S1-181
Let them come
3:31 PM
11/04/3273
Approaching the Frontier
Music
Destiny 2 - View from Orbit
Another new day, and Michael had just completed yet another mission. "IMC command, this is Pilot Michael W Johnson, serial number 2-9-4-7-2-1-5-4-9, and I'm on my way back from my assigned scouting mission at the Clovis Bray facility in Hellas Basin on Mars."
Spyglass was on the line. "Confirmed. Welcome back."
Michael then turned back to his Ghost. "We're almost home."
Rocco chuckled. "{Can't wait.}"
The Pilot smiled at his companion.
Suddenly, they came across a Fallen Skiff... and it was on its way to the Frontier! "IMC command, this is Michael W Johnson. We have a Fallen Skiff en route to the Frontier."
"{Analysis indicates it to be the Fallen House of... Devils? Haven't seen them in a while.}"
Spyglass got on the channel. "It has already appeared on our radar. Steer clear." Michael altered his ship's course, veering further away from the Skiff. "Be advised: We are sending you something... 'appropriate' via transmat." A small bucket of popcorn covered with melted butter appeared in Michael's lap. He knew what was going on here.
As the Skiff neared the Frontier, Michael watched as a gigantic ring of electricity shot through Fallen ship, frying all onboard systems as an array of bright lights lit up along the Frontier, releasing a maelstrom of massive laser blasts straight at the Fallen Skiff, thoroughly destroying it with ease.
Swallowing a small handful of popcorn, Michael spoke again. "That was short and entertaining."
Rocco started laughing so hard he stopped hovering and fell on the floor of the cockpit, rolling around as he continued to laugh.
"OK, that was actually pretty funny. An entire Fallen Skiff... up and gone, just like that."
3:47 PM
11/04/3273
Planet Vez-2 - Suburban Cul-De-Sac
Aran-Johnson residence
Music
Chibi-Robo: Plug Into Adventure - Broad Daylight
Once Michael and Rocco got back home, they decided to unwind. "{Watching a Fallen Skiff fall victim to the IMC's perimeter defense system really gave me a good laugh.}"
"It's an EMP that comes first, followed by a maelstrom of plasma blasts from a dozen dozen Warmind railguns, courtesy of Rasputin." Michael explained.
"{Astounding...!}" Rocco was amazed.
Without warning, a call came through on a PDA left on the couch. "This is Michael W Johnson of IMC squadron Eagle-Eye 9-1. How may I help you?"
"Oh. Hello, Michael. Where's Cayde?" It was Petra!
"He's..." Michael looked around for any sign of the Exo, finding no trace of him. "He's not here. But his PDA is. That's strange."
"Maybe Dr. Hammond called him again. Anyway, my ship got caught in an ambush. The Hive sure don't know when to quit. One of their Tombships rammed my vehicle, then I crashed on Venus. I'll try and hold out over in the Ishtar Academy until someone arrives. In the meantime, the Vex are gonna give me one heck of a time."
"I'm on my way."
3:53 PM
11/04/3273
Planet Venus - Ishtar Sink
Ishtar Academy
Music
Destiny - The Vex
After a while, Michael made his way through the Fallen and Vex, entering the Ishtar Academy, seeing that Petra was pinned behind cover by enemy fire.
Michael reached for the Golden Gun, attuning to the Way of the Outlaw. He aimed for a Vex Goblin and pulled the trigger, disintegrating it and refunding a shot. This was repeated for a few seconds until the area was clear. The sector was secure.
Music
Titanfall - OST 01
"That was easy." Michael remarked, the Golden Gun fizzling from his hand.
"Yes, well... ~clears throat~ Thank you, Michael."
"No problem, Petra. Although..." Michael grabbed Petra's weapon out of her hand and examined it. "Going in armed with nothing but a pistol is practically suicide. What you need is a whole loadout. I can bring you back to the IMC HQ, then you can pick out your other two weapons."
"That's the Vestian Dynasty, my trusty sidearm." Petra stated, taking back her gun.
"I'm just sayin'. What you need is a bigger gun." Michael recommended.
"Says the Pilot who cleared out an entire swarm of Vex with nothing but a pistol not too long ago."
"Hm. You make a good point. However, that's only because I was using the Golden Gun..." Michael paused, looking at his Spitfire's ammo display. "...and my Spitfire's magazine ran out on the way here." He concluded, pulling the empty mag off the underside of his weapon.
"Makes sense. You mainly pulled it out because your LMG's magazine was expended." Petra saw the logic. Michael's primary weapon was unavailable, so he momentarily switched to his secondary.
"That is correct."
3:31 PM
11/04/3273
Approaching the Frontier
Music
Destiny 2 - View from Orbit
"IMC command, this is Pilot Michael W Johnson, serial number 2-9-4-7-2-1-5-4-9, and I have Petra Venj onboard. Her ship crashed on Venus, and I am requesting the deployment of armed recovery teams in the Ishtar Sink."
"Command authenticated." Spyglass acknowledged. "Armed recovery teams are on their way."
Michael then got off the radio, turning back to his passenger. "We're almost back to the Frontier."
"You can drop me off at the IMC HQ."
Without warning, Michael's ship picked up another signature. Tombships. The Hive have sniffed out the Traveler's new location.
Michael got back on the radio, but dialed up a different channel. "We've got incoming Hive Tombships near my location."
A familiar voice echoed over the comms. "I have a fix on your position. I'll send some of my Taken to commandeer those Tombships." It was then that Michael's ship detected aberrations in reality.
The Tombships ceased all activity, and the Dreadnaught was visible in the distance.
"I have command of the Tombships." The Shadow reported.
"Alright. Now to-" Michael was interrupted by a proximity alarm. "Shadow, bring the Tombships back to the Dreadnaught. It looks like we've got Cabal invaders. Rocco?"
"{My scans indicate that it's the Skyburners. Actually, that's pretty smart. The Skyburners are the Cabal's 'celestial demolitions' force, used for high-intensity operations.}"
Michael chuckled. "Against the Frontier defenses, it's suicide. End of discussion. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Hey, Petra. You wanna watch the Cabal fail hilariously?"
Petra made her way to the cockpit as Rocco transmatted in that bucket of popcorn from the failed Fallen invasion. As Petra cautiously put a piece of popcorn in her mouth, she watched a massive ring of electromagnetic energy zoom through space, completely shorting out the entire Cabal fleet, frying every single system, followed by a bombardment of plasma blasts from the IMC's Frontier-wide perimeter defense array, assisted by a cloaked and shielded sensor grid. Petra laughed out loud, having just witnessed pure folly.
Resuming the return trip, Michael had something to say. "Let them come. We'll be ready. They will perish."
If an approaching vehicle has no positive ID, the inhabitants of said vehicle are as good as dead. There's no way through for them.
Even if the Darkness itself came, I doubt it would get far. A combination of IMC, Fallen, Cabal, and Clovis Bray technology is what comprises the laser grid that surrounds the Frontier, shielding it like an eternal Ward of Dawn, and it shall stand forever.
See you next time, guys.