Drip. Drip. Drip. The sound echoed through the old tunnel only accompanied by the odd splash from their boots or the periodic sound of rushing water through the walls. The Train shaft seemed to go further and further down gradually and if the sounds and mildew smell were any indicator their was a lot of water around them making it even more hazardous, one wrong step into a hole or a collapse of the ground under them and they might be swept away by the water never to be heard or seen from again. Heck the tower didn't even know about this tunnel, fat chance they would know where the water led out too.
Well in fairness Ikora would probably figure it out lighting fast. Nix reasoned with herself, the Warlock was brilliant and always seemed to be able to figure anything out, or at least anything to do with less combat oriented planning. Not that shes bad with that I guess... Nix thought getting distracted by her thoughts and not hearing Haste-4 initially.
"Nix are you listening?" he repeated, irritation in his voice. He hated repeating himself.
"Oh! Sorry no I was lost in thought," she admitted "Umm...what did you say?" she asked a bit sheepishly. Haste-4 sighed, clearly annoyed now.
"I said I want you to take some scans for The Tower," he repeated "See if you can make sense of these tunnels."
Nix nodded but didn't know what she'd get to be honest. Architecture wasn't really something she knew anything about but she supposed she could always read up on her findings later. She had always been better at Science's.
Outstretching her hand her Ghost appeared in a digitally lit flash. The little machine promptly began scanning around the tunnel, its scanner lighting up various areas letting Nix get a closer look. She recognized some of the alloy's used on the tracks and walls. She may be no Engineer but they were clearly built rather hasty but also meant for high speed travel with the least amount of resistance. Even more so she noted how any loose rails had been removed or pried off entirely. Others had been cut or poorly attempted at removal. Looking up she noted that there were no obvious wire's either
"So?" Haste-4 asked impatiently.
[Well I've got good news and bad news. Good news is there is no detectable threat of electrocution and the path ahead is fully accessible to us. Bad news is my scanners can penetrate the wall's. There is also traces of Fallen activity here.] Ghost said looking around itself, a bit nervously.
"That's not surprising." Nix said calmly, her thoughts distracting her from her initial nervousness and concern over their new plan to go down the tunnel. "These walls are made of a Golden Age alloy, scanner's can't reach through them, in fact they wont even show up on most scans. Their metal reflects the signal making them invisible." she explained going to a wall and tapping it with her knuckle. There was no sound but she could feel the vibrations when she held her palm over it. "That explains why we never found it before, its a Ghost track."
"And you know this how?" Haste-4 asked incredulously.
"Back before I became a Guardian I remember reading up on it. It wasn't well know mind you but I heard of it and decided to look it up. It doesn't rust easy and I recognized the color and grain." she explained "I could be wrong, I'd need a sample and some tests naturally, but it makes the most sense. Bad news is we can't teleport out. It'll likely block us." she said looking to her Ghost for confirmation.
[She's right, I can't get a signal down here. If we keep going we're on our own.] Ghost explained. The group looked to Haste-4 for orders. Nix wanted to leave badly still, and knowing they were cut off made her even more nervous. Who knew how much further down they'd be going. Hell, anyone with sense would turn back and report, it was the smartest thing to do. However she could also see why they'd keep going. If the House of Kings were really active down here then this might be their only chance to get intel on them. Besides, Killbot and Haste-4 were no ordinary Guardians. Both had overcome trials and missions she'd have labeled suicide and come out clean. She was the nervous newbie, they were trained Veterans. Surely they'd be fine right?
Unsurprisingly he decided to continue on however his next statement left her surprised. "You're welcome to head back Nix. This might be a bit above your level so I'll give you the option to return back and report."
She didn't respond right away, thinking it over carefully. She wanted to turn back, she really did. But somehow that felt very wrong now that it was offered. True it probably was over her head a bit but that's why there was more then one person, besides this could be a golden opportunity to get some real heated experience! She still felt her gut twisting, telling her this was a bad idea and she should turn around, but now she was sure it was just newbie nervousness. She'd be fine.
"I'll come too. You aren't allowed to have all the fun!" she replied with genuine cheer in her tone.
"You're certain? You are not just doing this to prove a point?" he asked eyeing her carefully.
"No? Why would I be?" she asked a bit confused as to what he was implying.
He didn't reply right away, just looked at her, assessing her. Again she was confused why but he seemed satisfied and nodded. "Very well, move out."
"You can just say 'let's go' Commander Haste." she teased.
"That's General Haste-4 to you," he shot back making her laugh.
"Yes Sir!"
It felt like forever as the went deeper and deeper down. In truth it was probably more like 15 minutes. They were moving slowly and carefully, checking for anything that could be dangerous or give them clues to Fallen activity. They had found what looked like a supply cache that had been raided years ago. Killbot had spoken up suggesting the tunnel was probably used for transporting supplies and people during the beginning of the collapse. Haste-4 and Nix had to agree, especially when the found what looked like was once a station that had totally collapsed in, complete with bits of shattered skeletons.
"Poor guys...They were probably trying to escape when it came down..." Nix said sadly, looking up where the roof had come down, the rubble having stretched half way into the tunnel and tracks.
"Mmm..," was Haste-4's only reply.
[This is like where I found you Haste-4.] His Ghost uncharacteristically spoke up.
"What really?!" Nix asked now completely immersed in the Ghost "Where was this?"
At first it didn't reply looking at Haste-4 for permission which came in the form of a shake of the head and a passive wave that said 'indulge her'. [2 years ago I found him in the rubble of a collapsed Military Base. He was in the munitions wing and an entire wall was knocked down on him. This was a few feet of concrete mind you. I'm still no sure what exactly knocked it down.]
"Haha! That explains why your so good at this kind of stuff!" Nix said looking at Haste-4 "Your a seasoned Veteran through and through." He gave a grunt in response as they moved out again. "My Ghost found me in a rusted car in the Cosmodrome. I vaguely remember my first death, but I remember everything else."
Haste-4 nodded "As I'm sure you could tell then, I cannot remember my own first death, few can remember anything of their old lives. Including me." he said the last part a bit sadly, it was faint but she heard it.
She nodded but didn't say anything at first. She knew what she wanted to say but it would have empty use on him. Humans didn't ever really 'forget'. Sure they might not always remember but the brain never really did away with memories. But he wasn't human. Was he ever? She knew some Exo used to be human but not all. She just watched him sadly, wanting to help make him feel better but she couldn't think of anything to say.
She was pulled from her thoughts when the were presented with a split in the tunnel, or more specifically, a 3 way break. The tunnel had divided into 3 different directions with one path being partly collapsed in and submerged. The other two were clear however. The left one was the submerged on and appeared to go down, the center one went up and was clear as was the right one. Nix, already being on the right, stared down the right one with Killbot. "Not to sound like a movie character but which way do we go now?"She asked looking at Killbot who looked back at her then Haste-4.
"We stay together," he stated, his ghost already scanning the area.
Nix turned back to the tunnel and stared down it, tempted to throw a solar grenade down it to light it up. That's when she thought she saw movement. There was no light down the tunnel but she thought she saw something move all the same. Was she paranoid? She raised her weapon, neither teammate noticing as she took a few steps down the tunnel carefully. Staring into the darkness before her.
"Nix? What is it-"Haste-4 didn't get to finish his sentence before his Ghost cut him off with a [LOOK OUT!] and a deafening boom was heard above. The tunnel shook violently, dirt, dust, and water spraying as the ceiling crumbled and fell down on them. Nix didn't get time to turn back to them as she was knocked from her feet and hit the ground, gun skittering away. She cried out in alarm as the tunnel rocked around her and the adrenaline hit her system. It did little to help aside from help her dodge from falling debris. She cried out to them as she looked where they had been standing only moments ago and saw only rubble. They had been buried.
"NO! HASTE! KILL!" she screamed, in her panic she rushed the rubble pile which was starting to settle. Before she could get to it however something grabbed her cloak and hauled her back onto the ground in time to watch as a rock fell from the roof and hit her helmet, cracking it and knocking her out cold from the impact.
It had been a risky plan he had to admit, and now he was thinking it was just plain stupid on his part.
He had set up a trap for the team, luring them to one of the entrances of their base. He had no intention however of letting them escape. The initial idea was to lure them into the entrance tunnels, either would do, and ambush them after cutting off their exit. Had they tried to turn back earlier they would've been cut off by another convenient 'cave in'. It hadn't taken much planning, the explosives were already set as a defensive maneuver. He simply found other use for them. What he was stupid for was when he set them off. He should have waited. He had gotten too impatient, too jumpy.
He saw her separating from the group, while they stood under the explosives she had began to move away, he saw a chance and used it. Light Wielders were actually helpless in the dark, where his people could see fine in it, quite ironic really for them. Really he hadn't tried to dive them, he hadn't expected her to notice his Dreg's movements at all. It was far to dark he thought yet apparently she had detected it all the same. Making him all the more eager to find out just what they could and couldn't do.
When blew the roof up she had been safe but had tried to run to her companions assistance, a foolish choice really, they were already gone. Luckily that same Dreg had grabbed her before she was also buried and killed. However that same saving pull had resulted in a rock crushing her helmet potentially killing her all the same.
He stormed down the tunnel to her unmoving form, coated in dirt and rubble now, the offending rock having been moved off her head to reveal the cracked metal and glass. The Dreg that had pulled her stood to the side, crouched down and shrinking back in fear. Vrack knelt down and sniffed the helmet. Through the other scents of upturned dirt and stale water he could smell it. The fresh metallic smell of light wielder blood. He growled in annoyance and turned to the Dreg angrily. Grabbing his blade he swiped at the cowardly creature, cutting it deeply. It cried out in pain and doubled over. He could care less if it died. Right now he needed to get her to base and see if she was still alive and could be kept that way.
Reaching under her limp torso he carefully lifted her body up and laid her over his shoulder before turning and hastily making his way back to the entrance to the actual base. It wasn't far from his current position really. They had been dangerously close to finding the base in reality. Readjusting her for his comfort he noted she was heavier then he thought, then again dead weight was always worse, he just hoped she wasn't actually dead.
