AN - Updated 8/9. I opted to redo a few of the chapters to make them fit more in line with Ch 1 (originally a stand alone story). Don't worry, I won't be going back and constantly tinkering, this will be the one big push. Added approximate 1500 words. If you've previously read the chapter and want to see the new content, it is mostly descriptive language, mostly in the second half, extending the sequence in which Claney meets the other two characters.

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Ch. 2

The Traveler filled my view as we approached. The sight of it hovering over the Last City always filled me with a sense of awe. Here was the thing that had brought Humanity its Golden Age, the thing that helped preserve a remnant of Humanity after the collapse, and the thing responsible for this strange second life I was currently living. Now it hung silent and crippled. Some said dead. I hoped not. I hoped the Traveler would awaken one day, if only to provide answers to the many questions that so many Guardians had.

We made one circuit around the Traveler before approaching the Tower. I transmatted down to the landing platform, and waited for Elgan to dock the ship. I'd gotten used to the act over all these years, but it was still a curious sensation. For me, the best way to describe it would be the sensation someone experiences when they have been travelling upward and then suddenly make a quick, downward motion; that brief sensation of zero gravity when their stomach feels as though it's rising into their chest.

The Tower was bustling with activity today. There was a time not too long ago when it was nearly empty. After we lost so many Guardians on the Moon, it was quiet. The last few years, however, new Guardians seemed to be sprouting up each day. I saw Hunters, Titans, and Warlocks, some moving with purpose, others milling about and socializing. Once I saw Elgan flitting back toward me from the hangar, I motioned to him and we crossed the courtyard, making our way to the Vanguard. I needed to report to them first, then report to the Speaker. After that I could take care of anything, or anyone, else that needed handling.

As I rounded the corner to the lower level, I was sure to give Eris Morn a wide pass. Traveler, that lady gave me the creeps. I can see how all that time she spent in the Hellmouth surrounded by Hive, experiencing the horrors that she dealt with, could affect a person. Still, the Hive eyes barely hidden behind the veil, the cryptic rambling she was always spouting… I'll just say I much preferred it when she hung out on the docks and leave it at that. Thankfully, she was too interested in her weird, green, luminescent rock to pay me any mind as I strode past.

Next, the Crucible staging area. On the left was Arcite 99-40, Crucible Quartermaster. The frame had a number of different weapons for sale, as well as the occasional sparrow. To the right was the familiar form of Lord Shaxx, the legendary Titan in charge of the Crucible surrounded by trophies from his years as an active Guardian. He was always an imposing figure in his orange and white armor, the one curved horn protruding from his helm that he never removed. I gave a quick salute as a sign of respect as I passed. He gave a brief nod in return.

"Tell Zavala to get out of that room and get in the Crucible, Titan," he rumbled after me. Shaxx had been after Zavala to return to the Crucible for years, wanting the Vanguard to show the younger Guardians, "…how it's done". Him making that sort of statement was almost as predictable as Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6 complaining about being stuck in the Tower. This time, however, a retort came to mind.

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right competition, sir. Perhaps you should make a more… direct request," I replied. That seemed to give him something to think about as his stance shifted and he cocked his head to one side. Visions of how much glimmer I could make if Shaxx and Zavala actually did throw down in the Crucible briefly crossed my mind, but I pushed them away for now.

Finally, the Hall of the Vanguard, where the leaders of the Guardians met to discuss strategy. The three of them were standing around their table as usual. Commander Zavala, Titan Vanguard, at one end flanked by Cayde-6 and Ikora Rey, Warlock Vanguard. They were all hunched over a collection of maps, with Cayde pointing animatedly at something. The conversation died down as I entered the room, and all three turned toward me.

"Looks like you've got company, Zavala," Cayde stated, bundling up the map he'd been gesticulating at. "We'll finish this conversation later." To me he said, "Titan," then brushed passed me on his way out the door.

Zavala looked at me expectantly. His stern, blue features might not be as inscrutable as Shaxx's helmet, but he was no less imposing of a figure. Ikora gave me an unreadable look before seeming to turn her attention to other matters. I made my way quickly down the short staircase and strode over to where Zavala stood.

"Claney Beamard reporting on recent Lunar excursion," I stated, matter-of-factly. "After finding a newly opened fissure that lead below the surface, I discovered a large cache of Disaster-era artifacts in the possession of the Hive. I eliminated the threat and recovered many of the items, though I was stopped from a full recovery by another Guardian."

"Another Guardian?" Zavala asked, the surprise unusually easy to hear in gravely baritone of his voice.

"A Hunter wearing Future War Cult gear."

"The War Cult? What is Lakshmi up to now? The last thing we need right now is another Faction War to divide the Tower while our enemies close in around us." Zavala turned to his Ghost, "Make a note to check into that as soon as possible. We need to nip any issue in the bud. Now," turning his attention back to me, "what did you manage to recover?"

"A large number of dead Ghosts, as well as armor and weapons. Also, what appears to be a shard of the Traveler." Elgan materialized, projecting an image of the items as I spoke. I noticed Ikora glance over at the projection, her only visible reaction a raised eyebrow at the sight of the piece of the Traveler. "It appeared the Hive were using the fragment of the Traveler to reanimate the Ghosts. I destroyed the device they were using for that purpose."

"Well done, Claney. Get the remains and the ghosts to the archivist as soon as you can," Zavala stated, "Of course, The Speaker will want to see that Shard. The Vanguard will have a word with the War Cult about that other Guardian."

Sensing the dismissal, I turned and left the room. Up the stairs and across the courtyard again, then turning right, following the hallway toward the Speaker's study. As always, he was hunched over his desk, intently focused on whatever problem he was working on at the moment. I hesitated in the doorway for a moment, mesmerized by the spin of the Vitalis, before heading up the stairs. I repeated the report to him, and Elgan transmatted the Traveler fragment onto his raised platform near his work station. When it appeared, I effectively disappeared, so I excused myself and returned to the courtyard. Once out in the open, I brought my Ghost out again.

"Alright," I said, "time to find us a Hunter."

"You heard Zavala, he said the Vanguard would look into it."

"Yes, but I also know that we are going to look as well." This statement was met with an annoyed buzz from Elgan. "Look, I'm not saying we're going to pick a fight or anything here in the Tower, I'm just saying I want you to take a look around. See if you find a trace of him. I need to know who that was. Quick check of who is in the Tower, maybe sneak a peek at the FWC meeting spot, then come right back."

"Okay," he replied with an excellent electronic approximation of a sigh, then flittered off.

With that under way, I made my way over to Banshee-44. Speculation has it that the number behind an Exo's name refers to the number of times their memory has been wiped. At 44, Banshee has the highest number I've ever seen. If that is the case, it might explain a few of his eccentricities, to put it nicely. As I approached, the old Exo looked at me and blinked a few times before speaking.

"Hello, Guardian," he rasped. "What can I do for you?"

"My Hatchet got a little dinged up. Hoping you can fix it for me."

"Sure thing. Leave it with me and I'll take care of it." He paused for a moment and refocused on me. "I remember you this time. Reminds me, I have something for you, special delivery from Omlon. Seems they sent something as thanks for weapons testing you have done."

Banshee reached under his table, pulled out a package, and handed it over. Curious, I opened it up and pulled out a black hand cannon with a blue ammo cylinder. It had the usually blocky, plastic look of most Omlon weapons. I looked over the gun, holding it out to aim down the sights.

"Kumakatok HC4. Good gun. Solid craftsmanship," Banshee said, somewhat admiringly. "Capable of using Firefly rounds."

I slipped the hand cannon behind my back. I'm normally not a big fan of that class of weapon, but it couldn't hurt to give it a shot. Elgan could always break it down for parts later if I didn't like it. I turned away from Banshee's table just as a blue and white Exo Warlock decked out in New Monarchy gear approached. I stepped out of the way to provide access to Banshee, and the Warlock changed course, revealing me as his intended destination. Wonderful.

"Are you Claney?" he asked as he approached, his red optics focusing on me. I nodded. "Excellent. My name is Scott-20. Executor Hideo said I might find you out here."

I have done a number of jobs for New Monarchy over the years, but I wouldn't call myself a "true believer" in the cause. Among the three Faction, the notion of strengthening and solidifying the leadership of the City and Tower appealed to me more than running away or… whatever it was the War Cult got up to. For my troubles, the New Monarchy had given me some quality gear, so it was a relationship that worked out for everyone. Most of the time.

"Did he now?"

"Yes," he began, missing or ignoring the tone, "While looking through some unclassified mission logs, I believe I discovered a piece of information related to the Vex that had been previously overlooked. I want to travel to Venus to delve into some of the Ishtar Collective's records that have been left behind. I have another Warlock travelling with me, but thought it might be useful to have someone else to help keep the Vex off our backs. As I believe the information could prove useful to New Monarchy, I approached Executor Hideo. He recommended you."

Right then, the notion of babysitting a couple Warlocks as they went diving through computer records was about as appealing to me as throwing myself off the Tower. I opened my mouth, prepared to reject him outright, but he interrupted me.

"The Executor said that he would reward you with the latest model Kallipolis Plate for your troubles."

That stopped me. I'd had my eye on that piece of gear for a while. Sure, it looked mostly like the old model, but the chroma infusion just made it so much more appealing. I had already managed to procure the rest of the set, and would be able to complete it now. Curse me and my infatuation with glowing armor.

"Deal," I stated. "I just need to finish one thing and then I'll be ready to go. I'll meet you here shortly."

I headed toward the docking area and met my Ghost on his way back. He fused into my armor and told me what I had already assumed, the Hunter was nowhere to be seen. Either he had come and gone, or he had not come back yet.

"I doubt I need to remind you that Hunters tend to stay away from the Tower for much longer periods of time than Titans or Warlocks," Elgan said. "I doubt waiting around would be productive. I will monitor what I can without getting us into trouble for any sign or mention of him."

"We're not waiting around," I informed him. "We're going to accompany a couple Warlocks to Venus to do an archive dig. Maybe it will give our friend some time to surface. While we're there, if you're really good, maybe I'll let you out so that you can do a little scanning yourself."

We made our way back out to the courtyard, and I saw Scott waiting by the tree. He didn't notice me right away, so that gave me a moment to take a better look at him. Most of his shell was a navy blue, but there were two large, bright white attachments to his head that came from the top of his head to about where the eyebrows would be on a human. From there, two horn-like projections stuck out, giving him a slightly devilish look. That was accented by the red optics and dash of red paint over the left eye. All in all, the appearance didn't mesh with the personality that he had exhibited so far. I drew closer, and he finally noticed my approach.

"Ah, Claney. Back much quicker than I expected. Excellent," he said cheerily, once again giving lie to his look. "I have established contact with the other member of our expedition. She is currently below in the city and requests we meet her there."

"Lead on," I replied, motioning in the direction of the elevators.

…

I don't venture into the City very often. Maybe I should. Maybe seeing the people raising children, opening shops and market stalls, and just generally going about their lives would strengthen my resolve, help me push that much harder against the darkness. At the very least, the view of the Traveler from below is enough to make the trip worth it. From here, the horrific scarring on its underside dominates the view, as opposed to being most hidden when looking from the Tower. Once again I am filled with questions about its arrival and last moments that I hope to one day get an answer to.

Many Guardians find it relaxing to walk the streets and visit the restaurants or pubs that have sprung up over the years. I, on the other hand, find it all a little disconcerting and uncomfortable. I do not enjoy being surrounded by crowds of people and it all just reminds of how far removed from "normal" the life of a Guardian is; how different we are from the rest of humanity. It is impossible to not be reminded of that as you walk the streets, particularly if you come in full armor. People stare. Some can't resist the urge to touch Guardians as they walk past, as if to see if they are really real. For some of them, it almost seems to border on some sort of religious experience.

I could see Scott-20's head moving back and forth, taking in all the sights. Clearly, he had not been down frequently either. We made our way into the Core East district of the city, and he stopped to confer with his Ghost, attempting to locate the establishment our third fireteam member was in. I heard a scurrying of feet behind us, and visions of Thrall shrieking and tearing through the streets passed through my mind for a moment before I realized it is simple a group of children attempting to follow us without being seen. I considered saying something to them for a moment, then decided to let them think they had succeeded in their attempts at stealth.

After a brief conference with his Ghost, Scott continued onward, and I followed. The children continued behind us as well, emboldened by their success thus far. I smiled a little in spite of myself as I heard a couple of them start to giggle. Maybe the City isn't all bad. I glanced over my shoulder and saw them try to duck behind whatever cover they could find, laughing and squealing. After a few steps, I heard them scrambling to catch up. I gave them a moment to get close again and then turned suddenly, dropping to one knee to get down to their eye level. They screamed and laughed as they ran away again, except for one child. A small girl with dark brown hair and eyes who stood in place, staring. I held out my right hand, palm toward her. A small smile crept across her lips as she stepped forward and slapped my hand before running off after her friends.

I watched the children go, then stepped quickly to catch up with Scott. After another left turn, we found what we'd been looking for. A brightly painted curio shop of some sort called Trina's Trinkets. The lettering of the sign was ornate and flowing, and the windows held displays of geodes, pottery, and rusted relics. Pushing open the wooden door, Scott stepped in and I followed.

The interior of the store was dimly lit, and it took my eyes a moment to adjust to the change in illumination. Once I could see clearly, I took stock of place. It was cluttered with various knick-knacks and household goods. Some looked newly made, while others clearly dated back many years. Mixed in among these items were fragments of other things: shell casings, armor fragments, and what appeared to be pieces of a Fallen house banner.

"Hello, friends," came the voice of a short, middle aged woman. "My, my, my, so many Guardians today. How can I help you, gentlemen?"

"We are simply looking for our compatriot," Scott replied.

A flash of light drew our attention and we found who we were looking for in a far corner of the room. The other Warlock was a woman, clad in full armor and helm. She was dressed in a fashion popular among Guardians who frequent the Reef, shaded blue and silver, a purple Fallen rune glowing on her chest that looked very bright in the low light of the shop. She was holding something I couldn't quite make out. The flash had been her Ghost scanning the item.

"And there she is," Scott continue. "Pardon us."

The Exo Warlock made his way to the far side of the room. I stayed near the door and heard a small whimper in my internal coms. I chuckled and held out my hand.

"Go ahead, take a look around. Make it quick."

Elgan materialized and quickly began to dart around the shop, careful not to collide with anything. He did a quick scan of anything that caught his interest while the two Warlocks conversed. The shopkeeper seemed to find his curiosity amusing, smiling as she watched him go to and fro.

I saw the Warlocks turn in our direction, and snapped my fingers. My Ghost let out a petulant sound and came back to me. The new Warlock approached the shopkeeper, apparently purchasing whatever item she'd been examining. Stepping outside, we waited for the other two to emerge. When they did, Scott made introductions.

"Zillah Arvid, this is Claney Beamard, the Titan that will be accompanying us to Venus. Claney, Zillah."

The other Warlock, Zillah, seemed to give me a once-over and let out a sound that could be interpreted as extreme disinterest. I could already tell this was going to be a great partnership.

"Nice to meet you to," I muttered.

Scott's Ghost sent Elgan the rendezvous coordinates for Venus orbit. The Ghosts in turn disappeared, heading to the hangar to retrieve our ships. Once they were in range, we were each transmatted aboard our respective vessels and on our way.