S1-204
A fresh start
9:17 AM
02/12/3274
The Tangled Shore - IMS Olympus
Docking Bay 5
Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Aboard the GFS Olympus
With the Crow now free of the Spider's... 'employment', Michael was tasked with transporting him to the IMS Olympus as it settled in orbit around the Tangled Shore.
"Crow, Glint, on behalf of the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation, or IMC, I welcome you to the IMS Olympus." Michael announced, spreading his arms wide to the vessel's interior.
A pair of wide eyes and a hanging jaw told the ace Pilot that this Guardian was astounded beyond belief; the newcomer was practically speechless.
"This is the Olympus?" The Lightbearer finally asked, taking in the massive size of the room he was in. "This feels… overwhelming."
A robotic voice was then heard. "This is just one room… on one ship."
Michael stepped aside. "Crow, Glint, this is Spyglass; the Vice Admiral of the IMC. You two may have already met during that day-long Wrathborn ordeal."
"Welcome, Crow." Spyglass greeted, offering a handshake.
Hesitantly, Crow returned the gesture. "It's an… honor to be here."
"Our founder, Dr. Hammond, would like to speak with you. He is waiting in the Ready Room."
Hearing this, Michael was surprised. "Dr. Hammond left planet Yitune to meet with Crow?"
Just then, another voice was heard. "He is not the only one to leave the Frontier."
"Speaker! Didn't know you were here."
"Nice to see you again too, Michael." The Speaker reciprocated.
"Who's that?" The Lightbearer asked, looking at the masked figure donned in white.
"He's the Guardians' official figurehead, much like Hammond." A soldier armed with a G7 Scout rifle accompanying the Speaker replied.
Something clicked in the Crow's mind as he looked at the soldier. "I've heard of him. Wasn't he almost ki-"
"You watch your mouth. Dead figureheads are a major blow to public morale." The soldier interrupted.
Grimacing at the soldier's rudeness, the Crow turned back to Spyglass. "What was that about?"
"My sincerest apologies, Crow." The Vice Admiral said. "Not everyone here holds a high opinion of Dr. Hammond."
Nodding, Crow turned back to Michael and the Speaker to listen in on their conversation.
"To think that the Shadow, a sentient entity made entirely of self-sustaining Darkness, could be weakened by Hive magic… It's worrying." He heard Michael say nervously.
The Speaker nodded in agreement. "That is troubling. But according to Osiris's reports from the Dreadnaught, the Shadow has found a way to disable the Cryptoliths; using his Taken Vex to contain these towers, then subverting the contents of the container between dimensions. And he is utilizing Taken Wizards to remove them without shattering his domain."
"That's good. But my offer still stands. The Voice of the Traveler should possess the Eye as well." Michael affirmed, his right eye aglow.
"You know as well as I that you were chosen by it. And I was not." The Speaker appeared to decline with a shake of his head.
Michael shrugged, the glow fading. "I know. You keep saying that."
"It does grow tiresome having to say it again every time you offer." The Speaker chuckled. "Now, let us be off. Dr. Hammond is waiting for you."
Nodding in acknowledgement, Michael resumed escorting the Crow into the Ready Room.
9:29 AM
02/12/3274
The Tangled Shore - IMS Olympus
Ready Room
Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Briefing Room & Ambience Theme
Once the two arrived at the Ready Room, they saw Dr. Hammond speaking with a few of the Spider's associates.
"I understand you share a bond of friendship with this new Lightbearer." The Crow could hear him say to the Eliksni. "That is but one of the reasons I am offering you all an invitation to join us at the Frontier. And I can assure you that you will have as much Ether as you want. And you will all be treated fairly. You have my word."
The five Eliksni in the room conversed with each other in a hushed tone for a while before removing their helmets and bowing. One of them spoke in their language. 'We are grateful for this offer. You will not regret it.'
Nodding to the Eliksni, Dr. Hammond turned to Michael and Crow. "Ahh. You're here."
"You wanted to speak with me?" Crow asked, lowering his hood.
"Yes. Spyglass has relayed considerable amounts of information about you to my computer back in my office." Dr. Hammond turned to the ace. "Pilot Johnson, you have performed admirably in this mission. I hereby relieve you of duty until the next operation. You are dismissed."
Without a word, Michael saluted him and left.
"Your Pilots sure are skilled. And loyal." Crow remarked as the automatic door closed behind the departing Pilot.
"I know." Dr. Hammond nodded. "Now for why you're here. But first… Glint, please eject your shell."
Glint focused on the bonds between his shell and his core. He then disengaged the links, causing the pieces of his shell to fly off and fall to the ground.
"{Why didn't I do this before...?}" The Ghost, now a literal floating eyeball, muttered.
Dr. Hammond chuckled. "Perhaps it did not occur to you while you worried about Crow's wellbeing." He said as a Frame collected Glint's detached shell parts. "The explosive will be disposed of, then the shell will be returned to you."
"{Thank you.}" Glint bowed, then disappeared.
"Back to the matter at hand. I have been told that you feel a weight on your shoulders because of who you were before becoming a Guardian. I am here to offer you a truly new beginning, without any ties to your past. You are a brand new person, so you should have a brand new look."
"What exactly are you offering?" The Crow asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A fresh start. A new face." Dr. Hammond reiterated, a chuckle escaping his smiling mouth. "A truly clean slate without any dust or grime from the past."
At the sound of this, the Lightbearer put a hand on his chin. "To be me without looking like someone else..."
"Precisely. And not only that, but you will have free reign over your own future. You may choose to be a fighter, a builder, a scientist, anything you set your sights on. Your life is up to you. No one else. Especially not the Spider."
The Crow, who was contemplating the offer, looked up and smiled. "True freedom."
10:13 AM
02/12/3274
Planet Korj - Angel City District 1: Residential District
Major Medical Center
Music
Destiny - The Tower
After waiting a while, Dr. Hammond heard the door open. In the doorway stood Crow, wearing a new outfit… and he no longer had the face of Uldren Sov.
"{First time I've ever seen cosmetic surgery.}" Glint remarked as he appeared alongside his Guardian.
"How do you feel?" Dr. Hammond asked.
"Like a new me." The Lightbearer answered, sighing in relief. "The weight that's been hanging around my neck since I woke up in this body… it's gone."
"{That's the face. But what about the voice?}" Glint wondered.
A nervous chuckle escaped the Crow. "You're gonna make an adjustment to my vocal cords, aren't you?"
"In all honesty, the process of making and replacing an organic larynx is more… complicated. We also have yet to pick out your new voice." Dr. Hammond admitted. "Believe me when I say it's not something that can be done in a matter of days or weeks."
"What if I pose as an Earthborn Awoken who suffered a blow to the neck that left me mute?" Crow suggested.
"Yes. That could work. Especially around civilians and other Guardians, you will remain an entirely different person. In the meantime, how about a tour of the Frontier… with your new look?"
"{Dr. Hammond, don't you think it would seem suspicious if you followed around an Awoken?}" Glint objected, to which Dr. Hammond nodded in agreement. "{Michael could give my Guardian that tour, making it look like a 'guys night'. Also, if Crow's throat is supposed to be damaged, having me physically following him around may raise some suspicion. After all, I could easily repair his vocal cords if they were actually so.}"
"Hmm." Dr. Hammond pondered the Ghost's words. "Very well. Glint, you are to remain phased and out of sight. Keep me updated."
"{Sir, yes, sir!}" With that, Glint vanished.
Dr. Hammond then turned to the Crow. "Crow, speak only to those you trust in private. Do not speak in public. We will work on this."
The Crow nodded in response. "Understood, Dr. Hammond."
Bidding Dr. Hammond farewell, Crow then called up Michael, who provided him with coordinates for their meeting spot.
10:29 AM
02/12/3274
Planet Korj - Angel City District 1: Residential District
Freddy's Angel Buffet
Music
Super Mario Sunshine - Delfino Casino
Following the coordinates, Crow ended up at a restaurant; a "Freddy's Angel Buffet", it called itself.
"Crow!" Michael called out, approaching him. "Looking good."
The Crow opened his mouth to speak, but remembering what Dr. Hammond told him, he immediately snapped it shut.
"Ah. Right." Michael seemed to understand, despite having not been at the hospital. "Dr. Hammond's Ghost filled us in over a private channel."
It was then that Cayde arrived. "Alright, let's get this show on the road." The Sim-Exo went to shake the Crow's left hand rapidly as he introduced himself. "Welcome aboard the 'One Tour of the Universe That Definitely Won't Kill You', hosted by your old buddy, old pal, Cayde Johnson."
Seeing the confused look on Crow's face at the end of that sentence, Michael decided to clear something up. "I may have inadvertently 'adopted' Cayde as my brother."
"Yeah, he just… said it one day. Didn't even mean to." The Sim-Exo shrugged as he said this. "Anyway, I'm hungry. Let's start this tour off with lunch." Cayde then opened the door to the restaurant, gesturing for Michael and Crow to enter before him.
It seemed like a bit of a slow day at the buffet, seeing as there weren't very many customers. "You'll like this place, Crow. It's actually run by my childhood friends from at least a thousand years ago." Michael let out a snicker. "Sentient animatronics. And Simulacrums hadn't even been conceived yet."
Crow's eyes widened. Robotic entertainers with free will and self-awareness? Before the act of digitizing human minds had become a reality? How could this have happened?
As the three sat down at an empty table, a certain light blue bunny-like animatronic approached them. "Michael! Cayde! Always good to have two of our favorite customers at a table." He then turned to Crow. "And who's this?"
"That's our new friend; Crow." Cayde said. "We just met not too long ago."
Having read the proposed backstory Dr. Hammond's Ghost sent him, Michael added to the conversation. "Earthborn Awoken. Lost his ability to speak in Operation Shadowkeep."
Toy Bonnie saw the realistic-looking scar on Crow's neck and winced. "Oof. What happened?"
"Nightmare Thralls. Nasty things. Esoteric creatures, to be precise."
What sounded like jittering servos could be heard from the shuddering animatronic. "Glad we're not designed or programmed for combat..." He muttered, with the words being all he could muster.
"Alright. Enough scary tales from the past." Cayde sighed as he tapped the animatronic's shoulder, snapping him out of his fear-induced trance. "Let's have something to eat."
"...Right." It was then that Toy Bonnie remembered something. "Oh! The menus! Michael, Cayde, we've updated our customer service system." He gestured to a small machine in the center of the table. It had multiple screens on it; one for each seat. "The moment you take a seat, you can order whenever you're ready. Don't need to wait for us to pass out menus anymore."
"A new system? How recent is it?" Michael asked, containing his excitement.
Toy Bonnie chuckled. "It was installed just a couple days ago. Now, I should check on the other customers." With that, he departed.
"Sentient animatronics... before Simulacrums." Cayde mused. "How'd you do that?"
Looking through the selection on the screen in front of him, Michael looked back to the trio that were his childhood friends. "They were like this when we first met on my ninth birthday, several hundred years ago. When they were planned to be scrapped by their original owner, Spyglass intervened. IMC techs got to work on giving them a complete upgrade. But then there were their CPUs…" He recounted the confusion on everyone's faces back then. "Some sort of glitch in their operating systems caused this self-awareness. We weren't sure why or how, but this glitch also gave off readings that were oddly similar to human neural patterns. Ancient animatronic entertainers… with human-like minds. And to accommodate this, the techs soon whipped up what would one day become the neural processor of all Simulacrums. To this day, the origin of those neural patterns remains unknown."
"Well, THAT'S something you don't hear every day." Cayde remarked as he turned his gaze back to the screen in front of him. "Welp, Wingza Pizza's calling my name. Talk to you later."
10:52 AM
02/12/3274
Planet Alrion - New Pacific Arcology
Siren's Watch
Music
Super Mario Sunshine - Noki Bay
After finishing their lunch and deciding on which planet in the Frontier to go to first, the trio landed on Alrion, where the New Pacific Arcology was located.
"Alright, kiddos. Welcome to Alrion; the most depressing planet in the Frontier." Cayde announced as his personal ship, the Queen of Hearts, descended onto the landing pad below.
"Actually, you'll love this place, Crow." Michael added. "The IMC made this abandoned colony new again. Some of the Eliksni have settled in too."
Crow's eyes widened once again. Some of the Eliksni? Living here? He had to see it for himself.
Just then, a Widow ship jumped in and landed. It opened one of its side doors, allowing a Heavy Shank to leave its interior, with an Eliksni following it out.
"Velask, Michael. It is good to see you again." The Kell of Light greeted as he approached the ace Pilot.
"Velask, Misraaks." Michael returned the greeting.
Crow recognized the Heavy Shank. HKD-1. But it's been reprogrammed? The IMC took the time to capture and disable it instead of destroying it?
"And Cayde. I see you are well." Misraaks continued, facing the Sim-Exo.
Cayde chuckled. "Yeah. The IMC's nifty training thingy makes the Crucible look like a toddler's playpen." Seeing Misraaks blink in confusion, Cayde, after clearing his throat, rephrased himself. "The training regiments required to become a Pilot basically make the Golem Shaxx's Crucible seem… obsolete. They could run it a lot harsher than he ever could."
"The Hammond Pilot Certification Simulators; our Training Pods." Michael stated. "And the Whitehead facility on the planet Gridiron."
"Thought I'd literally fall apart the first time around." Cayde whispered, releasing a nervous chortle.
Crow thought back to the Wrathborn hunts. The Pilots had shown much greater combat prowess than any Guardian. The allegedly harsher training must be the cause.
"Some of us have tried your training simulations." Misraaks remarked. "Those training regiments were too harsh for them individually."
Michael nodded. "Stronger together."
"We have since settled on the IMC's standard combat training. As I assume you are already aware, there are many Eliksni within your ranks."
"Yeah, they seem to deal with that just fine. They're giving the House of Dusk a run for their money. Hive seem scared of them too. Cabal can't really do much. Vex just can't seem to keep up either."
It was then that Rocco joined in. "{Can't really argue with results like that, can you?}"
"No, you cannot." Misraaks chuckled, then noticed the newcomer. "And this must be the Crow. We have heard much about him."
The Lightbearer nodded as he raised his head to face the Kell, revealing the realistic scar on his neck to Misraaks. Seeing this, Michael spoke, keeping to the fabricated backstory. "Crow nearly died in Operation Shadowkeep. I may have been able to save his life, but he lost his voice to the Nightmares. I never want to see Hive claws tearing through flesh and muscle again." The Pilot shuddered as he finished his sentence.
"I offer my deepest condolences." Misraaks said solemnly.
Michael shrugged. "Guess it can't be helped. We put our lives on the line to protect our people, no matter the cost."
"Loyal to the people." Misraaks noted. "The Great Ma- uh… The Traveler… has chose-"
"The Great Machine." Michael repeated the Kell's words.
After a moment of silence, Misraaks, after catching on, laughed. "Yes. Heh. The Great Machine has chosen well. And we are honored that you would go to such great lengths for us."
"Ever since Michael first brought it up, I keep thinking about how things could've played out differently between us." Cayde said, his faceplates forming a scowl. "Maybe I should pay Osiris a visit in the Infinite Forest and ask to see a simulation of it."
Misraaks turned to the Sim-Exo. "You are correct. Had the Eliksni come in peace instead of conflict, it is likely that we would have all stood together from the beginning. Sharing a common goal."
"Seems like we've more or less reached that unity anyway." Michael remarked, looking over the Golden Age colony.
"Yes." Misraaks agreed as he took off his helmet and gazed at the peaceful coexistence of humans and Eliksni around them. "We have."
11:04 AM
02/12/3274
Planet Alrion - New Pacific Arcology
Solarium
Music
Super Mario Galaxy - The Garden
Entering the Solarium, Michael and co. laid eyes upon the lush green garden of the Arcology. The same PA voice from during the Red War was heard. "Commendations are in order for Eliksni Splicers Votriks, Skastroks, and Ydelas for outstanding field performance and the successful acquisition of a House of Dusk weapons and Ether cache. Be sure to buy them a round." Cheers could be heard in response.
Crow looked over the massive arboretum. Eliksni children running around and playing with joy in their hearts. Humans, Awoken, Exos, and Simulacrums treating the Eliksni as equals and friends. A group of humans and Eliksni putting together a monument to the Traveler.
The sight of this camaraderie brought a smile to his face. After seemingly countless years of war, hatred, and bitter struggles over resources, this was what's being achieved. Granted, he had worked with Eliksni before, particularly during his time with the Spider. But this? Eliksni mingling with humans on a regular basis? This was something else.
"Not only were accomodations made to ensure our comfort here, but you have replicated our old recipes for sustenance. And for your 'Christmas', you gifted us plentiful amounts of Swaddled Etherdips." The Lightbearer heard Misraaks say to Michael.
Michael chuckled lightly. "We figured our own treats would be like poison to the Eliksni. We had to sift through all the information we could get from the other Houses to make the proper accommodations. Botanical samples retrieved from downed Ketches were a big help too. With the required conditions met, we were able to grow food originally grown on your home planet of Riis."
"Thus, we no longer needed to ration our supplies, and we were all free to eat our fill. A renewable food source." The Kell of Light added.
"{A large source.}" Rocco joined in as he appeared. "{Even shipments of it get sent out to the Eliksni on the planet Troy.}"
"Therefore, all Eliksni are alive and well, Ether stores are flourishing, and your natural growth's finally returned to normal." Cayde noted, looking over his own PDA.
Misraaks chuckled. "We've seen a great many improvements. But there have also been… surprises. The Great Machine has released more of the Ghosts over our new home here."
Michael, Rocco, Cayde, Sundance, and Crow turned to the Kell in shock.
"{More Ghosts? Here!?}" Sundance exclaimed, barely containing her excitement.
"Yes." Misraaks nodded, extending one of his arms with the palm facing upwards. To everyone's surprise, a Ghost appeared.
"{You've… become a Guardian!}" Sundance went to celebrate by zipping around in the air for a bit, then floating down to meet the new Ghost.
"The Kell of the House of Light is himself imbued by the Light." Michael said with a smirk. "Have you decided on what name to give your Ghost? Or has your Ghost chosen one already?"
Misraaks and his Ghost exchanged glances before turning back to the Pilot. The Ghost spoke in a deep male voice. "{No. We haven't.}"
As Crow went ahead to get a better look at the new home of the Eliksni, Cayde shook one of the Kell's hands. "Welcome aboard the Guardian train."
11:28 AM
02/12/3274
Planet Troy
Colony G22
Music
Destiny 2 - The Farm
After seeing all the Arcology had been packed with to support the Eliksni, including the new fauna originating from Riis, Michael and Cayde bid Misraaks farewell and brought Crow to see where the rest had settled.
"Welcome to Colony G22. This was the original Eliksni settlement in the Frontier from before we picked up that entire facility from Titan." Michael gestured to the rural colony. A few Skiffs were parked nearby, and some of the Eliksni here… wore green robes.
"Yup. House of Judgment's moved in on our invitation, and House of Light's just getting started." Cayde added, glancing at a couple Eliksni wearing red robes conversing with several Eliksni in green.
"{The Kell of Judgment, Variks, is actually the first Eliksni Guardian.}" Rocco said. "{Before that, he helped us hunt down Skolas, the self-proclaimed 'Kell of Kells'.}"
"And since I've heard little mention of that imbecile to this day, I assume he had failed." A certain Eliksni marksman said behind them
Michael immediately recognized the Eliksni. "Theerdaks! How have you been?"
"Couldn't be better." Theerdaks answered flatly. "I've been trying out one of these 'Kraber AP-Snipers' you humans keep talking about. A bit tricky."
"Yeah." Michael sighed. "Those .57 caliber bullets may be powerful, but they're slower than any other ballistic projectile, and I'm not exactly skilled with leading my shots either. Same can be said of the D-2 Double Take. Have you considered a Longbow-DMR? The bullet may fly faster, but you'll need to be precise with your shot placement… which you already are."
"I did a Longbow, but not a Double Take. Though I've seen the occasional human with a Triple Take. I lean toward the Kraber. If done right…" The Eliksni marksman jabbed a left finger into his right hand. "Goes in hard. Hits it where it hurts."
It was then that someone else showed up. "Ahh. A pleasure to see you again, Michael. I see you're already acquainted with my protege."
"Devrim! You've taken an Eliksni under your tutelage?" Michael asked curiously.
"Yes. Came to me while I was still in that church back on Earth. Said he wanted to learn from a veteran. I have been mentoring him in marksmanship since then."
Theerdaks drank from a thermos of water before speaking. "I have improved greatly since that day." He seemed happy about it.
"And you've been helping his kind reach their fully developed sizes. Theerdaks has been a much stronger force out there." Devrim insisted.
"And for an old human, he's been a lot of help." The Eliksni marksman returned.
Devrim chuckled. "Yes. I am old."
Bidding the two farewell, Michael caught up with Cayde and Crow. They were conversing with Variks!
"Misraaks may be young, but he certainly shows great promise." He heard the Kell of Judgment comment on the Kell of Light. "And I know… the House of Light is the successor of the House of Judgment. But we would not stand here, on untainted soils, beneath the Great Machine, were it not for the IMC."
"You guys never fought against us. You weren't there at Twilight Gap, were you?"
"No. We were not there. Our only advance towards the Last City was on the IMC's invitation." Variks said.
Michael joined the conversation. "And you packed up your base in the Cosmodrome when we reached the decision to clear out Earth and move to the Frontier?"
"Yes." Variks nodded.
"Uh… Michael? I think Crow's out of it again." Cayde said, pointing at the Lightbearer.
Michael looked over at Crow… who was staring in awe at a patrolling Vanguard-class Titan. "Of course." He chuckled, then yelled out his name. "Crow!"
This snapped Crow out of his Titan-induced trance. He turned back to the two, wearing an apologetic expression on his face.
"Yeah. Titans are pretty awesome, aren't they?" Cayde thought for a moment. "Anyway, we have a… surprise for you."
Crow, at the sound of this, let off a curious expression on his face.
"It's a secret." The Sim-Exo continued, whispering into the Lightbearer's ear. "Don't worry. I won't tell anybody." He then proceeded to escort him and Michael into the Queen of Hearts. "Come on."
11:38 AM
02/12/3274
Yionus's moon, Zuter - IMC testing site Echo-918
Entrance
Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Briefing Room & Ambience Theme
After the Queen of Hearts touched down on the IMC's testing facility on the moon of Zuter, the trio approached the heavy, Titan-sized bulkhead door.
"Welcome to Site Echo-918." Cayde announced. "It's where a bunch of stuff happened, and new stuff keeps happening."
"This site is fully automated." Michael added. "You can relax, Crow. There's nobody else around."
Crow took in a deep breath before finally whispering. "I'm… still trying to… wrap my head around everything out here."
"If you're concerned about having to stay mute in public, I can give you something to help. Rocco?" Michael's Ghost appeared and transmatted an odd device into his hand. "A neural voice box. Made it in my spare time a few years back. Converts neural signals into audible speech patterns."
Taking the device, Crow affixed the partial ring around the top of his head. Strapping the speaker component to the front of his neck, the lights on the top part blinked on. A new voice was heard as the speaker crackled to life. "/-iants wirelessly connected to the brains of their Pilots, and now we've got portable devices that turn your thoughts into speech?/"
"Holy cow. That thing works." Cayde remarked.
Crow's eyes widened. "/Yeah. It works. But that's not my voice./"
"Sounded like me when I tested it. Probably bypasses the vocal cords and replicates how you sound in your mind. Who knew?" Michael started toward the door, which proceeded to open slowly. "This way, please."
Yionus's moon, Zuter - IMC Testing Site Echo-918
Chamber 137
Once the trio went into chamber 137, they saw the control console and arch of the World Gate.
"/What is that?/" The Crow asked through his voice box.
"Crow, that is the World Gate. The Shadow and I collaborated on it. While he reverse-engineered the Vex technology, I used it in an attempt to unlock time travel." Michael answered as he extended his hand toward the large Vex arch.
"But instead of time travel, he basically unlocked doors to wacky new places and realities, including a more… black-and-white version of our own." Cayde added, looking at the machine. "The me in that world is… gone."
As Cayde was talking, Crow took a moment to observe the arch. What seemed like a small relic was attached to it, but it appeared to be inactive.
Michael then went to a container next to the console, placing his left hand on the scanner pad. The container opened to reveal an assortment of various items, all of which possessing the same exact shape and size while still differing in appearance.
"How would you feel about seeing one of these worlds?" The Pilot asked, holding up a Dimension Key with a deep ocean depicted on it.
"/I…/" Crow thought for a moment before giving out his response. "/Maybe another time./" He concluded. "/I'd like to know more about the Frontier and where I'll be living before I visit another reality./"
Michael shrugged. "Fair enough." The Pilot put the Key back into the container. "You did say you'd like to know where you'll be living, right?"
"/Yeah./" The Crow confirmed, nodding. "/I'm basically homeless./"
It was then that Rocco phased in. "{One more place, OK? I know a good one.}"
Michael eyed his Ghost before shrugging. "Alright. Let's go."
11:47 AM
02/12/3274
Planet Vez-2 - IMC HQ
The H.E.L.M
Music
Destiny 2 - The H.E.L.M
Once the group arrived at the IMC HQ, they made their way to the docking bay and entered a large ship that appeared to be a perfect blend of IMC and Last City technology, with Frames and Marvins providing work and maintenance inside.
"{Welcome aboard the Hub for Emergency Logistics and Maneuvers, or 'H.E.L.M' for short.}" Rocco announced as the Guardians stepped inside. "{Here, you'll find the assets and information you need to complete our most time-sensitive operations.}"
Crow, being in a safe and secure place, thought it was OK to turn off his voice box. "Are you sure?" He asked with his normal voice. "This… is an empty room."
"Not entirely empty." Cayde clarified. "Over there's a terminal connected to the IMC's universal vault for storing your precious guns, especially your one-of-a-kind revolver." The Sim-Exo then pointed to a terminal next to the vault. "And over there's a terminal you can use for accessing messages and reports, which'll help you know what we're going up against."
As Crow explored the hub, he came across a large, digital table. As he started to interface with it, the table began showing him what happened during 'Operation Shadowkeep', including his 'incident' with some Nightmares.
"What's that?" The Lightbearer asked as he examined the table.
"That's the War Table." Michael answered. "It offers real-time information on the operation the IMC is currently involved in. The last time it was used was during Operation Shadowkeep, which is why you may be seeing information pertaining to it." Suddenly, the ace Pilot remembered something. "Oh! One more thing; did you see your quarters on our way here?"
"No." Crow denied. "Why?"
"That room in the HQ was originally intended for civilian use, with the goal of giving people a temporary residence until they could be given a new home." Michael continued. "It was last used when the Last City on Earth was being dismantled so that the citizens had a place while we figured out new homes for them. Since then, that room hasn't really seen any use, but I did see Spyglass head in there on the way here. From what I could gather, that's where you'll be staying."
Planet Vez-2 - IMC HQ
Civilian quarters
Following Michael and Cayde back into the halls of the facility, Crow soon stepped into what looked like a clean apartment room with basic amenities. He decided to take a short tour, eventually ending up in his bedroom. There, hanging up on the wall, was a Hive sword. But it wasn't just any old cleaver; it was the one he used to save Osiris.
Suddenly, a synthetic voice from behind drew Crow's attention. "I requisitioned the blade from your old workshop in the Spider's bunker during your tour." He turned to the source of the voice, seeing none other than Spyglass. "We are keeping tabs on the Spider's illicit activities, but many of his associates have contacted us for a better life."
"And since I've seen where the Eliksni live out here, I'm happy for them." The Lightbearer replied with a hint of gratitude.
"It is what they deserve. They sought peace and coexistence. Therefore, they remain within the Traveler's grace." Spyglass nodded as he turned away. "We will leave you to settle in. As Misraaks says, 'The Light provides.'."
After Spyglass, Michael, and Cayde left, Glint finally phased in. "{I love the Frontier already!}"
"That fast?" Crow chuckled at his Ghost's sudden urge to declare his love. "It's not even a full day yet."
Glint shrugged. "{Eh, It's far more peaceful than everywhere we've been to for the past few months.}"
"Fair enough."
"{Anyway…}" The Ghost floated around for a bit as he thought of something productive for his Guardian to do. "{Wanna hang out at the recreational center? Or stare at some Titans in awe again in the barracks? If you want a challenge, I heard that the HQ's now offering a Gauntlet timed test for Pilots and non-Pilots in the Sim Pod chamber. I mean, really, it's up to you!}"
The Lightbearer put a hand on his chin as he decided on which activity he would occupy his time with. "I think I'll read up on the Titans. I'm going to the recreational center."
"{Good choice!}" Glint approved. "{Just… put your thing back on. It may save your life.}"
"Got it."
Crow flipped his voice box back on as he headed out, with Glint phasing himself out of the material world in order to not draw suspicion.
New face. New life. The Crow will fit right in. I'll bring his Light into the open soon.
Well, I'll see you next time. Farewell.