S1-96
Six

6:43 PM
03/18/3251

Nessus, Unstable Centaur - Arcadian Valley
The Cistern

Music
Destiny 2 - Nessus

City Hawk 723 had arrived at the new coordinates Failsafe had provided them, and they were ready to figure out what to do next, and the Shadow had set out to take more Vex in order to gain a complete understanding of their technological physics. "{Failsafe, we're at your coordinates. Cayde is stuck inside a Vex portal system. Can you help us find the power source so we can get him out?}"

"Oh yes! By locating the original Vex teleporter the Cayde unit used, you can shut down the loop and free him. I can guide you there."

"{OK. So we find this Vex teleporter, and shut it down. Easy.}"

"Might not be THAT easy, Ghost." Dane stated.

"You're right about that, old friend. Let's do this." Michael ordered.

After a while of running, the Fireteam went into a cave lined with Vex planetary conversion.

Nessus, Unstable Centaur - Arcadian Valley
Pools of Luminance

Within the next sector were pools of a strange liquid. "{Ew. This looks like the stuff inside the Vex.}"

"It's called-"

Michael suddenly interrupted Failsafe. "Radiolarian fluid. I've been reading up on the Vex. This fluid is organic, which explains how the Shadow is capable of taking them. Also, the radiolarian fluid IS the Vex. Those robotic bodies they have are the Vex equivalent to our spaceships."

"Updating my files on the Vex. That is very interesting information."

Once the Fireteam carefully made their way past the radiolarian fluid, they encountered some Vex, and quickly destroyed them. "{What could have possibly brought Cayde to Nessus?}"

"I know the answer!"

"1: Stop listening in on us! 2: What's the answer?" Michael asked.

"He asked me not to tell anyone!"

"CaaAYYYDE!" Hayden-10 screamed.

Music
none

Multiple Vex units appeared and aimed down upon the Fireteam. "Warning: Vex threat detected!" Failsafe transmitted.

"Great job, Hayden!" Michael scolded the Exo. "You and your big, loud mouth!"

"They are blocking your path to the Cayde Unit's teleporter. You will have to eliminate them."

Suddenly, the attacking Vex were pulled out of existence by dark energy. A hooded figure with a black scythe walked out from behind a nearby structure. "⟟ ⎅⍜⋏'⏁ ⏁⊑⟟⋏k ⏁⊑⟒⊬ ⌇⏃⍙ ⏁⊑⏃⏁ c⍜⋔⟟⋏g."

"Good to see you again. And that was some perfect timing. They just got here. How does your head feel?" Michael asked.

"⋔⊬ ⊑⟒⏃⎅ ⎅⍜⟒⌇⋏'⏁ ⊑⎍⍀⏁ ⏃⋏⊬⋔⍜⍀⟒. ⍙⊑⟒⋏ ⍙⟒ k⟟ck ⏁⊑⟒ ⍀⟒⎅ ⌰⟒g⟟⍜⋏ ⍜⎍⏁ ⍜⎎ ⏁⊑⟒ C⟟⏁⊬, ⌰⟒⏁'⌇ g⟒⏁ ⏃ ⏚⌰⏃⋏k ⏚⍜⍜k ⎎⍀⍜⋔ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍙⏃⍀⌰⍜ck ⌰⟟⏚⍀⏃⍀⊬ ⌇⍜ ⟟ c⏃⋏ ⍙⍀⟟⏁⟒ ⎅⍜⍙⋏ ⍙⊑⏃⏁ ⟟'⎐⟒ ⌰⟒⏃⍀⋏⟒⎅ ⎎⍀⍜⋔ ⏁⊑⟒ ⎐⟒⌖."

"That'll be something." Mark-18 stated in response.

"⊬⍜⎍'⍀⟒ ⏁⟒⌰⌰⟟⋏g ⋔⟒."

Failsafe was on the comms again. "I thought your wholesale destruction of the Vex would make me miss my captain and crew less."

"{Did it?}" Michael's Ghost asked.

"It did not."

"⟟'⌰⌰ ⊑⟒⏃⎅ ⏚⏃ck ⍜⎍⏁. ⏁⊑⟒⍀⟒'⌇ ⎎⏃⌰⌰⟒⋏ ⍜⋏ ⏁⊑⟟⌇ ⌿⌰⏃⋏⟒⏁, ⏃⋏⎅ ⟟'⌰⌰ ⏚⟒ ⏁⊑⟒⍀⟒ ⏁⍜ '⊑⏃⋏⎅ ⏁⊑⟒⋔ ⌇⍜⋔⟒ ⍀⟒c⍀⎍⟟⏁⋔⟒⋏⏁ ⌿⏃⌿⟒⍀⌇', ⟟⎎ ⊬⍜⎍ k⋏⍜⍙ ⍙⊑⏃⏁ ⟟ ⋔⟒⏃⋏." With that, the Shadow seemingly collapsed his own bodily structure into a trail of black particles that zoomed away and out of the cave.

Music
Destiny 2 - Nessus

City Hawk 723 proceeded onward, seeing a strange device in the center of the next room. "{This is the Vex teleporter?}"

"Yes! The Cayde-6 will want it. You should pick it up!" As Spyglass picked up the Vex teleporter, it folded up and the teleportation particles above it vanished.

"Take that, you scrap heap! I'm out, baby! OUT! Woo!" Cayde-6 cheered over the comms.

"{Cayde, where are you?}"

"Hey! You did it! You got me out! Ha haha! And wh-where... where am I?"

"Cayde unit, you are near the remains of my reactor core. Welcome to the Exodus Black. Where all your dreams come true."

A Vex teleportation pad was just up ahead, and the Fireteam went through it, ending up elsewhere. "Seems like you met my new friends. Failsafe, and her evil twin, Failsafe."

"{Which is the evil one?}"

"If I had feelings, they would be hurt!"

Nessus, Unstable Centaur - Arcadian Valley
The Cistern

Michael scoffed at the AI's immaturity. "Ah, get over it, you digital baby!"

"-(▀▖┗▛▄)-What did you just call me?"

"You heard me! A BIG, DIGITAL BABY!"

"Whoa. OK. Note to self: Don't mess with Michael."

"Jeez. What was that?" Dane asked.

"According to record, it is common for Michael's voice to undergo a temporary, yet significant, self-alteration when he becomes severely agitated or annoyed." Spyglass explained.

"Or if he just REALLY wants to make a point." Samus added.

City Hawk 723 then went on their way to the Exodus Black, seeing the black particle trail of the Shadow in the distance. "Uh oh. Fallen's got the Vex in a tizzy, and by 'tizzy', I mean murderous rampage. I'll hunker down in the Exodus Black."

"Here? But my hull is in 108 pieces, decks 1 through 20 are buried, and my coolant system-(▀▖┗▛▄)-Ugghh... I am a mess..."

"Oh, we know, Failsafe. We know."

The Fireteam was near the next sector, but no hostiles in sight yet. "Intruder alert!"

"It's me! It's... It's the 'Cayde unit'."

"False. I mean, true. But you are attracting large numbers of Fallen to my position."

"Dagnabbit, Failsafe, they're shootin' at me!"

"Then I advise you not get shot."

"Easier said than done, Failsafe." Michael said.

Nessus, Unstable Centaur - Arcadian Valley
Glade of Echoes

Upon entering the next sector, City Hawk 723 started seeing large pieces of the Exodus Black scattered about. Further ahead was a battle between the Fallen and Vex. "{I was hoping the Fallen and Vex would finish each other off on Venus.}"

"But then you'd miss all the fun."

Michael smirked, seeing Taken rifts opening up here and there. "I think the Shadow's about to have some fun of his own." Indeed, the Shadow had arrived, and started taking the Fallen and Vex.

"{That is a really big Vex.}"

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Acanthos
Gate Lord

"Death, watch out! Behind you!" Michael called out.

Just in time. The Shadow broke down into particles as the Gate Lord was about to crush him under its foot. Seeing his chance, the Shadow built up Ascendant energy and opened a Taken rift nearby, pulling Acanthos out of reality. "⏁⊑⏃⋏k⌇ ⎎⍜⍀ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍙⏃⍀⋏⟟⋏g, ⋔⟟c⊑⏃⟒⌰. G⍜⍜⎅ ⏁⍜ k⋏⍜⍙ ⟟'⎐⟒ g⍜⏁ ⏃ ⍙⏃⍀ ⎐⟒⏁⟒⍀⏃⋏ ⍙⏃⏁c⊑⟟⋏g ⋔⊬ ⏚⏃ck."

"{Hold on, Cayde. We're on our way.}"

"Uh... That's good to hear, 'cause the Fallen just found us."

"Activating defensive shield. The Cayde-6 must stand back."

"Hey, nice one, Failsafe! The Fallen can't get to us now! That- That's right though. They- They can't, right? ...get to us?"

"Hopefully, Cayde. Shadow, we've got more 'recruits' up ahead. Think you could assign them their positions?"

"⏁⊑⟒ ⎅⏃⍀k ⏃⍀⋔⊬ ⍙⟟⌰⌰ g⍀⍜⍙ ⏃⋏⎅ ⎎⟟g⊑⏁ ⎎⍜⍀ ⍙⊑⏃⏁ ⟟⌇ ⍀⟟g⊑⏁. ⍙⟒ ⍙⟟⌰⌰ ⎎⟟g⊑⏁ ⎎⍜⍀ ⏁⊑⟒ g⍜⍜⎅."

Nessus, Unstable Centaur - Arcadian Valley
Exodus Black

"Hey, you probably wanna hustle. I think they just said something about ripping my beautiful horn off my face. My beautiful, beautiful horn. Then again, my Eliksni is pretty rusty."

"The Shadow gains knowledge from whatever he takes, right?" Jack wondered.

"⊬⟒⌇, ⟟ ⎅⍜."

"Cayde, maybe the Shadow could help refresh your Eliksni some day." Dane stated.

"Thanks for the offer, but maybe later."

"Intruder alert!" Failsafe transmitted.

"{Ugh... IT'S US!}"

In front of the entrance to the Exodus Black, there was a whole squad of Fallen, along with a leader.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Jaliks
Fallen Captain

"What's your plan for this one, Death? Take or kill?"

"⟊⎍⌇⏁ k⟟⌰⌰ ⏁⊑⟒⋔." With that, Michael erupted with Arc Light and went in with a Stormtrance, completely eradicating the entire squad in seconds.

Michael [Stormtrance] Jaliks, Fallen Captain (House of Dusk)

"{Hey, that Fallen dropped something!}"

"A Fallen Scorch Cannon. Powerful tech." Michael said as he picked it up.

"You have saved us! Updating my crew log." The barrier blocking the entrance to the Exodus Black then disappeared. Failsafe had deactivated it.

"New captain registered. Welcome aboard, Captain Michael!"

"'Captain Michael'? Kinda has a weird ring to it."

Music
none

City Hawk 723 then entered the Exodus Black. The Ghosts were out, and Spyglass was still carrying the Vex teleporter.

Nearby, another Ghost floated up into view. "Did the Vex somehow turn Cayde into a Ghost?" Jack wondered.

Just then, a hand came out of cover and gently pushed the Ghost back out of sight. "Hey-hey. Down, down, down." The Exo they had freed from the Vex portal system then peeked out of cover, seeing City Hawk 723. "So it's true. The Light found its way back to you. Not that I'm... jealous or nothin', but... take it easy out there, will ya? You're making me look bad." Spyglass then tossed the Vex teleporter to Cayde-6 as the Exo stood up and caught the alien device in his hand.

"What, may we ask, were you going to do with a Vex teleporter?" Samus questioned.

He put the device on the ground and it opened up as he went down on a knee over it. "Get up close and personal with Ghaul, put a bullet in his head, then maybe eat a sandwich. Gotta work out a few kinks first. Fun fact about the Vex tech: Not as intuitive as you'd think."

"Cayde, you can't do this alone!" Dane said.

"The hell I can't. OW!" Cayde-6 was working on the Vex teleporter, and it zapped him, causing the Exo to recoil his arm from the shock.

"~sigh~ Even if you manage to kill Ghaul, when the Red Legion leave a system, defeat or victory, they leave nothing behind!" Mark-18 told the Exo.

"The Cabal are bad guys who do bad things. Yes, I get it."

"Sorry, but I do not think you do! The Cabal literally leave nothing behind!"

The Vex teleporter then closed, and the Exo's hand was still in it, and now it was stuck.

"They have a weapon that can destroy a star, and it is pointed directly at our sun!" Michael finished as Cayde-6 managed to get his hand out of the device.

"Hey-hey-hey, easy, easy! You're gonna blow a gasket."

"Zavala had a plan, he needs you, Cayde." Tanner-21 said.

"Yes, well, Zavala always says he has a plan, but sometimes he just- Wait. ZAVALA said he needs me? As in you heard those exact words coming out of Zavala's mouth?"

"Yes, we did."

"PLEASE TELL ME YOU RECORDED IT!"

"Why would we?" Samus wondered.

"Well, did Ikora at least hear it?"

"{Actually, Zavala lost her after the City fell. We don't know where she is.}"

"Io... Io, it's- it's where she'd go to look for answers."

"Then we'll have to find Io, go there, and rally Ikora for the counteroffensive." Michael said. Sounded like a good plan, but like swiss cheese, it had holes in it.

"Hey, um... Thanks. I owe ya one."

"You don't have to owe us anything if you don't want to."

Music
Destiny 2 - Nessus

With that taken care of, Michael looked around, seeing the mainframe of their new AI friend.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Failsafe
Exodus Black AI

"Hello! You must be Cayde's friend. I am Failsafe. I am so glad to meet you in person! I know you are going to Io. Should you return, I will be happy to assist you in researching the Vex.-(▀▖┗▛▄)-We could steal their stuff.-(▀▖┗▛▄)-That was a joke! Stealing is wrong... usually. But the Vex are alien robot monsters. Standard moral parameters do not apply.-(▀▖┗▛▄)-It's not murder if it's robots. ▀▖┗▛▄ Please come visit me again!-(▀▖┗▛▄)-Everyone I've ever known is dead, and their bones are dust.-(▀▖┗▛▄)-I am very lonely..."

"Failsafe, you've got some problems you need to work out. Once this is over, I'll send an IMC tech crew to fix up your mainframe." Michael stated.

"What about the Fallen?" Failsafe questioned.

"We'll have Pilots escorting them."

"And the Vex?"

"Titans." Spyglass put plainly.

"You'll be back in working order before you know it." Michael promised.

See you next time on Io.