"Guardian, care to explain what your 'replica' did in the vex network?" Ikora's glare was pointed, eyes locked on my freshly transmitted face.

"Atalanta's idea, she breached the complex and said that her iron lord status would clear us" I have my Little Great Machine digitize my helmet as I desperately dance my hands for a place to let them rest.

"Wow, great job not cracking under pressure you ass." My team's knight in shining armor appears next to me in a flash of light.

Crow appears beside her. "Is it too early to say I told you so? We both knew this wasn't gonna be a secret for long."

She turns to the birdlike mask of our hunter. "You are as much an accomplice as the rest of us, Crow; don't play coy right now."

"'Blow open the vault or I'm going to do it myself. I like the Cosmodrome where it is, and you would have probably destroyed half the wall breaking in." He steps forward to get into her space; and was promptly reminded that 5'8" in boots can't compete with 6'1" in full war gear.

She nearly bumps him over as she returns the gesture. "I don't care for the tone right now birdbrain, and I know how to control a demolition."

Ikora's smooth voice cut through the fight before it got physical. "So everyone got in on the idiotic plan, how wonderful. You out of everyone here should know better Atalanta, and Crow, don't be afraid to inform me or Zavala if our perfect guardian is misbehaving." She looks between them again before glaring at my slow escape from the room. "Coeniks, I'd just like to commend you on a job well done, going so soon?"

"No ma'am, just was, um, wanting to check my postal network?" I'm dead dead dead dead. Kell mad.

"That can wait, do tell me how you managed to corral the SIVA in Aksis's helmet so it only ate at you and the vex around you." The woman sounded far too sweet for the expression on her face and every fight or flight response in my head was telling me to get out.

I rematerialize the helmet in my hands. "It spoke to me as I first wore it, and the command prompt I gave it mixed with the solar light I had used to remove it from the Archon must have set its parameters. It seems to use my light wavelength as a way to determine what and what not it can consume; the SIVA then either goes to repairs, ammo synthesis, or is converted to solar light for me to consume."

"Well I'll be, you actually managed to give SIVA a reasonable limit, but I believe it won't work if you learn other forms of light. I'm impressed with the control you managed to force upon the nanites; perhaps SIVA can be used safely." Her expression had softened now, a hand against her chin as she thought about the possible applications. "What were the whispers like?"

"It spoke mainly as a way to present its command system; the nanites were all execution and some mild advice about solar energy levels. My dream of fighting towards the crypt that night was changed, and that's the most noteworthy change."

Crow interrupted. "Is that a dream of your past life? What's it like?"

Ikora responded for me. "All Exo's experience a dream of fighting those they know and have forgotten as they march towards the Deep Stone Crypt. The cryptarchs believe it's a form of combat simulation that uses all available individuals in the mind's memory as combatants. What changed?"

I thought back to the last sleep I've had. "The fighting began normally, but SIVA attacked me soon after it began. First, it formed the shape of an angry old human, and the voice of that man was one that I had heard in the dreams before. The SIVA shifted and writhed as I fought him, and he spoke as if he was presenting a sales pitch on the machines."

"I hope it's not the old bastard Clovis, man has a habit of appearing where he isn't wanted." Atalanta had leaned against the war table and had Hippomenes dig out her info on SIVA.

"Another figure appeared, one with an odd helmet. It had a forward pointed beak and two horns exiting the back. The nanites that had formed it spoke in a method more like they had in the waking world."

Ikora's hand raised as her ghost projected a hologram of that same helm. "Was it like this guardian?"

I blink at how quickly she had pulled up the correct helm. "The very same."

Atalanta's eyes widened at this. "The SIVA's memories must have mixed with your own slightly as you slept, and your protocols pulled from its mind as if it was yours."

"That helm belonged to Felwinter, a rogue piece of Rasputin that became a Risen. Rasputin murdered all the Iron Lords but one with SIVA to neutralize him; did you see anyone else?"

"Just the same Archon I ripped this helm off of. How were the Iron Lord's unable to use SIVA but the Eliksni were?" I looked down at my helm with concern and respect I had never thought it could earn.

"Rasputin used SIVA as bait for the Iron Lords; the Eliksni broke in by complete surprise in comparison." Atalanta was digging through file after file as she spoke. Information flew in front of her as her ghost helped make the connections more quickly.

"It appears that your little heist was fruitful in a few ways, fireteam. The new information on controlling SIVA is invaluable, and as such, you can keep your helmet for now Coeniks. Make sure it doesn't drink too deeply of you now." Ikora nodded in thought as she spoke. "You two, on the other hand, should know better; Outbreak Perfected remains in the Vanguard Vault for the dangers of SIVA. I should have expected Atalanta to cause problems with her free time and won't make the same mistake again."

"It got us out alive, didn't it?" Atalanta had removed her helmet and made eye contact with the vanguard, pleading.

"I am preparing a 6 man exercise so that we may vet another fireteam to work with Coeniks and Crow in the field. The vex network is too much for a team of 3 to go in guns blazing, and I want you to think of potential candidates, Atalanta." The Vanguard Warlock turned to the War table. "Once you have a nice chat with Zavala in private, you and Crow can report to the archives. I want you both to find every scrap of info on both Clovis Bray and SIVA in this tower."

"Research, are you kidding me Ikora!" Atalanta's demeanor changed in an instant at the thought of doing paperwork for the next Traveler-knows-long.

Crow, on the other hand, began kissing up as soon as the opportunity presented itself. "Understood ma'am."

"Coeniks, know you aren't getting out of this for just your naivety. I want you and I to return to the Eliksni Quarter in 3 hours' time; bring your splicer gauntlet and whatever else you feel may help you tune your light. The Arclight you used on the Vex network was strong, and maybe your people will be the best way to teach you how to use it in combat." She turned to leave the room. "I may need to bring a weapon from the vaults for demonstration purposes"

"If it's that grenade launcher you took from me, I still want it back!" Atalanta stomps in indignation. "I looted it fair and square!"

"You also fired it as a showing and knocked out power to the annex for 6 hours; I'm not letting touch your hands for a long time guardian" Ikora's glare shut down Atalanta swiftly. "Crow, Coeniks, you both are dismissed to your respective duties; Atalanta, have fun."