Chapter 1: The Big, Rotten Apple

Central Park, New York Ruins, Earth

The Exo (now with his headgear on) had traveled to Central Park, with another Exo: Killin ya 007. At the transmat zone they met up with Soulracketeer8, a hunter.

"Racketeer, what's the plan?" the Fireteam leader asked.

The hunter scratched the back of his headpiece. "Well, Swathing. From what my ghost says, there's a lot of Cabal ships around. There's a Fallen ketch hovering above us, an one in orbit as well. There's Hive swarming the place, and even readings of Vex temporal disruptions. This seemed to be the only area not occupied where I could set up shop."

"You don't have a plan, do you?"

"Not in the slightest. But isn't it better that way?"

Killin ya rolled his eyes under his helm.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud crash on the other side of the park. The guardians saw an explosion in the direction of the noise.

"Shall we? Asked Swathing's ghost (if you haven't figured it out, the unnamed Exo is Swathing)."

"Let's shall."

They got out their sparrows, and rode off with a mix of colored trails behind them. They made it no further than 60 meters when a temporal incursion of Vex appeared in front of them. A large Hydra, leading 3 Minotaurs and swarm of Harpies (all Axis class) came out and opened fire at the unprepared guardians of the City.

They jumped from their rides and into cover from the barrage of energized projectiles, and watched their vehicles get blasted out of existence.

"I put a lot of marks into that thing." Killin growled, and loaded his Conspiracy Theory-D shotgun. "And now it's gone from my inventory. I'll scrap 'em all for that." He attempted to jump out at them.

Swathing grabbed him, keeping him from the enemies on the other side of their cover "Calm yo self, man. As you can see on your HUD, they all have yellow bars, indicating they are da rudest of rude dudes. It also says that they are level 42. I don't think we can take them on without a plan" The titan let up, allowing Swathing to continue. "Okay, now we need some heavy ammo. You guys have some syntheses, right?"

"Yup." Replied the hunter. "Gotta be prepared for anything."

The titan nodded as he got out a Thunderlord machine gun. Swathing equipped his rocket launcher, The Ash Factory. SoulRacketeer energized his Arc Edge sword.

They all accessed their inventories and each used a heavy ammo synthesis package. With their heavy ammo filled to the brim, they loaded up their big guns. Just in time too. An Axis Minotaur teleported behind their cover.

Swathing barely reacted in time. "Behind us!" The Minotaur fired its Torch Hammer at them, and Swathing's Ash Factory sent it's payload to wear down the shield. The rocket exploded in its face, destroying the shield and, well, face. "Open fire!" he shouted and the rest of the Fireteam shot up the headless machine. They narrowly avoided the Minotaur's original shots as it staggered from the impact of the rocket and the bullets pounding it. Then it charged blindly at the guardians as they ran to a better cover. Unable to stop itself, it tripped over a decayed park bench. To damaged to continue, its power and will gave out, shutting down.

"Everyone still alive in here?" SoulRacketeer called.

"I'm fine." replied Killin ya. "Not sure about the other guy, though."

Swathing inspected himself. "Got all my limbs. Wait, me or that Minotaur? Just kidding. Speaking of which, I think this is a new public event. The Hydra is going someplace."

"Might as well get revenge for my sparrow." He held up three fingers. Two. One.

They leaped out of cover. Swathing fired another rocket, which destroyed a few Harpies and a Minotaur's shield. The titan's Thunderlord tore up the rest of the Minotaur's body, leaving the rest to be tethered by SoulRacketeer's Shadowshot, denying the Hydra and remaining enemies an escape route. Soul tore through the rest of the Major Vex in the immediate area. Another Shadowshot tether was fired, further suppressing the now lonely Major Hydra. Swathing fired one more rocket into the Hydra's face, blinding it and exposing its mind core. Its propulsion system destabilized as well, leaving it stranded on the ground.

"Wait!" the Warlock's Ghost cried. "Don't damage it too much. Disconnect its power, I want to analyze it. This one's… Different than the others. Will you do the honors, Titan?"

"I thought no one would ever ask." He paced over to the nearly dead thing, and ripped out its power core.

"I thought I'd never see the day." the Hunter said in disbelief. "A Hydra that didn't explode. These things actually look real cool. Ya know, since all the ones I met tried to shoot me."

The Warlock killed the mood. "C'mon. Let's bag this thing and get to the crashed Skiff. We do have priorities, remember? I know you have another sparrow, Killin."

"I guess." The Titan moped as he brought out his spare. "I'll take point. You guys never had a sense of direction." He rode away with a smirk under his helmet.

As the other two followed suit, Racketeer asked Swathing to do something. "Remind me to punch him later, alright?"

"Fine with me, just make sure I'm not in the crossfire."

*Interruption. Unauthorized Edit Detected*

"Well, bravo, dear writer. Bravo! I didn't even have to fiddle with their choices to make them rowdy."

*Wait. You can do that?*

"Well of course I can. I'm Q's other side, remember? Toodles!"

*I'm talking to a book. What is wrong with me?*