Red dust and snow blew through open corridors between buildings where long forgotten supply crates clogged the way. Dry, withered shrubs clung to life by a mere thread, what was left of their brittle leaves reaching for the sun. They scattered to dust if Wren got too close and her armor touched them and some couldn't even handle the wind that rushed through the corridor.

"So…" Kiran began, "about Rasputin. Ikora said he was on Earth."

"Rasputin is capable of operating across multiple systems simultaneously," Ana replied.

"Does that meant every time the Vanguard has tried to communicate with him in the Cosmodrone—"

"They've been engaging with fragments of him left behind during the Collapse but his core mind has always been here."

"I'll level with you," Wren said, stepping into sunlight from the corridor that she could now recognize as some sort of train system. "I have reasons for not feeling comfortable keeping this from the Vanguard. Especially whatever that big worm thing was. Something bigger is going on here."

"What? Getting in trouble with Zavala? I told you I'd handle the Commander."

"It's not… it's not that simple."

"When what's the issue?"

Wren tightened her fists but Kiran huffed and blurted out "She's basically engaged to Cayde. There. Long story super short, this situation has bag idea stamped all over it, and that thing we saw only confirms that."

"You're involved with a member of the Vanguard?"

"Look, I'm not going to run and tell him everything, but I don't like that I have to hide this. There've been a lot of complications around this… relationship… and I don't want to make things worse."

"But you're also in too deep to go back now. We're almost there."

"I didn't say I wanted to go back. And I'm generally fine with the rest of this, the Vanguard is already aware that warsats are falling. The thing I have a problem with is the worm, snake, whatever that was. I don't think you understand how huge that thing is."

Ana seemed to mull it over. "Fine. You can tell him you saw something, but don't mention Rasputin. Not yet anyway. Just keep trying to find a way inside."

"Sure."

Wren didn't immediately call Cayde once Ana was gone. She continued to the end of the ramp, passing an old train for the rail system that had been all but stripped for parts. A dusky yellow haze dulled buildings on the horizon but something stood out to her.

A massive pyramid shaped ship in the distance. It was so large that she didn't realize it was a ship at all until she crested the top of the hill and saw it didn't touch the ground. The scope of it stopped her in her tracks.

"I've never seen a ship like that before," she said.

"I don't recognize it either but we have Cabal incoming, so it'll have to go to the back of the to-do list."

"I'll take care of the Cabal, you send a message to Cayde with the footage of the snake thing along with a few shots of that pyramid ship. Don't mention Rasputin yet. I'm sure he'll call me after he sees what's happening around here."

Two Cabal ships passed overhead, dropping small squads. Red dust puffed up around the Legionaries as they landed and Wren slung her scout rifle over her shoulder and took aim.

To the left a short concrete wall dropped off similar to a dam while the right was small buildings with icicles hanging from dark, open doors. What appeared to be the main building in the complex lay ahead but it was still across a small compound with the Cabal between her and it.

"Sugarbird?"

Right on time.

"I'm here."

"What the hell is goin' on out there?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Wren said, propping on the cement wall to start picking off Cabal. The sound of her shots echoed down the curved structure, catching the Cabal's attention but she didn't care. The more that headed her way, the easier they'd be to take out while she still had a safe place to fall back. "We saw the snake on the way to the rendezvous point with… the Guardian who sent the distress call. I haven't seen it since. As for the ship? Well, that was just spotted. I've never seen anything like it before."

"First of all, that ain't no snake, kid. I'll have to run it by Ikora and Zavala. Maybe they know what it is. As for the ship? I don't know about that either but maybe I'll ask. Either way, we can't just sit around and let em' hang around Mars. Somethin's gotta give. You get that Guardian outta there and head back to the Tower for a full report."

"Will do. I'll let you know when I can head back."

"You better."

Moving across the compound was a slow process. Once the Cabal fell back from getting taken out long range, Wren moved forward, using the Incendiaries to blow up any Cabal that lingered too close to them. Maybe giant packs of fuel on their backs wasn't the best idea. The hard part was dealing with the Warbeasts. They rushed her, blades on their backs glistening in the sunlight. Quick shots with the Better Devils and some seeking grenades took them out but their bodies lay at her boots, too close for comfort.

Once they were gone, however, the complex fell silent. Empty. She approached the main entrance which was an open doorway. Inside, icicles hung from the ceiling and the large single paned windows were frosted over with thick sheets of ice.

The room was set up in tiers with the highest being toward the opposite corner of the room with stairs leading up to each. To the left along the wall between the second and third tier was a glowing blue sign that read "Engineering Discovery Clovis Bray".

Wren made her way up toward a console at the back of the room when Ana appeared. She didn't acknowledge Wren at first, just spun in slow circles, taking in everything around her.

"I made it," she said. "I'm here. I'm finally here. Clovis Bray. I'm… home."

"Sorry to interrupt you moment," Kiran said, "but do you know anything about that pyramid ship out there?"

"What? No. Did you talk to the Vanguard?"

"I did," Wren replied. "I didn't mention Rasputin but I did send Cayde the footage of the ship and the snake. He said he'd talk to Ikora and Zavala about it and try to figure out what they are."

Ana frowned. "I didn't want Zavala knowing we were this close to Clovis Bray."

"I said I wouldn't mention Rasputin. That was what we agreed on."

"We'll just have to be fast." Ana turned to the console and began trying to access it. "It's encrypted. Good thing I have a few tricks up my sleeve. At least that runs in the family."

Wren didn't understand how Ana could feel so proud of a family she hadn't met and likely didn't actually remember. Then again, she didn't give much thought as to who she was before. Maybe she was the one who was wrong. Maybe she should want to know.

"Personnel identified," the PA system said, making Wren jump. "Dr. Anastasia Bray. Welcome to the Clovis Bray Research Facility. The fabled 'Cradle of Invention,' on Mars. You are part of an important moment in history. Together, we will strive to reach beyond the stars. Remember, you are Clovis Bray."

Wren tilted her helmet slightly.

"We're in business," she said, ignoring Wren's stare.

A door across from them slid open, lights flashing on the other side. Wren pulled her helmet off and tucked it under her arm.

"Now what?"

"Well, it looks like Rasputin's core is stored in a separate structure," Ana said. "Hope you're up for a little exploring."

"Shouldn't be too much trouble in there, considering it's been locked up."

"Who knows? The Hive have gotten into weirder places."

"True. Only one way to find out." Wren hooked her helmet to her hip and hopped off the platform. She moved through the door and up to a familiar shape hovering over what might have once been a pretty water feature but now the water was frozen solid. "Hey Kiran?"

"Yeah I see it. Looks like the pyramid ship. I'll take pictures."

"Don't send them yet."

"Shouldn't you put your helmet on?"

"Maybe. I don't think we'll have much trouble here but if you sense something let me know and I'll throw it on again." Wren stood for a time, staring at the water feature. "There's something more familiar about that than resembling a weird ship but I can't quite put my finger on it."

She found an open door and upon stepping through it all came back to her. The shape was a smaller replica of what she saw outside, which was a structure like the Iron Tomb. The bridge to it was above her and farther along the pathway but the structure was recognizable. Unmistakable.

"Beorn," she whispered.

This wasn't it. She knew it. His final resting place was far from here and yet a part of her wanted to go look for him there. There would be no retrieving his body. She'd had to come to terms with that a long time ago. Kiran hovered over her shoulder, but she wiped her tears and continued on before he could ask questions. She didn't want to talk about it. Not now.

"You need to get somewhere safe, just in case."

"Then you need to put your helmet on," he replied.

"Fine," she sighed.

To the left and half hidden by dust and the yellow haze in the atmosphere were strange towers angled in different directions. Possibly how the warsats got into the planets orbit in the first place.

"This place is huge," Kiran said.

"I don't know much about my family," Ana said, "but I know we dream big."

That comment didn't sit well with Wren. Frankly, none of Ana's excitement about her family sat well. Not knowing what she knew about Exos and Cayde specifically. Sure, it wasn't much. The exact circumstances of how he came to be an Exo weren't entirely clear, but just knowing he was once human? She had a hard time believing there were too many people who willingly became Exos.

"I'm a little curious about what's locked away in this facility," Kiran said, floating into a hallway that Wren had to squeeze through half open doors to enter. "I bet there's all kinds of interesting Golden Age artifacts and information in here."

"Probably."

Kiran hovered over a data pad and began to scan it.

"What are you doing?" Wren asked, inspecting the pad. "We really don't have time for—"

"Welcome Dr. Dovie Russo. Please retrieve your identification key card from the attendant before continuing into the facility. Thank you," the AI voice said.

Wren shivered, her heart pounding as the door slid open.

"Did that…" Kiran turned to look at her. "That said Dovie Russo. Wasn't that Cayde's Queen?"

"It has to be some kind of mistake. Old system or something I…"

"Looked like a retinal scanner to me," Kiran said. "It has to be right if it's from a scan like that. Doesn't it?"

"You'd know better than me."

Kiran's light was her only source of illumination in the storage room. To the right there was a glass and metal box with a desk behind it. Rows of screens lining the back of the small cell meant it was likely a security room. The door had been left open and Wren entered, spotting a faintly flashing red light on a machine that had an ID card sticking out of it.

The woman on the card looked like her. Sort of? Her hair was much longer and her curls a bit tighter but that could have been from styling. She had blue eyes and mid toned skin. Wren looked at the vague reflection of herself in the glass, blue skin and glowing eyes. She tucked the ID card in her pocket and moved into the storage area.

"I don't know what I'd be looking for," she said, looking down rows of crates so long they disappeared into darkness.

"Looks like everything is on tracks," Kiran said, getting close to the floor where the storage containers did appear to be movable. "What about that thing?" He floated to a nearby console that was cracked but turned on when he accessed it

Wren hesitated putting the card in the slot when prompted. What would this mean if she was Dovie Russo? She'd be Cayde's Queen? She'd know about her past. At least some of it anyway.

"What's wrong?" Kiran asked.

"This is a lot. What if I'm her?"

"Then that would be great! I mean, what would the chances be of you finding Cayde again after all that time? Good on the Traveler for that one."

"Well, maybe, but if I'm here then I was a part of this place. Clovis Bray and all the things that happened."

"I guess you don't have to use the card. You can keep it and maybe come back if you're ever ready. I'm curious, but if you're not ready, we can wait."

Wren slid the card around in her fingertips. Whatever was in this storage area could change so much about her life. But if he found out she was linked to Clovis Bray? What if he resented her for what this place stood for?

"I don't think I want this, but there's no guarantee any of this will survive now that the facility has been opened."

"You can take what you can and look into it when you're ready."

"I guess that's true." Wren inserted the card and the storage system squealed to life, rusty wheels in tracks grinding from years of being stationary.

A storage unit stopped in front of her and opened. She didn't know what she was expecting, but this wasn't exactly it. Most of the unit was full of boxes of files and books.

"What is all this?" she asked, taking a lid off a box.

"Looks like everything there is about this Dovie woman," Kiran said. "Medical files, work reports… she was on an Exo program?"

"Wren? Where are you?" Ana asked.

"Sorry, I… found something."

"We're kinda on a time crunch here."

"Sorry. Kiran, can you transmat this stuff to the ship?"

"Sure can."

Boxes began to disappear one at a time and as they did something fell loose, falling so quietly that Wren wouldn't have noticed had it not glinted in Kiran's light. She picked it up and inspected it. From a delicate chain hung a round pendant with a spade on it. She tilted her head.

"This looks familiar."

Kiran glanced at it but his light shot toward the door and he became very still, the last box disappearing from the storage unit.

"What is it?" Wren whispered.

"Hive. Lots of them."

Wren put the pendant in her hip pouch and put her helmet back on before drawing the Better Devils. She checked to see if a round was in the chamber and eased out of the storage facility.

There were no immediate signs of Hive and she couldn't hear them yet, but being on high alert was always the best option with them.

"They're trying to swarm the core," Ana said. "I'll try to access the security systems."

Wren continued into the darkness of the Mindlabs, encountering on a couple Hive Acolytes as she did. If they were trying to get to the core, then it would make sense that she'd encounter more and more as she neared the objective point. Getting around them was her usual strategy, but it likely wouldn't work here. She'd have to be fast but also not get herself killed. No taking her time to pick them off and certainly no sneaking around them. Too much time had already been wasted digging through storage.

"There's a bunch outside that door," Kiran warned and Wren peered around the doorway that led outside.

A few crates could be used as cover if needed and beyond that was a steep incline with what appeared to be walkways on either side going behind it. Thrall milled about in the flat lower section and two Wizards hovered over the base of the incline, guarding it.

Wren picked up a piece of metal by her boot and threw it, getting the Thrall to swarm to the sound, then she followed it up with a grenade. From where she was she couldn't see where the grenade went but the fiery explosion and shrieking Thrall told her she got her mark.

While the Wizards threw volleys of energy at the explosion, thinking there was an enemy there, she ran forward the opened fire at them. Luckily they weren't like some of the more powerful Wizards she'd come in contact with and were dispatched with screams that sent chills up her arms.

She jumped up into an opening in the incline that led around to a catwalk around the back of the area. There were a few more Hive, but Wren did her best to keep moving toward them despite wanting to stop and take her time picking them off. She barely had time to slap a new clip into her handcanon before a hoard of Thrall tore toward her down the walkway.

They pushed and shoved, knocking some of them off, screaming into the clouds below.

"What's the status on those security systems?" Kiran asked.

"I'm working on it," Ana replied.

Wren pulled got rid of the Knight that blocked the way up, choosing to ascend via some pipes that left the walkway and arched away from the building. At the top she ducked low, taking a quick look at a group of Hive that had gathered to block her from going further and in the middle was an Ogre.

"That's a problem," Kiran said.

"I can maybe use the Arc Staff to get through," Wren replied, grimacing at the thought. She wasn't a fan of the staff. It usually ended with her getting all kinds of electrocution burns.

"C'mon Rasputin," Ana said. "Give me something here!"

Wren holstered the Better Devils in preparation to use the Arc Staff when a bolt of red shot down into the middle of the Hive, obliterating them. She rocked back onto her heels but caught herself as an orb of red light pulsated from the ash and ice of the dead Hive.

"What the hell was that?"

"I think… it's the Valkyrie," Ana replied. "Rasputin's weapon. He must have heard us."

"At least he's helping us," Kiran said. "After all, we are trying to keep the enemy at bay."

"What does it do?" Wren asked, approaching the light.

"Your Ghost will help you activate it and then you should be able to just… throw it. Like a spear," Ana explained.

Better than a staff, Wren thought, shrugging as Kiran activated the weapon.

It was lighter than she expected and nearly as tall as she was. Red light danced around it in geometric patterns and shapes. Hive rushed her from a narrow opening not far away and she stood back and threw the spear into the doorway, anticipating it to be a one-time use weapon that she'd have to back with a super to get the hoard cleared out but when it exploded on contact, filling the space with a bright red flash before reappearing in her grasp, she paused in shock.

Again and again she used the weapon against the Hive as they blindly charged forward, funneling through the doorway in droves only to be reduced to ash before setting foot outside.

She obliterated the Hive forces with ease, finding more and more locations to execute the subroutine when the weapon was thrown and did not reappear for her. All of the battles that could have been won. Would this Valkyrie have been able to stop Ghaul? Or SIVA?

When the Hive were gone at last Wren looked at the spear in her hand, then up to the doorway that reminded her too much of the Iron Tomb. Would it have made a difference?

The door slid open and the spear vanished. Wren stepped back, her stomach knotting.

"Ana, the door is open," Kiran said. "Was that you?"

"What? No, it wasn't me. Maybe he's inviting us inside. Maybe this is where my questions finally turn into answers."

"I hate it in here," Wren muttered moving along the catwalk between the inner and outer sections of the construct.

"Wait for me," Ana said and within a few moments she was at Wren's side, the look on her face a mixture of excitement and anxiety. "This is it."

The door slid open, a strange fog pouring out from within. A shadow within had Wren's hand on her firearm before a familiar voice stopped her.

"Hello Guardians."

"Ah Shhhh-anks," Ana said, her shoulders dropping.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Zavala said, towering over Wren. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this thing is?"

"Commander how… but the complex was…" Wren's mind reeled. How the hell had he gotten here? And this far? It was too convenient.

"What were you trying to do to Rasputin?" Ana asked.

Zavala turned on her. "Rasputin is Vanguard business Anastasia. Not yours. You do not belong here."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You belong in the City. But instead of standing with your brothers and sisters when Ghaul came for us, you were here. Doing what you always do. What you're not supposed to."

Wren clenched her fists. She knew she was in deep trouble, but part of it felt like a setup. How much of this did Zavala plan? And what would his response be if he found out she was doing what Ana was. Trying to find answers. The boxes full of things that might have belonged to a long dead part of herself weighed heavy on her, but she bit her tongue.

"I did what I believed to be right," Ana said. "I came here to protect humanity. Isn't that what Guardians are supposed to do?"

Zavala stood taller, glaring down at her, but Ana wasn't done.

"This is a war on many fronts. There's more than one way to fight it Zavala. Look, you tried to shield the entire world, but you can't. There's got to be a better way."

"And you think Rasputin is the answer? It's gone silent. It's a broken weapon. Too dangerous to be left alone, too unpredictable to wield."

Ana went to stand beside him. "That might be true. And maybe he just has nothing to say. Maybe, just maybe, we never bothered to ask him what he wanted."

"I don't have time to go through this with you again," Zavala snapped. "You have no right—"

"I have every right. You don't understand the connection I share with Rasputin. Here, let me show you."

Ana took a few steps toward the second door but a deep guttural growl from behind Wren made them all stop and turn.

"Okay, we should really figure out what's doing that," Kiran said.

"I can tell you," Zavala said. "Rasputin was not the only thing to awaken on Mars."

"What does that mean?" Wren asked, thinking back on the footage she sent to Cayde.

Zavala's eyes slid to meet hers, but he didn't seem like he was in any hurry to reply to her.

"Is it… whatever that worm, snake thing was?" she asked, noting the slight twitch of his brow.

"Get back to the Tower, Wren," he said.

"I'll stay here and monitor the situation," Ana said, walking toward the door but Zavala put out an arm to stop her.

"No. You can wait in the main area but I don't want you anywhere near this chamber, do you understand?"

Ana clenched her jaw and huffed. "Fine." She turned on her heel and left, Zavala close behind.

Wren took one last look over her shoulder before following them, keeping her distance. She was already on thin ice with the Commander. This was likely to end in her being grounded for a while but it only made it more clear that whatever she found in those boxes, needed to stay a secret. At least from Zavala.