your Ghost for me. The analytical work you've both done is worthy of induction to the Praxic Order. It's too bad the Vanguard keeps you so busy.
This is the end of our investigation.
Those tapes you found contain the scraps of truth that we've been hunting all this time. It's just not the truth that I was expecting—I've been looking at that man expecting a dangerous criminal mind. Living, breathing, evil the likes of Dredgen Yor, and instead, I got... What. Tragedy? Pathos?
Well.
He's pathetic, all right.
I've made my final report to the Order, and I am comfortable with the decree they've issued: the Drifter shall remain under close watch, but he presents no direct threat for as long as he cooperates with the Vanguard and Lord Shaxx. This brings us into consensus with the Vanguard's standing judgment.
The Shadows of Yor that Gambit conned out of hiding have been thugs with guns and Ghosts, mostly. They have less bite than the Dredgens of yore. Little wonder Shin Malphur didn't show up. These fools aren't worth his time.
I'm trying to take this as a lesson in the dangers of presumption, but in my defense, the Drifter smelled like a rat. Still does.
I'll see you out in the field. I've got paperwork to file.
The warlock closed the data file on The Drifter. She lowered her head and brought her hands to her face, it had been a long night and her eyes were exhausted. Aunor exhaled a breath she did not even realize she was holding. The task of dealing with this rat and its mess was becoming more taxing than she originally anticipated, but now she can at least take her main focus off the Drifter and shift it to the renegade ' dregends.'
She turned her attention to three ghosts in restraining bands resting on the lab's table. More guardians that had decided to go rogue in the name of being dredgens that she struck down in the Waking Ruins on Venus. That rat Drifter seemed to have left a mess bigger than himself and it angered her that she is the one that has to deal with it. The sound of the lab's doors opening brought her attention back to her surroundings.
"You seem tired," Ikora said walking beside Aunor. "Its nothing new with this job," Amour replied plainly. "I've received your report on your investigation of the Drifter," Ikora began "I'm glad that he wasn't doing anything nefarious under the Vanguard nose." "Just because I didn't find anything doesn't mean he should be trusted," Aunor replied sharply. "His actions are still `leading to consequences we could avoid," she gestured to the three ghosts on the table "If you were to just simply step in."
Ikora let out a sympathetic sigh. "I understand that you're frustrated, but without cause, we cannot simply–" "Spare me the rhetoric, you've already told me," Aunor interjected. She leaned forward onto the table and stared at the three ghosts. "Your work is important Aunor, but sometimes you fixate on the wrong individuals," Ikora said softly. "It leads to distrust and allies seeing you as an enemy."
"How so?" the Praxic questioned. "Well, you're investigation into Cayde's death–" "I've already admitted that your 'Hero' was correct and that he can be trusted," Aunor interjected once more. Ikora furrowed her eyebrows. "But does he trust you?" she pressed.
"Your investigation showed you didn't trust him, couple that with your initial messages to him that you felt he'd reject his duty for power."
"I was being cautious, that's all."
"He was insulted," Ikora replied sharply
"If I bruise the ego of him then he should grow tougher skin and either way he still assisted so its clear he got over it," Aunor said disdainfully
"Then it shows that he'll choose his duty despite his personal feeling," Ikora said leaning onto the table to look Aunor in the face. "If you are trying to tell me my initial feeling about him was wrong, then I already beat you to it."
Ikora straightened, then turned to the door. "I'm trying to tell you that you owe him an apology. If you keep acting as though you are the only one right, then you will find yourself short on allies," she said as she walked out.
Aunor stared at the ghosts once more, it had indeed, been a long night.
Penumbral Mark
"The key is to realize the future isn't an enemy to be fought. It's a friend to embrace. A closing of the circle. At last—the right to be last." —Emperor Calus
Warlock Aunor Mahal stood before the Vanguard in one of the Tower's war rooms.
"We have Shadows of Calus to deal with now," the Warlock said, dropping a data tablet in front of Ikora Rey and Commander Zavala. "And I'm assuming we should let them?"
"Guardians go to where the guns are. And where the fighting is," Zavala said, picking up the tablet and cycling through its holographic projections, profiles of Guardians in golden Loyalist armor. "There are only a few Shadows of Earth on record."
"There will be more. Just give them time."
Zavala finished with the tablet, set it aside. "What would you have me do?" he asked.
"Give me a fireteam of veterans. We'll hollow out the Leviathan in a week. Maybe less."
"Some of them don't trust you," Ikora said, with a small, sad smile.
"You do," Aunor replied.
"Always," Zavala said quickly.
"There are veterans who do, too," Aunor added. "So let me pick a unit. We'll find the Emperor."
Zavala shook his head. "A single machine aboard that thing took an entire fireteam to burn down. How far do you think we'd get in open war with Calus?"
"So we're just going to stand idly by? Again?" A crescent of lightning flickered between Aunor's eyes as if to punctuate her point.
"He's not an ally," Zavala said slowly. "But he's an enemy of the Red Legion. And right now, he's keeping them in check."
"The Guardians kept them in check. When they kicked the Legion's head in during the War," Aunor replied.
"Calus's influence on the Guardians will collapse under the weight of his lies."
"Have you met the Drifter?"
"We're not a military," Ikora said finally. "What the Guardians do is what they'll do. Every team that engages with Calus reports back. If he makes a wrong move, you'll be on the first strike team out."
Aunor took her duster off her chair and headed out the door without another word.
When it closed, Zavala said, "She's not wrong."
"Her motivations are never wrong," Ikora returned. "She'll watch them for us. Whether we ask her to or not."
Aunor stormed into the Gensym Scribe complex, arc lightning cracking as she slammed a fist into a wall. "How can they be so blind!" she exclaimed to herself. Many scribes and researchers stared at her outburst in curiosity. She made her way to an unused lab and began pulling up reports and files of guardians that boarded the Leviathan. Once again the Vanguard refuses to listen to her warnings. "Is because I'm not a titan? Could that be it?" she questioned herself. "Because there is no other reason I can see for them to be so complacent about this." She stared at the reports displayed in angered curiosity. The Leviathan had so many threats and obstacles that she didn't even know where to start.
The lab door opened and she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "If you can to console or to tell me you're sorry, please just go."
"Um actually we came to ask something." a ghost spoke
Aunor opened her eyes in surprise and turned. She saw a hunter in metallic green and gold walking down the lab's stairs towards her in the main central space with his long, black hooded cape flowing behind.
Confused by his appearance here, she leaned back against the table and folded her arms. "I thought this was only able to be accessed by warlocks? She questioned.
"Ikora let us in," the ghost stated in a bright tone
Aunor let out a breath and looked down. "Well, I guess I had to meet you face to face at some point." She turned back to the files displayed on the table. "What can I do for the Hero of the Red War?" she asked
"We were hoping if we could get a restraining band."
Aunor turned her head to the Guardian, the green illuminated visor stared back at her. "And why, do you want that?" she inquired "Well, uh, we feel like we might need it in the future." the ghost answered. "Wouldnt this be something you should ask Ikora?" "Well we did, but she was busy with something and pointed us to you." the Ghost replied
"Of course she would," the warlock said to herself "Who are you going after?" she asked turning back to face them again. "Um, no one just yet." the ghost responded. Aunor furrowed her brow and cocked her head. "Then why do you need one?" she questioned, "Um- well…"
"Insurance," the Guardian spoke
Aunor's attention shot straight to him. It hadn't registered that she was speaking to his ghost this whole time. "For what?" she questioned.
"An acquaintance we've made." the ghost spoke again
"I'll need more than that," she pressed. "Well its more of a hunch we have." the ghosted stated as it hovered around the guardian. She stared at the ghost, then at the guardian when she remembered what Ikora had said to her a few weeks ago.
Closing her eyes, she sighed. "Alright," she began "I'll get you your band, but I will need it back." "How long do we have?" the ghost asked. "I can give you probably two weeks, afterward I'll be really pushing it." Aunor pulled out her ghost. "Bahaghari, if you will." her ghost floated over to the guardian, eyeing his ghost as she flew past it. The Guardian extended his hand as Bahaghari materialized a band into it. The ghost disappeared and the Guardian nodded and began to walk away. "Thank you." The ghost said politely as it floated to its guardian.
Aunor wrestled with herself as she mulled over what Ikora had mentioned. "Hey, um– guardian," she said, unsure what his name actually was "I apologize for not trusting you," Aunor looked to the side, unsure of herself "You know, from before."
The Guardian stopped at the top of the stairs, right before the door. He turned his head slightly towards her. "It's fine," he said plainly over his shoulder, then continued through the door and left.
"A man of few words," she said to herself as she turned back to the work to find every weakness she can on this threat.
Author's note:
Thank you to those that read my previous story about Uldren. I'm really glad you've enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I don't plan on taking it further as I would prefer the official writers to tell his story and I mainly write these as practice and a break from an original story I'm writing. As for this one, I might make one more part of it because I do like the character of Aunor and I will make more short stories in the future. Thanks for reading this one and I hope you enjoyed it.