Hopefully I can work my way to longer chapters again. Sorry the Chapters don't flow so well folks; I'll work on it.
_
Voxen: Tower; Earth.
"Wait, I don't understand. Say that again, Raven." Thyra said; clearly confused.
The Warlock sighed, and rubbed her arms as if she were cold while looking obviously fatigued. Sitting in a chair by herself next to Voxen's, but she was still in her robe-like armor; unlike Thyra and Shadow. "Fine. One last time... Then I don't want to think about it again." She replied. "Two banners, spark fires of war, fly as one. Two storms brew in winter. One guided by pride. Fangs will bebroken and split into three. Each facing a different fate. Old reborn and rise anew. Or darkness will consume."
"Why is it so cryptic..." Thyra complained.
"You haven't gotten used it yet, but they always make sense eventually." Draco retorted with a grumble.
"Don't blame me... I never asked for these visions... They're a real kill-joy to all my fun..." Raven whined back at Thyra; ignoring the Exo.
Voxen couldn't even make sense of the riddle. Perhaps she didn't have a good enough grasp on the human tongue to fully understand it. However it appeared that all but her Chief seemed to be completely lost to its meaning. The huntress said with her legs crossed over each other and her arms crossed as well. She appeared to be concentrating in thought. Her eyes were open, yet no fire of life lay behind them as if someone had left the lights on but no one were there.
"It has to mean something... Banners... War... Fangs... There's got to be a connection." Shadow muttered to herself. Then she looked up and the fire was back in her gaze as it settled on Raven. "What did you see?"
"Colors... Red and yellow... I saw dark clouds with lightening in them. Teeth... and that's it... I'm not talking about it no more... It's no fun." Raven groaned.
"Alright sheesh... I won't ask again. Damn." Shadow grumbled back, clearly disgruntled that she couldn't pick for more information. Voxen simply chirped, finding it all amusing since she couldn't figure the twisted words out herself.
A few moments of silence followed from Shadow, as she still tried to grasp an answer, until she swiftly stood up making Voxen Guard jump.
"We've got a favor to repay. I'm heading out. If you want a free ride, get your crap and lets goooooo." Shadow announced and the group all rose up to their feet.
Draco had most of his armor save for his helmet and his weapons, and he marched off to his sleeping place to go retrieve them. Thyra and Shadow disappeared into the Huntress's room, assuming to go gear up. Voxen quickly went into her own and grabbed her helm and placed it on and then quickly returned to the living space. Taking it upon herself to keep an eye on the Vision-cursed Warlock, who seemed to still not be quite up to full strength yet, which concerned the Eliskni. In the short time she knew this group of Guardians Voxen had grown to care about each of them. Thankfully the warlock already appeared geared up, so she could stay seated in the chair for the moment.
When the other returned with their gear on and ready, Voxen left the room for only a moment to retrieve her own weapons to be ready to leave herself. She came back and Shadow nodded in approval.
"Alright. Who's ship we taking?" She asked.
"Probably be best to take yours." The Exo grumbled back in return. "Yours is the largest and will serve to accommodate the large group."
"Okay then. Let's go." Shadow replied meekly.
DRAC-0, Shadow, and Thyra headed for the door, while Voxen hesitated seeing the warlock struggle. She had made it to her feet, but it was clear she was having trouble. So Voxen approached carefully and wrapped around her top arm around the warlock, grasping just under the under arm, and offered her lower arm for Raven to grasp for support. Raven looked up and nodded weakly and grabbed the offered hand, and together they both made better pace behind the others for the elevator.
Raven: Shadow's Ship; Earth's Orbit.
Damn Visions... They took all the energy and fun away from her. She didn't like having them, even if they were useful from time to time. She still couldn't remember how she had gotten them before she had been awakened by her Ghost, Crazy Eye.
Still she was thankful for the Eliskni's help in walked out to the ship. It had been an unexpressed kindness she hadn't known could come from the alien. However if Shadow trusted Voxy, then so did she. She also had to admit, the duel pairs of arms had been really cool and helpful assisting her...
Shadow had just sat down in the pilot's seat of the ship and her Ghost was getting ready to take off for the Reef. Raven really didn't want to go back there, the Queen was such a cunt... But oh well, they did owe her, even if she was a bitch.
"Does anyone have to take a piss before we leave?" Shadow called back jokingly from the pilot's seat. Her way of asking if everyone was ready.
"Yeppy!" Raven answered back cheerfully, refusing to show any more weakness.
Thyra nodded and Draco grunted back their answers.
"Ready, Chief!" Voxy chirped in too.
"Alright ladies, we are headed out. Let's go Light."
"Affirmative."
The entire ship pushed forward into hyper-drive and they were off with no turning back now.
Raven looked over towards Vox and smiled warmly. "Thank you for the help, Voxy." She cooed, almost child-like.
The four-armed alien looked toward her, blinked and clicked her mandibles back at her. "Needed assistance, yes? Happy to assist." she responded back.
"Still you are a good friend." Raven said.
"Thanks."
"What were you guys chatting about before? I heard you guys but I was having trouble understanding." Raven asked curiously.
Voxy immediately appeared to lighten up some at the question. "Make new House with Huntress. Both Guardians and Eliskni fight under one banner!"
"Oh, really? That sounds awesome!" Raven said; knowing if Shadow was at the lead then it would be a good House. "I wanna be a part of that!"
"Good! Banner grows stronger!" Vox answered back. "All who wish for better are welcomed!"
"Whoot!" Raven cheered. "So what's it called?"
"House Defiance."
"That definitely sounds like Shadow's doing." She giggled. "It'll be a good House. I'm sure of it!."
"Yeeeeeeeeees, Shaaaaadow strong!" Voxy replied with pride.
"This is the Royal Guard of the Reef. By Order of her Majesty, the Queen, state your business or be shot down!"
"This is Shadow Fear-Striker, from Earth. My Fire-team and I are expected by the Queen."
"Uh oh. Poor Guards will get their panties in a wad." Raven giggled.
"... Confirmed. Be advised, follow us to land and do not deviate."
"Fine. Fine." Shadow's sarcastic tone could even be heard from the back of the ship.
The ship banked to the left, for what Raven assumed was following after the Royal Guard Ships. And after a few very long minutes Raven felt the ship begin to slow and descend downward to land. IT came to a slow stop and the ship powered down while the door opened, allowing them to get off.
It was time to meet the Queen. Again.
Voxen: The Reef.
The moment they stepped off the ship, Voxen could immediately tell a fight had occurred here. The smell of blood filled the air; from Fallen and Awoken alike, which deeply unsettled her. The smell of gun discharged clung to the air as well, and that was before Voxen had laid eyes on any part of the aftermath of the fight. As they were escorted by the Royal Guards, she couldn't help but notice the feeling of being watched as they walked. This wasn't good.
They arrived a two very large doors with a symbol of a crown on it. The doors slowly opened inward to allow them in. There the smell hit Voxen twice as hard as before, and the fight... no the slaughter, that occurred here now unfolded before them all. Even Fear-Strikers stopped and hesitated at the sight before them. Scattered all over the room were the bodies of multiple Awoken Royal Guard, all appeared to have been shot down by weapons held by the Fallen. This was confirmed as among those bodies a few Fallen bodies scattered here and there came into sight. Mostly Dregs, but even a few Vandals; all of the Wolf Banner... The ones told to had been under the control of the Reef Queen.
The group carefully moved forward over the bodies of the slaughter, over to what appeared to be a Large thrown, with a very agitated looking white-haired Awoken sitting in it. They all had to take care in where they stepped to avoid stepping on or tripping over the bodies of the Guards on the floor. Their escorts following them with new agitation themselves.
As they approached the Queen, another male Awoken with black hair stepped out from behind the chair, his eyes resting on Voxen with a sneering glare.
Shadow stepped forward from the rest of the Group and nodded towards the two. "You called, Your Majesty."
Voxen suddenly felt very cold, standing before the Queen of the reef, but she refused to shrink back as her instincts demanded.
The Queen stared back at the Huntress with cold eyes, unflinching eyes. "You saw the betrayal, as you were escorted in, did you not?"
"Yes I did. Care to explain what happened?"
"The Wolves, turned on us. After I gave them mercy." The Queen answered.
The Male awoken stepped forward. "You are here to hunt them down! Every last one of them, and kill them! They will pay for this wil their lives!"
"Okay. Got that. But, why they do it?" The Huntress replied smoothly.
"A former Kell, called Skolas escaped from the Nine." Growled the angry Awoken. "Apparently most of those Fallen scum didn't wish to be under the Queen's rule any longer. Made quite the mess while they were at it"
"Most?" Shadow pressed.
"Some didn't wish to betray the Queen, but we can't trust them now so they've all been locked up in the Prison of Elders." He replied smoothly.
"What did you do that for? That's a hell of a way to reward their loyalty." The Huntress snapped coldly, tension beginning to build between the dominate figures in the room.
"As I said, they cannot be trusted. They could have simply stayed behind as spies." The Awoken male was starting to sound irritated.
"Yea, 'cuz that makes a fuck ton of sense!" Shadow growled...
Voxen stepped forward from the group. "Perhaps, I could be of assistance?" She squeaked, keeping her body in a submissive posture to avoid making the tension in room any worse.
Shadow whipped around, and Voxen could help but notice all eyes were now on her.
"Visit Wolves that remain. Question them, seeeeeeeee in own eyes if they are Fallen, or Eliskni." Voxen politely suggested.
The Queen stood up from her chair with her cold gaze locked on Voxen. It made Voxen squirm under such ice but she stood as firmly as she could.
"This one is clever. " She spoke, her voice's previous irritation gone, and only empty coldness remained. "But where is its loyalty lie?"
Voxen puffed up some proudly. "Former House Winter. Loyal to Fear-Striker now." She glanced over to Shadow, who chuckled quietly to herself. Voxen even thought she caught a flash of pride in the Huntress's gaze as well.
"I trust her. She could very easily settle and doubt of the remaining Wolves." Shadow pipped in, supporting Voxen; and the former Vandal puffed up even more.
The Queen's gaze never wavered off of the prideful Eliskni, however she seemed satisfied and gracefully flopped back down onto her throne. "Very well. Have Variks escort them to the Prison, allow them to question the Fallen."