Gnawing Hunger.

The Guardian tactly closes the bedroom door behind him as he follows the woman inside, careful not to make much noise.

Marin awkwardly braces herself to sit down on the bed. Poorly trying to hide her pain as she moves. "Thanks for coming by, Guardian," she says as she props up her cane against the wall near the head of her bed.

"I'll be back soon. I mean what I said about getting that thing open." His words are firm and determined.

"Or you could just come by to visit?" She adjusts a flat pillow to lean back on. "Nadia said I'm supposed to rest until I'm all healed up. Means you won't see me out on your afternoon stroll for a couple weeks or so." She winces as she turns her body on the bed. "It'd be nice to see you here, if you have time."

Klutz seems a little nervous when he answers. "I'll stop by when I can."

"Oh, and don't do anything stupid just 'cause I ain't out there to set you straight."

He smirks and says, "No promises," as he casually leaps out of the short window and into the darkness.

Marin looks out into the warm summer night in a moment of thought. She then turns her attention to the old firearm she has proudly displayed next to the door. She stares at it for quite a while. Only breaking her concentration when her fatigue forces a great yawn out of her. She snuffs out the light and rests.

At the late hour of the night, very few of the village's inhabitants are awake. Even fewer still, are outside their quiet homes. This makes for a peaceful and silent walk through the well worn paths leading back to the Guardian's jumpship. The quiet is comforting to him. A break from the constant commotion, distress, and expectations that have surrounded him for most of his brief life. Turning past the last building at the far edge of town, Klutz notices a figure, alone and away from the village, resting casually against his spacecraft. He stops his steps and stares toward the unexpected visitor.

In a bright flash, Spark appears quickly and observes the unknown individual as well.

"Who do you think that is? Eyran?" Klutz asks, a little annoyed that someone is touching his vehicle without permission.

"Their biometric details don't match Eyran's. I don't think they match anyone we've met out here in this village…"

"Someone from the City then? You think Osiris sent a replacement or something?" His annoyance is quickly replaced by nervousness.

"No. I don't think so."

Klutz draws his weapon and starts walking toward the mysterious figure. It takes him a few moments to get close enough to make out what they look like. He sees them, dimly lit by moonlight. A man in a long worn coat, nonchalantly lent on the head of the jumpship. His face is mostly obscured by a dark hood. His arms are hidden under his loose coat, concealing any possible weapons as well as any clear intentions. Klutz points his weapon as he approaches. "Show me your hands and tell me why you're here!" he shouts as soon as he gets close enough to be sure he could get his point across.

The stranger looks up at the Guardian. Revealing his trimmed beard and a crooked smile. "Whoa! Take it easy there, hotshot!" he says in an almost jovial voice.

Now only about ten feet apart, Klutz stops. With the gun still trained on the stranger, he reiterates, "Let me see your hands and tell me what you want!"

"Hey! No need to get all worked up!" He slowly raises his arms out from under his coat and into the air. With his arms raised, his coat parts enough to reveal the revolver tucked into his belt. "Let's just calm down a second and talk, huh?"

Klutz notices the gun immediately and moves his finger under the trigger guard of his rifle. "How about you toss that gun over here and I'll think about it."

"Well, that doesn't seem too fair." An unburdened smirk crosses the stranger's face.

Klutz readies himself for a firefight.

"Alright, alright. You win." Very slowly, he lowers one hand, grabs the pistol by the butt with his fingertips, and tosses it toward the Guardian. "Don't really feel like plugging you full of holes anyway… Don't feel like getting plugged neither."

Crouching down to confiscate the gun, Klutz keeps his eyes and his rifle locked on the stranger. "So are you gonna tell me what you're doing here?"

The strange man lowers his raised hand and scratches his beard. "Well, yeah. But if I'm bein' honest, you're makin' me kinda nervous with that gun in my face." He puts both of his hands in the air again. "Hard to have a nice conversation when I know you could pop me over a bad joke."

"You just want to have a 'nice conversation?' Why'd you come armed?"

"It's a dangerous world out here, brother. Besides, you're one of those 'hero's' from the City. Even if I got the first shot off, there's nothin' I could do to stop your little friend from standing you right back up to return the favor." His smirk is as strong as ever.

A tense silence fills the atmosphere.

Klutz is the first to break it. "Okay." He turns the weapon away from the man. "You know if you try something, it won't end well for you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it anyway." He lowers his arms and crosses them against his chest.

With the rifle loosely in his grasp, and not threatening to expend its payload, Klutz signals the stranger to say his piece. "So let's talk then."

The mysterious man leans back casually against the jumpship. He notices this annoys the Guardian. He doesn't change position. "Seems like we got off on the wrong foot here. They call you 'Klutz' right? Don't seem like a fitting nickname to me. Get the feeling you do things well. Kinda gotta if you want to survive out here."

"I'm guessing someone told you about me?"

"More or less. You may not be one of those old Guardians that wrote their legends in the Dark Ages, but I've heard a few things."

"I only stepped out of the grave a couple months ago. Doubt there's much to hear," Klutz says with skepticism.

"A pal of mine let me take a look at that report you made on your time in Old Chicago. Real riveting stuff. Glad it had a happy ending." He chuckles softly. "Thing I was most interested in was the part where you found yourself in possession of some kind of super weapon. And I'm even more interested in how you got it."

Klutz narrows his brow. "If you read the report then you know how I got it."

"Yeah, I know. Happened to find the key to the kingdom. A black keycard?"

The Guardian perks up at the question. "I wasn't so specific in the report. How do you know it was a black card?"

The stranger's grin widens. "Did a little investigating of my own. Also learned about another armory around these parts, just waiting to be plundered."

"Who are you?" the Guardian asks. Unsure of the stranger's intentions.

The strange man pulls his hood down. Revealing his dark hair and a dark band tied around his forehead. "Me? I'm nobody. Just a guy that gets around, hears things."

"Well you sure seem connected. Are you from the City?"

"Nah, not really my style. I'm something of a nomad. See, I move around a lot. I'm a wanderer. A drifter. And I got the whole universe in front of me."

Klutz eyes this 'Drifter' up and down for a moment. He takes note of his clear confidence and his utter lack of unease. "Listen. Whoever you are, the 'armory' here isn't yours to 'plunder.' I'm the Guardian watching over this village, so if you try anything, it's my responsibility to put you down."

"Back to the threats, huh? And I thought we were finally making nice!" The Drifter's smile weakens, but does not leave. "You don't have to worry about me, hotshot. Far as I'm concerned, folks here have squatted long enough to earn whatever they've camped on top of. Thing I find a little strange is that you haven't got it open for them yet."

"Haven't had much luck with that yet." Klutz clenches his teeth slightly.

"Figured as much. I know you don't got the right card for that door."

Doing his best to hide his interest, Klutz replies with nothing but a stern look.

The Drifter smiles wide again. "Lucky for you, I think I can point you in the right direction."

"So you can swoop in and steal the goods?"

"Geez, kid. Thought we went over this. I've only got a passing interest in that village secret. Got my sight on… other ventures. Don't mean I can't lend a hand to you though." The strange man reaches out in a giving expression.

"You want to help out of the kindness of your heart?" Klutz asks sarcastically.

"Never said that." He chuckles. "No, I'm planning on leaving this system someday. Got it all lined up for the most part. Need to get my affairs settled beforehand, you see? Just so happens that your interests and mine have a bit of crossover."

"Yeah? And how's that?"

The Drifter links his fingers and rests them behind his head. "Got an… associate. Needs a package delivered to him. Lucky for you, this associate almost definitely knows something about your little back card situation. I'm thinking, you bring him the package and trade it for the info. It'd save me the trip and give you some clue about how to claim your prize. Win, win."

Klutz says nothing for a while. Only the soft wind makes a sound. He looks back at the village for a moment. The first time he's taken his eyes off the stranger since they met. He looks back at him with determined eyes. "Gonna need more details on the job."

"That's what I like to hear!" The Drifter flashes his teeth and stands alway from the jumpship. "Not gonna lie, it ain't an easy delivery." He rubs his hands together. "Fellas located at the edge of the asteroid belt. On the outskirts of the Reef. Little place called 'the Tangled Shore.'"

Spark sends a pulse of strong warmth to the Guardian's hand.

Klutz raises his brow. "The delivery is off world?"

"Said it wasn't gonna be easy." He rests his hands on his hips. "It's why I only trust a Risen to get things done. Already sent the nav data to your ship. Left the goods in the cargo hold as well. Sorry for assuming so much, but… I think I was right."

With a half roll of his eyes, Klutz gathers more information. "So what's the cargo and who am I delivering to?"

"Can't tell you what the cargo is, clients eyes only. Haven't even peeked myself. It's small though, light too. Can't say the same for the client himself." He laughs briefly.

Klutz stays quiet.

"Guy goes by 'the Spider.' Tricky son of a gun, but we've got an understanding. You may need to push a little to get the info you want, but tell 'em 'Drifter sent ya' and I'm sure it'll be smooth sailing. Spider's always willing to make a deal." The Drifter takes a few steps forward. "So, you in?"

Pawing at the card in his pocket, Klutz takes a moment to think. It's not long before he answers. "I'm in."

Spark sends another pulse of heat to his hand.

"This is how folks make a name for themselves! Not going to do that babysitting some quiet little village." He approaches the Guardian and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Got a feeling you'll be a legend someday." He reaches out his other hand. "Now let's shake on it."

Klutz meets his hand and shakes.

The Drifter steps back a bit. "Think you got everything you need. I'm sure you can handle the rest. After you're done, you should look me up. Been spending my time in the City at a bar down on 7th. Could use a guy like you in my crew." He waits for a response, but gets nothing. "Well, think about it I guess. Oh, and good luck. Hope you won't need it." He turns around and walks away, disappearing in a small cloud of transmat mist.

"You're IN!?" Spark cries out before she has even finished materialising. "We just went over this! You have a responsibility here, yet you agreed to smuggle, who knows what, halfway across the system!?"

"C'mon Spark. You know this is important."

The Ghost spins her shell wildly for a moment before steadying herself. "I know all this 'armory' business is… personal to you. I can't lie, I find it very interesting myself!" She quickly catches herself in her excitement. "And I know Marin means a lot to you as well…"

"Spark, please it's-"

"But you have a job to do here. It's not right to abandon it… Send a report back to Osiris about this. He may give you the go ahead to investigate it officially."

"Or he could send a more experienced Guardian…" Klutz passes by the Ghost and rests a hand on his jumpship. "It needs to be me Spark. I can't miss this chance."

"The Reef is a risky place to be. It's going to be dangerous…"

"I know. It's a good thing I've got a partner like you by my side." He turns to smile at his concerned friend.

She shifts her shell around contemplatively. "Whether I agree or not." She hovers close to her partner. "I go where you go." There is warmth in her words. She disappears and transmats the Guardian into the pilot's seat.

Klutz adjusts himself in his seat and sets his rifle down next to him. "Ready to head off now?"

Spark replies over the ship's communication system. "The travel won't take us too much time, but I don't know how long our dealings with this 'Spider' will take. Best to leave as soon as possible. I'm hoping this will take less than a day. Two at most if we run into any trouble." She activates the ship's engines.

The vehicles rattling hum excites the Guardian. He gives the systems a quick check, activates the simulated windows, and grabs hold of the controls. "If we're lucky, most folks here won't even notice we left!"

The vehicle raises from the ground gracefully. It hovers in place for a moment before slowly turning direction. The soft growl of the thrusters transitions quickly into a loud roar as they light up bright with blue fire. The ship propels itself high in the air at an incredible speed, passing above the dark clouds in mere moments. The spacecraft slows to a constant cruise as it reaches the outer reaches of the planet's atmosphere.

Far above the globe, the pilot peers out the window to take in the view. Below, great storms on the ocean are nothing but a calm collection of clouds. The ravaged, abandoned continents are peaceful and quiet islands, dotted by the dark reminders of a lost age. What catches the pilots eye over all else, is the great sphere resting high above the bastion of humanity below. A flicker of light in a sea of darkness. He takes in the view for a while.

"Navigation data set and flight solution calculated. Time to give the new NLS drive a test run, huh?" the little light asks as she appears next to the sightseer. She floats over to the window as well. "Beautiful isn't it? Not just the Traveler. I mean all of it. It's amazing to think humanity covered almost every inch of the planet. Even more amazing that they were able to reach out into the rest of the system with the help of the Traveler's blessings." She drifts over to the other side of the cockpit and looks out into the dark vacuum of space. "One day, with the help of Guardians like you, I believe we will do it again."

The thrusters burn a bright blue. The spaceship flies forward into the darkness faster than the eye can see. Disappearing into the stars.