S1-89
Homecoming
9:26 AM
03/11/3251
Approaching planet Earth
Music
none
It's been ten years since Dane joined City Hawk 723, and a lot has changed.
First off, Michael and Samus had a kid together. Jenny 'Amaya' Aran-Johnson.
The Frontier has been restored, with Michael being given a brand new set of weapons and a new suit.
Michael has, for the most part, mastered his powers with the Eye of the Traveler, and has unlocked the ability to create Ghosts. In fact, he made a Ghost for his daughter on her 5th birthday, two months ago.
Over the years, various Guardian abilities had evolved, transformed, resulting in new powers.
Today, Michael was heading back to the City. The comms were quiet for some reason, and he was going to find out why.
"{Repeat. Tower Approach, this is City Hawk 723. Anyone home?}" The only thing they could hear was static. "{No response on any channels, even the emergency frequencies. Oh, what is going on back there...?}"
"Not sure, Ghost. But we're gonna find out soon." They were going at regular speed from the Frontier, and they were already in Earth's atmosphere.
"{Remember when I told you that you fly too fast?}"
Michael turned to his Ghost. "Yeah?"
"{Forget I said that. Fly fast!}" And with that, Michael kicked it into high gear, zooming through the storm that hid the City.
Once they were through, something was DEFINITELY wrong! The City was under attack, and there was some strange machine on the Traveler! "OK, what the heck is going on?!"
"⟟ ⊑⏃⎐⟒ ⋏⍜ ⟟⎅⟒⏃..."
Planet Earth - The last City
Tower Watch
Music
Destiny 2 - Homecoming
They landed, but the place was on fire. "{Let's get moving. We need to find Zavala, Ikora, and Cayde.}"
There was a hole in a nearby wall. As Michael approached it, the hole exploded, clearing a passage, and revealing... Cabal Legionaries?!
"{Cabal!}"
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Red Legion
He immediately killed his attackers with his new 2nd Gen Spitfire, then took a moment to inspect the Legionaries. They had different colors than any Cabal he's ever faced.
"{This doesn't make sense! The Cabal conquer systems by blowing up planets! Whatever they want, it must be here, in the last City.}" Michael proceeded into the hall, seeing an armed Frame get torn up by more Legionaries. Taking out his Spitfire again, Michael killed the three Legionaries, then moved on.
A voice was heard on the local channels. "This is Commander Zavala! Civilians, report to evac points! Guardians, Pilots, rendezvous in the plaza! Our City will not fall!"
In front of a door was another Legionary, and Michael took it out. As the door opened, Cayde-6 was thrown at it from the inside, and there were three more Legionaries in there with him.
The Pilot's Ghost appeared. "{Cayde!}"
"Hey, you guys! Gimme a sec." Cayde-6 formed the Golden Gun, fan-firing three shots, each disintegrating a Legionary. "Zavala's doing the hero thing in the plaza. Me? I've got a date with whoever's behind this. It'll be a short date." Cayde-6 ran for a bit, then vanished.
Michael continued on his path to the plaza, coming across a group of Frames, Spectres, Stalkers, Guardians, Pilots, and civilians, with Lord Shaxx at the end of the room. "Ah! The Traveler's Legend!" Shaxx greeted.
"'Traveler's Legend'?" Michael wondered to himself. He then headed over to the Crucible handler. "Good to see you're still standing strong, Shaxx."
Shaxx nodded. "Follow the path from my armory, it will lead you through the hangar to the plaza." He then pulled open the door, allowing Michael to enter. "We'll take care of these people. If the Cabal want war, give them war."
Once Michael was in Shaxx's armory, he opened the next door, allowing him to proceed. He headed down the stairs and into another room, where more Legionaries were waiting. An automated voice was heard over the Tower PA. "Evacuation order 7-7 is in effect. This is not a drill. All civilians report to designated evacuation areas immediately."
Planet Earth - The last City
Tower Hangar
Music
Destiny 2 - Red Legion
More Legionaries were up ahead, and Michael made short work of them with the Spitfire. As he entered the next room, a Centurion with an enhanced jetpack hovered up and took aim at Michael. The Centurion was surrounded by a barrier, but Michael's Charge Rifle blasted through it, killing the Centurion in the process.
Up ahead, another Centurion and two Legionaries. Michael activated his Cloak, tossed a Satchel, then detonated it, killing the three in the hall and clearing the path.
Just then, the sound of an old phone ringing could be heard coming from Michael's helmet. It was his daughter. "Daddy, I made a grandfather clock!"
"That's nice, sweety, but I'm kinda busy right now! I'll be home when I can!"
The door up ahead opened, and a massive Cabal ship was immediately in sight. "{Look at the size of that thing. It must be their command ship!}"
In the hangar, various Guardian ships were destroyed and on fire, and more Cabal jetted in to attack. It took a while, and a few close calls, but Michael managed to clear his way through the Cabal, but some strange pods came crashing in, then unfolded and disintegrated away, revealing Cabal reinforcements, which Michael had to kill to get past.
"{They're not just assaulting the Tower. Look at the Traveler!}" Michael looked, and that thing was still on the Traveler. Michael jumped up ahead, on his way to the plaza.
"OK. My Ghost keeps tagging these Cabal as 'Red Legion'. Ikora, what do you got?" Cayde-6 transmitted.
"They're elite, ruthless, and rumor is they have never known defeat!"
"Until today. Today, they face Guardians and Pilots."
"But, Zavala, they're attacking the Traveler!"
"The Traveler waits! We protect our people, at any cost!"
Planet Earth - The last City
Tower Plaza
Music
Destiny 2 - Towerfall
Michael made it to the plaza. Zavala was there, shooting down the Cabal.
The rest of Michael's Fireteam was there, killing off Cabal after Cabal, but they just kept coming. Michael joined his team, with little-to-no time for greetings.
"Glad you could make it." Samus stated.
"So these 'Red Legion'. They're new." Michael remarked.
"These Red Legion are well-trained, but we are better! We will hold this line until the last civilian is safely away."
"[Incoming enemy forces.]" Cabal reinforcements just dropped in, and BT-7274 just cleared them out with missiles.
"Incoming! Fall back to my shield!" An air strike was inbound, and Zavala projected the Ward of Dawn to block it. "Don't let them past the gate! The evac shuttles are back there!"
"[I'll bet they never expected this. Smart Core on.]" TE-5138 was pelting any Cabal in sight with the Predator Cannon, shredding them with unrelenting hails of lead.
"We hold here. That command ship?" Zavala pointed to a Cabal ship overhead. "It's next on my list."
Michael paired back up with Samus, and they took out a large amount of Cabal soldier before another barrage came about.
"Missiles! Stay inside my shield!" Another Ward of Dawn was projected, and the Fireteam took cover inside it. "More Red Legion! Show them what Guardians and Pilots are made of!" The Cabal kept coming, there was no end to this.
Michael and his team kept killing them off as they came, and Michael eventually ran out of Spitfire ammo, having to swap to his Hammond P2016.
"Zavala, the last of the shuttles is away." Ikora was on the comms. "But the Speaker... he never made it. I'm going to look for him."
"I've got the plaza, go with Ikora! Find the Speaker!" Zavala ordered.
"{We're on it, Commander!}" City Hawk 723 moved as a team to the North Tower... and there was a Frame surrounded in dead Cabal, just sweeping up. OK...?
Planet Earth - The last City
Tower North
There were more Cabal up ahead. Emphasis on 'were', since a Nova Bomb crashed down and disintegrated them.
"{Ikora!}"
"The Speaker is gone. Red Legion, you will take no more from us, and you will find no mercy in me!" She jumped high into the air, releasing another Nova Bomb at a Cabal Harvester.
"{Zavala-}"
"She'll find the Speaker. We need to move on that command ship. Now head to the North Tower. I'm sending Amanda Holliday to pick you up." A nearby gate exploded, and the Cabal were there.
City Hawk 723 pushed through and killed off the Cabal that stood in their way.
"Holliday is inbound! We need that ship off the field!" More Cabal came and were killed, then a ship flew up.
"Someone told me you need a ride." The Fireteam boarded Amanda's ship. She then set on a course to the Cabal command ship.
Music
Destiny 2 - Holliday
"Zavala, picked up that Fireteam you never shut up about."
"Get them on that command ship! Now!"
"Hold on back there!" As Amanda avoided Cabal fire, she looked at the Traveler. "Come on, big guy. Do something." Eventually, they made it to the command ship. "Alright, Guardian-Pilots! Time to kick 'em where it hurts!"
Commander ship - The Immortal
Music
Destiny 2 - Towerfall
City Hawk 723 exited Amanda's ship, landing on the Cabal command ship. "Let us know when the shields are down and we'll hit that ship with everything we got."
"Solid copy, Amanda."
Just inside were some Cabal, which were killed off pretty easily. "{That hologram could help. Let me take a look.}" Michael let his Ghost out to download the schematics of the ship. The nearby force field collapsed, allowing the Fireteam to continue. "{OK, the shield generator should be at the bottom of the ship.}"
"Noted. Let's go, team!"
More Cabal to kill, and things were not getting any easier, but harder. There was even a new type of Cabal soldier, along with another negative ID.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Incendior
2: Pashk
the Searing Will
This soldier was tough, but eventually went down.
Dane [EVA-8 Auto] Pashk, the Searing Will (Red Legion)
The radio signals were getting all distorted. "Cayde, what's your status?!" Zavala demanded.
"Uh... little low on ammo. The whole flaming pis- ~static~ -to burning out. Anyone heard from Ikora?"
"Not since she went for the Speaker! Form up! ~static~ -on me!"
"That doesn't sound good." Samus stated.
They made it to an outer deck, with a lot more Cabal standing in their way.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Brann
the Unbent Blade
As Michael and co. blasted through the Cabal, a Brann was suddenly encased in ice, which was then shattered by an explosive projectile.
Samus [Super Missile] Brann, the Unbent Blade (Red Legion)
With other Cabal dead, the Fireteam moved up, pressing on. Up ahead was a room that held more Cabal on multiple levels, and City Hawk 723 had to clear them all out.
With that done, they dropped to the bottom. "{The shield generator should be straight ahead.}" The door opened, and another Incendior was there, until it was dead, thanks to Dane's EVA-8 Auto.
In the next room, there were more Cabal in the way.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Kreth
the Living Skyfire
A Super cleared them out.
Michael [Stormtrance] Kreth, the Living Skyfire (Red Legion)
In the next room, the shield generator was visible.
"{Alright. Destroy the turbines. The shields should fizzle.}" Samus blew one up with a Super Missile right then and there. "{Yes! Just like that!}" As Samus went down to destroy the other two turbines, the rest of City Hawk 723 kept watch for any incoming Cabal. "{Heat levels rising! It's working!}" She then took care of the third and final turbine.
"Nice job, Samus!" Michael commended. "Let's move!"
"{Zavala, we did it! The shields are down!}" There was nothing but static on the comms. "{Zavala?}" The rest of City Hawk 723 rushed to regroup before continuing on, but there was still nothing over the radio. "{Amanda, we're headed topside!}" Nothing but static and explosions could be heard. "{Amanda!}"
Music
Destiny 2 - I Am Ghaul
The Fireteam ran outside, seeing that the star-like machine had extended large cables around the Traveler. "{How do we come back from this?}"
A voice boomed. "You don't." They turned around, seeing the leader of the Red Legion: an albino Cabal.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Dominus Ghaul
"Welcome to a world... without Light."
They looked back, seeing an energy wave ripple out of the machine around the Traveler.
Suddenly, the Guardians and Pilots felt a surge of weakness, their Ghosts were also affected. "{Guardian, something's wrong...}" The voice of Michael's Ghost gradually filled with static before all the Ghosts fell down, as if dead.
The Guardians and Pilots collapsed, barely able to hold themselves up.
Michael doubled over in pain, erupting in a dark energy as he scrambled to pull the Yin Yang Switch in two, pulling the Shadow from his very essence. "⋔⟟c⊑⏃⟒⌰!" The Shadow went to try and help Michael up, but the Pilot was too weak. He then used his power to try and round up the Ghosts, keeping them safe.
"Do not look at me... creature!" The leader then kicked Michael and the Shadow over. They were in no condition to fight. The Shadow was, but he was outnumbered, and at half strength. "You are weak! Undisciplined! Cowering behind walls!" The entire Fireteam was there, but they were too weak to fight back. "You're not brave. You've merely forgotten the fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you." The leader then slapped most of them over the edge, and the Shadow dropped the Ghosts.
The only ones left on the ship were Michael and Death.
Acting quick, the Shadow summoned a few Taken Wizards. "⍙⟟⋉⏃⍀⎅⌇, ⎅⍜⋏'⏁ ⌰⟒⏁ ⏁⊑⟒⋔ ⎎⏃⌰⌰! C⏃⏁c⊑ ⏁⊑⟒⋔! G⟒⏁ ⏁⊑⟒⋔ ⏁⍜ ⌇⏃⎎⟒⏁⊬!" The Taken Wizards flew after the falling Guardians, Pilots, and Ghosts, with the intent to save them from the fall.
"Your kind never deserved the power you were given. I am Ghaul. And your Light... is mine." Ghaul sent them over the edge, then walked away as Michael fell unconscious, with the Shadow scrambling to make sure the Pilot survived the fall.
Michael 'Wolf' Johnson REGENERATED
Primary
Light Machine Gun - Spitfire - (Speedloader) - (X) - (Threat Scope) - (Pro Screen)
Secondary
Hammond P2016 - (Extra Ammo) - (Gun Ready) - (Pro Screen)
Backup
Charge Rifle - (Extra Ammo) - (Quick Swap) - (Pro Screen)
Tactical
Cloak
Grapple (default)
A-Wall
Pulse Blade
Holo-Pilot
Ordinance
Satchel
Boost
Pilot Sentry
Titan Sentry
Battery Back-up (default)
Tier 1
Ordinance expert
Tier 2
Kill Report
Execution
Neckbreaker
Pilot Camo
Factory Issue
Primary Camo
Factory Issue
Secondary Camo
Factory Issue
Backup Camo
Factory Issue
Old Pilot, new loadout. His equipment has been out of date for quite a long time. But... the Light... The Light is gone...
Also, you probably knew that a certain two were gonna get together.
Michael does have the ability to create Ghosts due to the Eye of the Traveler. Or at least... he did.
See you next time.