S1-67
The walls come down
12:03 PM
11/09/3204
Planet Earth - Low orbit
Music
none
"{Lord Saladin, you said the Fallen already knew about SIVA, but I can't find a reference to 'SIVA' in the Counsel database.}"
"That's because I went to great lengths to lock it away. The records are in the Iron Temple."
"{OK, but if the Fallen already know about SIVA, then shouldn't we?}"
"What you need to do is track Sepiks. If we find him, we will know the extent of the corruption."
"We'll probably have to get into the lair of the House of Devils again, won't we?" Michael asked.
"I don't think I'd go that far." Replied the Exo of the Fireteam.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Cosmodrome
Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Bryyo Ice
City Hawk 723 arrived in the Cosmodrome, but things have drastically changed. "{OK, I don't know which scares me more; the giant Ketch, or whatever took a bite out of the wall.}"
"I'd have to go with whatever took a bite out of the wall." Michael said.
"Really? I was going with the giant Ketch." Jack responded.
"Hmm. Fair enough."
An Exo was on the comms. "Guardians, it's Shiro. You're gonna need some cover. Make for the Cosmodrome."
As the Fireteam went towards the wall, a large group of Fallen from the House of Devils came out of hiding and attacked, getting completely trashed by City Hawk 723. "With most of the Kells gone, getting a full force this large to work together is almost impossible. Saladin, you mentioned a sensor grid. Can we use that to tell how far this occupation extends?"
"The Fallen are irrelevant, Shiro. The only thing that matters now is finding Sepiks."
"Saladin's skills as a commander are... questionable at best." Spyglass said.
"I heard that, you walking antique!"
"In a way, Saladin, that's what we all are, you included." Michael replied.
"Oh, burn. Heh heh." Samus chuckled.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
The Breach
The entire sector was completely sliced open. "OK, this isn't just a bite. It's more like a mouthful."
"I've gotta agree with you on that, Michael." Sarah seconded the opinion.
A few more Fallen were in the area, getting cleared out pretty easily. The next chamber was filled with more Fallen, and Spyglass did something completely unexpected: a Super.
Spyglass was surrounded in Solar Light as the Golden Gun formed in his hand, then he disintegrated three Fallen troops, and pulled out his CAR SMG to take care of the rest.
"Spyglass... You're a Hunter!" Michael gawked.
"A Hunter?" Spyglass questioned.
"That was the Golden Gun; the Gunslinger Super of a Hunter!" Mark-18 replied.
"I've been meaning to ask you about that. How do you know all this stuff, Mark?" Michael wondered.
"I've been reading, OK? This stuff is recorded in the Warlock libraries."
"OK, that's something I never thought to look into."
"{Lots of Fallen, but still no sign of Sepiks.}" His Ghost reported.
They went through the broken turbine tunnel, reaching the outside, where MF-8472 was waiting, XO-16 in hand.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
The Divide
"{What is that pattern over there? Can we take a closer look?}"
"You may analyze it, Ghost."
Spyglass's Ghost went over to the strange red growth and scanned it. "{I'm picking up some strange readings. It's like what was on Sepiks, but if I didn't know any better, I'd say this stuff is... consuming everything around it.}"
"That is SIVA. With the proper direction, it could create anything a civilization would need. At least in theory." Saladin replied over the radio.
Suddenly, a Hive Tomb Ship appeared out of a wormhole. "{Hive?}"
"The Hive tend to keep to the dark. Something is driving them into the open." The Iron Lord stated.
Acolytes and Wizards appeared out of the Tomb Ship and attacked, getting obliterated by Mark-18's Titan.
"OK, I definitely have to say that is effective." Michael mused.
City Hawk 723 headed into the next sector over, seeing quite a few flying drones cutting pieces of metal out of the walls and buildings.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Rocketyard
There were more Hive in the area, meaning more to kill.
Just then, another Darkness Zone formed.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Rocketyard
(!) Darkness Zone (!)
"I just lost all readings from the sensor grid! There's a monitoring station near your location. Hook into it and try to get the grid back online." Shiro-4 called.
"{No problem.}" Replied the IMC Vice Admiral's Ghost.
There was a large SIVA growth blocking a hole cut into the wall on one side of the sector. MF-8472 let loose a few large bullets, causing it to dissipate. Behind it was a new room. "This has been here the whole time?" Michael wondered, having never seen the room before.
Spyglass sent his Ghost to the Siva-covered monitoring terminal in the corner. "{Um... There's not enough left of the sensor grid to fix. Wait... Wait. We can pull the logs from the monitoring station. Would that be enough to figure out what these Fallen are up to?}"
"Do it." Shiro-4 approved.
Suddenly, the monitoring station had a massive reaction.
Music
Destiny - SIVA Swarm
"{Something weird incoming!}" A large group of Fallen appeared and attacked, but something was wrong with them. They looked drastically different.
SCANNING…
NEW ENTRIES
1: Splicer Dreg
2: Splicer Vandal
3: Splicer Captain
"{These Fallen are different. They're augmented with some sort of technology, like Sepiks.}"
"Augmented or not, we need that sensor data!"
As City Hawk 723 dealt with the Splicers, more came in and attacked. "{I don't think I like the new and improved Fallen.}" The Slicers were eventually taken down, and no more were coming.
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Rocketyard
Music
none
"{Got everything I could out of the sensor logs.}"
"Nice job, Guardians. But we still have to deal with Sepiks."
"We no longer need the Servitor, Shiro. I've seen enough to know the Fallen have restarted production of SIVA. Guardians, Pilots, we've established a base at the Iron Temple. Join us here." Saladin transmitted.
12:28 PM
11/09/3204
Planet Earth - Old Russia
Felwinter Peak
Music
Metroid Prime - Phendrana Drifts
They eventually arrived at the Iron Temple, and MF-8472 was let out into the area as well. Upon arrival, Michael picked up a few more IDs.
SCANNING…
NEW ENTRIES
1: Shiro-4
Counsel Scout
2: Gabi 55-30
Postmaster
3: Lord Saladin
Iron Lord
"Saladin, what should we do next?" Michael asked.
"Pilots, Guardians, my fellow Iron Lords died fighting to keep SIVA contained. Since that day, I have kept watch for its return, for the day we'd be required once again. Long ago, the flames on this mountaintop stood as a symbol to humankind that the Iron Lords would protect them. If the need has arisen again, I think you should be the ones to relight those fires."
"Don't worry. I've got this." Michael went to the fireplace across the bridge and used his Light to start a small fire, lighting the brazier. He went to a second brazier, rekindling its old flame, then the third one near where they arrived from their ship.
"OK, Saladin. What now?"
"Speak to my friend, Tyra Karn. She's in there." Michael headed into the Iron Temple, seeing Saladin's friend.
SCANNING…
NEW ENTRIES
1: Tyra Karn
Archivist
"We haven't met yet. I'm Tyra Karn. I was once the archivist in service of the Iron Lords. Saladin called me back because he believes my knowledge of what happened here could be of use. That scout the Counsel sent? Shiro? He asked me to look at those logs you brought back. Apparently, I'm the only one old enough to make sense of them. In any case, I passed along what I could gather, and now he's asking to see you."
"I'll go talk to him." Michael made his way over to Shiro-4, seeing what the Exo wanted.
"Hey, we spoke on the radio. I'm Shiro-4. I run scouting missions for Cayde and the Counsel. Those logs you pulled showed a major Fallen occupation in what Saladin's calling the Plaguelands. I've had the Tower scramble reinforcements, but... we're going to need someone to guide them in. Don't suppose you know anyone who'd be interested?"
Mark-18 was nearby, so he was the one to respond. "We'll get the job done. You can count on City Hawk 723."
"Well, if my Fireteam is OK with this, we'll head out immediately."
See you next time, Guardians.