S1-47
The Dark Within
12:13 PM
02/16/3201
Planet Earth - Low orbit
Music
Destiny - The Great Unknown
Michael's Fireteam, City Hawk 723, was en route to the Cosmodrome.
"{There are reports that the Fallen back at the Cosmodrome are keeping a pretty tight guard on the old Skywatch. Could be one of their leaders, or it could be something valuable. The Speaker's asking Guardians to look into it.}"
"We'll break their guard, won't we?" Mark-18 asked.
"Yes, we will."
"Y'know, I can normally read a Guardian's Light to tell what kind they are. Strangely enough, you've got equal signs to all three disciplines."
"So I'm... what? An 'Omni-Guardian'?"
"It only makes sense, but I wouldn't just go calling you... THAT." Within the minute, they arrived.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
The Steppes
Music
Destiny - The Journey Home
"{OK. The Skywatch is just on the other side of the Steppes. And it's surrounded by Fallen. Well, I'm ready if you are.}"
Michael checked his mags. "Locked and loaded."
They headed out to get to the Skywatch, killing any Fallen they came across. "{You know, this place must have been amazing before the Collapse. Thousands of humans boarding the colony ships, off to build cities beyond.}"
"Yeah, I guess it was." Samus replied to her Ghost.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Mothyards
"{Up the hill. The building with the radar. That's the Skywatch.}"
"Well, at least it's in plain sight, and pretty hard to miss."
"Let's get this done!"
The Fireteam ran past all the rusted airplanes, eventually reaching the Skywatch, but encountering two Vandals and a Captain.
"I got this." Mark-18 threw a bolt of Void light which forked into smaller bolts on impact with the ground and tracked the nearby Fallen, destroying them. An Axion Bolt.
"{We're in. This was one of Skywatch's old array stations; a link to the lunar colonies.}"
"Well, let's see if anyone's out there." Michael added.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Lunar Complex
(!) Darkness Zone (!)
Music
Destiny - Prey
"HOIK! Oi... Lemme guess... The Darkness has a bigger influence in this area?"
"We call it a Darkness Zone." Mark-18 stated.
"'Darkness Zone'..." Michael repeated. "Fitting."
"{Dead end. Fallen sealed this gate. I can get it open.}"
Before Michael could send his Ghost to open the gate, Mark-18's Ghost was already doing the job. "{The Fallen really didn't want anybody getting in. Or out.}" Eventually, the gate opened, allowing the Fireteam to proceed.
"Ew... What is this stuff?" Michael wondered, disgusted by the strange growth.
"Not sure. Ghost, take a sample." Mark-18's Ghost appeared, gathered a small amount of the strange substance littering the area, and vanished, saving the stuff for research.
"Hmm... Mark, get your Ghost back out." Mark-18's Ghost reappeared as Michael snapped off a crystal from the strange substance. "Catch!" He tossed the crystal near the Ghost, which collected it and 'nodded' at him.
"{Thanks for the additional sample. Once we're done here, I'll take these to the Cryptarch to see if they can figure out what it is.}"
"Sounds good."
As the Fireteam went further into the complex, the remaining Ghosts appeared and... basically became flashlights.
Music
Destiny - The Hive
"{What is this...? Lots of motion ahead.}" Mark-18's Ghost reported. "{I've got a bad feeling about this.}"
"Stay alert. The Fallen could attack from anywhere." Michael stated.
"I don't think it's the Fallen."
"What do you mean, Mark?" Samus asked.
Suddenly, freakish screeching noises were heard as hideously deformed humanoid creatures started running at them.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Hive
2: Blood of Oryx
3: Thrall
"{The Hive!}" As they dealt with the Thralls, some more Hive appeared and started shooting at them.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Acolyte
The Acolytes were surprisingly a bit easier to take out than the Thralls, so the Fireteam could advance further.
Eventually, they reached an illuminated area, so their Ghosts vanished. "{There's a Wizard here. You have to kill it!}"
"Consider that Wizard as good as dead!" Michael proclaimed.
After taking down a few dozen more Thralls and Acolytes, they heard a screech. "{The Wizard's here!}"
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Wizard
2: Gotra
Eir Spawn
"Take it down!" With the Thralls and Acolytes out of the way, Michael took his chance and managed a Guardian's Super. A gun made of Solar Light formed in Michael's right hand. He took aim and fired three rounds, destroying the Wizard.
Michael [Golden Gun] Gotra, Eir Spawn (The Hidden Swarm)
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Lunar Complex
Music
Destiny - Guardian
When the gun vanished, Michael looked back at Samus and Mark-18. They both had looks of pure shock and surprise. "What?"
"That was the Golden Gun..."
"Golden Gun?"
"The Golden Gun is the Gunslinger Super of a Hunter."
"A Hunter? Huh. Interesting."
With that, Michael's Ghost appeared. "{The Hive haven't been on Earth in centuries. The Darkness could be a lot closer than we think. We should probably get moving.}"
"Let's mosey. We should get these samples back to the Cryptarch." Michael said.
"You're right, but we should come back for the Skywatch."
"We will." Samus added.
How was that?
See you next time.