S1-44
Awakening

9:29 AM
02/16/3201

Planet Earth - Old Russia
Cosmodrome

Music
Destiny - Lost Horizons

In the ruins of the old Russian Cosmodrome, a few tiny machines, known as Ghosts, were searching the area. They all looked high and low for something, or rather, someone.

Their Guardians.

One Ghost, with a blue shell, went through a destroyed car, projecting a holographic beam from its eye at a skeleton, which had a hole blown through the top of the skull. "{Ouch.}" It moved on, sensing something nearby.

Little did the Ghosts know, they were being watched, and not by any sort of friendly company. The Fallen.

Another Ghost, with an orange shell, scanned a small area, getting something. "{Is it possible?}" The Ghost's shell separated into eight triangular pieces, orbiting the main sphere in an orb of energy. "{There you are.}" The shell closed back up as it turned to get the attention of the others. "{I think I found them!}" The other nine Ghosts floated over to the orange one, getting the same thing.

They each went to the body of their supposed Guardian, looking over them. "{The Light is still strong in these warriors, and this one is definitely my Guardian.}" The blue Ghost stated. They had all found who they were looking for. With a burst of Light, the Guardians were restored.

Music
Destiny - Guardian

At first, he saw nothing, until he heard a faint voice. "{Guardian. Guardian? Eyes up, Guardian!}" His sight started to fade in, and his hearing had also been recovered. "{It worked. You're alive!}" Michael was indeed alive again. "{You don't know how long I've been looking for you.}"

"What..."

"{I'm a Ghost. Actually, now I'm your Ghost. And you... Well, you've been dead a long time. So, you're going to see a lot of thing you won't understand.}"

Music
none

Suddenly, a loud roar was heard in the distance, drawing the attention of the Ghosts and Pilots. "{This is Fallen territory. We aren't safe here. I have to get you to the City.}" The blue Ghost turned back to face Michael before going at him. "{Hold still.}" The Ghost dissipated into particles of energy.

"What the... What the heck?"

"{Don't worry. I'm still with you. We need to move. Fast.}"

He got up and looked around, seeing the ruined landscape everywhere. Michael then noticed that he wasn't alone. "Samus, Anthony, Jack, Palmer, Sarah, Carlos, Falco, Jacquelyn! You're all alive!"

"Thanks to these 'Ghosts'." Jacquelyn said, looking at her new purple-shelled companion.

"They keep calling us their Guardians. Kinda strange." Jack stated.

"OK, so the Pilots, or rather 'Guardians' now, are alive, but what about our Titans?" Everyone looked at their wrist-worn devices, they all said the same thing.

[-{NO SIGNAL}-]

"They're gone..."

"{I'm guessing you guys had something else that was called a Titan back in your time?}" Jack's Ghost asked.

"Yeah. They're 40-foot machines that could establish a connection called a neural link with us. They have three protocols. Protocol 1: Link to Pilot. Protocol 2: Uphold the Mission. Protocol 3: Protect the Pilot." Samus explained.

"{We'll try and find them on the way, OK?}"

"That would be great. Thank you." Falco replied to his Ghost.

The Ghosts then vanished into their Guardians. "{We won't survive long out in the open like this. Let's get inside the wall.}" Michael's Ghost said.

The Pilots looked around, finding their weapons. "I've got my Spitfire LMG, Hammond P2011, and Charge Rifle."

"I've got my R-97 Compact SMG, Hammond P2011, and Mag Launcher." Samus checked her mags.

Jacquelyn took inventory. "I've got my G2A4 Rifle, Hammond P2011, and Archer Heavy Rocket."

Carlos made sure he had everything."I've got my CAR SMG, Hammond P2011, and Mag Launcher."

"I've got my L-STAR, RE-45 Auto, and Charge Rifle." Anthony reported.

Palmer stood ready. "I've got my R-97, RE-45 Auto, and MGL Mag Launcher."

"I've got my V-47 Flatline, Hammond P2016, and Archer." Jack was ready.

Sarah brushed some moss off her rifle. "I've got my R-101 Carbine, RE-45 Auto, and MGL Mag Launcher."

"I've got my R-97, RE-45 Auto, and Archer." Falco stated, inspecting his equipment.

"Looks like we're all set." Michael concluded.

The group headed into the old Russian complex. It sure was dark in there. Their Ghosts appeared and illuminated the area, allowing their Guardians to see.

"{Careful. They're all around us.}" Michael's Ghost whispered. Upon reaching a staircase, they saw something crawl up a pipe in the wall. It didn't seem to notice them as it kept on moving.

Planet Earth - Old Russia
The Breach

They arrived at what seemed like a dead-end. Michael's Ghost went ahead. "{It's a risk, but I'll get us more light.}" The Ghost flew away and into a different portion of the complex. Michael could hear its voice in his head. "{Another one of these hardened military systems... and a few centuries of entropy working against me.}" A few sparks flew from the ceiling before the lights started coming on, revealing a lot of Fallen.

Music
Destiny - The Fallen

Michael's Ghost returned, being chased by two flying drones. "{Not good! Not good! They're definitely not happy to see us!}" A nearby metal gate slowly opened, but Michael forced it to open faster. The group made their way into a series of old hallways. "{I hope you remember how to use those things.}"

Finally reactivated, Michael's helmet closed its visor, but it had a different visual layout. "{Stay focused. If your tracker blinks, there's trouble nearby.}" Two aliens came out of the walls, with the intent to kill. Michael's helmet seemed to react to their appearance.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Fallen
2: House of Devils
3: Dreg
4: Vandal

Michael readied his Spitfire LMG, but wasn't fast enough. Falco got 'em first. "{I've gotta say, you guys have some nice weapons. I'll see if I can remake their magazines for you.}" Falco's Ghost, like the other Ghosts, was highly interested.

Upon turning the corner, the group was ambushed by another Dreg dropping out of the ceiling. Michael punched it in the face with his Spectre arm, filling the room with a sickening CRUNCH as the Dreg was sent flying. "{Yikes.}" His Ghost recoiled.

They proceeded to the next room, encountering more Fallen. Michael took out three Dregs with his Spitfire LMG while Jack killed a Vandal with his V-47 Flatline. "{There's more ahead! Keep it up!}"

The group crossed the bridge, seeing a strange container at the side of the room. "{A loot cache. Let's see what's inside.}"

Falco forced it open, revealing a heap of strange glowing blue blocks. "What is this stuff?" Michael asked.

"{That's Glimmer. It's a programmable matter that's used as currency in the City.}" His Ghost replied.

The Glimmer within the loot cache vanished, picked up by the Ghosts. The Pilots turned the corner, not seeing the red beams until Michael set one off. The explosion knocked him back hard into a wall. "Ow..."

"{I guess that armor's pretty strong if you survived that.}"

"What are those things?"

"{Tripmines! Don't touch them!}"

"Well NOW you tell me."

"{Sorry. You didn't give me the chance. You just ran into one.}"

Michael couldn't argue with that. "Fair enough."

More Dregs came out and attacked, one of them accidentally triggering a tripmine. Anthony used his L-STAR to take down the last two Dregs.

As they progressed, more Fallen appeared, but just Dregs. Samus got her kills with the R-97 Compact SMG, clearing the way.

They came to a large room with a big hole in the wall, and the room was filled with Dregs and Vandals. With their weapons at the ready, Michael and co. opened fire, clearing the room in seconds.

Music
none

"{The Fallen have a tighter hold on this place than I thought. Just a little bit further. Let's hope there's something left out there...}" Michael's Ghost wondered.

The group went into the side room, ending up in an old ventilation silo before making their way outside.

Planet Earth - Old Russia
The Divide

"Wow. We've been dead for centuries, and this place is still intact." Jack was impressed.

"{This was an old Cosmodrome. There's got to be something we can fly out of here.}" Just then, a red light shot up into the air.

"Is there someone else here with a flare gun?" Carlos asked.

"Not sure." Samus replied.

"{Heads up!}" A rift opened in the sky, and a large ship was coming out of it. "{Fallen ships! This close to the surface?! Move!}"

They had their destination; a dock on the corner of the area.

Music
Destiny - The Fallen

Multiple Dregs and Vandals dropped from the Skiff overhead, outnumbering the Pilots. Unfortunately for the Fallen, they were outgunned.

Before they knew it, the area was clear and they could head to the dock. Upon approach, they team was confronted by two Dregs and drones.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Shank

Sarah killed the Dregs with her R-101 Carbine while Samus destroyed the Shanks with her R-97 Compact SMG.

"{Alright. I've got a signal from an old jumpship. Let's track it down.}"

"Right. C'mon, guys! This way!" With Michael leading the way, the team entered the dock, expecting more Fallen.

Planet Earth - Old Russia
Dock 13

More Fallen were in the next room, a few Dregs and a Vandal. Michael used a couple Satchel Charges to blow the Fallen to bits.

The team eventually reached the old jumpship, and it was covered in Fallen. "{There's a ship! Clear them out!}" With the Fallen was a Captain. Michael's helmet had acquired an ID.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Captain
2: Rahn
Devil Captain

While the Dregs and Vandals were easily dealt with, followed by a couple of Shanks coming out and being immediately destroyed, Rahn was the harder target. With a personal shield and short-range teleporter, the Devil Captain was difficult to kill, but was killed nonetheless, and by the Simulacrum.

Falco [R-97] Rahn, Devil Captain (House of Devils)

Music
Destiny - The Journey Home

"{Alright. Let me see if I can get us out of here.}" The team let out their Ghosts and let them examine the old jumpship. "{It's been here a while. Hasn't made a jump in centuries. We're lucky the Fallen haven't completely picked it clean.}" Michael's Ghost said as it scanned the craft.

"Will it fly?" Sarah asked.

"{We can make it work.}" Michael's Ghost stated as they dispersed into the jumpship, doing some repair work. It eventually started working, various lights on the shuttle flickered on as the engine started up.

The cables holding the jumpship came off, and the ship started hovering. The Ghosts came back out. "{OK, it's not going to break orbit, but it just might get us to the City. Now, about that transmat...}" Falco's Ghost trailed off as it heard something else. The noise of more Fallen caught their attention. There was a big hole in the wall, and a large Fallen warrior was coming out of it.

The team was ready to stand their ground against it. "{Bringing you in!}" The Ghosts teleported them into the jumpship before vanishing safely into their Light. Falco went to the controls, piloting the jumpship out as the Fallen started shooting at them.

"{We can come back for them when you're ready. Let's get you home.}" The voice of Michael's Ghost was heard in the Pilot's head again.

They blasted off to a new location. Unbeknownst to the team, a hooded figure was watching them.

Music
none

"OK, so what happened to the Traveler?" Michael asked his Ghost.

"{You'll know when it's time. The Speaker will tell you.}"

"Who?"

"Enough with the riddles! Let's just get to where we need to be, alright?!" Falco was getting irritated.

"This doesn't look like any jumpship I'm familiar with." Samus said, looking over the rustic interior.

"{Well, it's an Arcadia-class Jumpship; a relic from the Golden Age.}" Her Ghost stated.

10:14 AM
02/16/3201

Music
Destiny - Excerpt from The Hope

They came up to a massive civilization, and the Traveler was floating above it. But something was wrong. "OK. Now I'm REALLY worried about what happened to the Traveler!"

"Yeah, the Traveler's missing some of itself."

The team eventually came up to a tower, and they were teleported out of the jumpship, which flew away to a new garage.

Planet Earth - The last City
Tower Plaza

"Whoa... What is this place?" Palmer wondered.

"{Welcome to the last safe city on Earth; the only place the Traveler can still protect.}"

"{It took centuries to build.}"

"{Now... we're counting every day it stands.}"

"{And this tower is where the Guardians live.}"

"This sure is something."

Now THAT just happened!

See you next time, Guardians.