"Worst case scenario: you die. But who knows, maybe you won't!" - Cayde-6
The panoramic display above the desk was awash with information. In one corner, the holo feed ticked off constant news from the City - it looked like the Festival of the Lost was in full swing. In the bottom corner, a live lecture from the Academy was broadcasting in real time - Hiro-3 was delivering a seminar on recent archaeological finds. Sprinkled everywhere in between, live ads from the City were constantly vying for real estate on the display - restaurants, bordellos, and pest control services. It was too much.
Meren lay motionless on her small bed and stared at the screen from across the room. The Awoken had provided her with modest accommodations as soon as she had arrived at the Reef. The furnishings were sparse, but they met her needs. Her bags lay open in the corner of the room, she hadn't even bothered to unpack properly. There had been too much going on.
No sooner had Meren returned from her escapade with Heavy, than she had made a beeline for her apartment and jammed the lock on the door. The modicum of security it offered was what she had needed in that moment. I'm never leaving this apartment again, she had told herself.
And she hadn't. Not yet, at least.
What had happened on the Tangled Shore had left her shaken. This hadn't been some figurative brush with death. She had almost died. Really, truly died. There were no second chances, not for her. The Spider would have killed her, had she not fabricated that lie in the heat of the moment. She was sure of it.
Meren felt so stupid. Trusting Variks, someone she didn't even know. Gallivanting off to an uninhabited asteroid. Forgetting basic Eliksni courtesies. Everything.
You're not out of the woods yet, she thought to herself. The Spider wouldn't forget the promise she'd made. If Meren couldn't follow through she would be hunted down all the way across the system. And then a silly locked door wouldn't be enough to protect her.
Meren looked back up at the screen, she hadn't even bothered to check her datapad for messages since she had returned. Letting out a loud sigh, she turned up the volume on Hiro's feed. Maybe she could channel some of his academic enthusiasm and drag herself over the desk to write something later - take her mind off things.
As Hiro's lecture was concluding he opened it up to the class. Several students were physically present at the Academy, but many more were watching this same feed, studying abroad. On the screen, a couple hands went up as Hiro extended the invitation for questions.
"Professor, you said Palamon was subject to frequent Fallen raids prior to its destruction. Have you or your colleagues found any archaeological evidence of these attacks?" one student asked through the feed.
"That's an excellent question, Sarla," Hiro-3 was quick to respond. He really was the best in his field. "There was a dig just outside of Palamon, in the mountains, maybe a decade ago. We uncovered an Eliksni ketch and settlement up there in the ice, but they had to end the excavation early due to inclement weather."
The mention of the ketch made Meren sit up in bed. She was fully invested in this lecture now. What else was buried out there under the ice?
"From the looks of it, all the Eliksni froze to death up there in the mountains. It's definitely something we will continue to pursue as funding allows. Good question." Hiro concluded.
Now that was interesting.
"Professor, do we have any concrete evidence of when the settlement at Palamon was established?" a second student inquired through the feed.
Meren didn't even pay attention to Hiro's answer for that one. She was too busy rolling across the bed to grab her datapad. As the screen came to life it alerted her to fifteen missed messages. Half of them were probably from Cayde. He could wait.
She frantically searched the Academy archives for any information on the Palamon archaeological site. Nothing. Most of Hiro's work on the dig was still pending publication and was unavailable. Shit.
Hiro's lecture continued in the background. "-on the matter of Dredgen Yor. That's a question better suited for Professor Norton. She has a background in Guardian History, and I'm sure she'd be happy to give you a more thorough answer." Hiro was saying.
Now was her chance. Meren raised her hand, the display recognized the gesture and sent a request to the host. It was a moment before the system responded, and then it was Meren's turn.
"Professor, your lecture was fascinating. I'm especially interested to learn more about the Eliksni settlement that you found at Palamon. Any chance there's more advanced tech to be found up there?" Meren asked.
"Professor Hale," Hiro's voice came through the feed, "so glad you could join us from wherever you are."
Meren could hear the slightest hint of annoyance in his voice. She had run off without so much as a goodbye. Could she blame him?
Hiro continued, "We've found several other pieces of Eliksni tech at Palamon, yes. Several shanks were recovered on the north slope. We have parts from a pike. There's other things up there, to be sure, but it would take some doing to dig them out from the ice."
It was a long shot, but there was a chance. Could there be something bigger be buried under the snow and ice in the mountains that loomed over Palamon? The Eliksni that settled up there would have needed a steady supply of Ether. They would have needed a Servitor. Meren wasn't much of a gambler, but this was a bet she was willing to take.
"That's a fascinating find, Professor." Meren tried to keep her voice even, "If it's not too much trouble, could you send some of the dig site maps over my way? I'd like to take a look. This will dovetail nicely with my current research."
"No trouble at all, Professor Hale," Hiro said.
Something like relief washed over Meren. If there was a functional Servitor at the site, her nightmare would be over. She could go back to her work and forgot that any of this ever happened.
"Thank you for your time, Professor." Meren cut the feed.
With a renewed sense of purpose, she dragged herself out of bed. Fully intending to get some of her things organized, she set herself to unpacking. Maybe then the apartment would feel a little more cozy. This was going to be her home, for the next few months, at any rate.
It wasn't long before her communicator chimed from somewhere across the room. It was probably Hiro. She owed him an explanation for her disappearance, after all. She opened the comm line.
"Hi, buddy."
It was Cayde.
"You, uh, doin' okay out there?" his voice sounded genuinely concerned.
"I'm...fine, Cayde," she lied.
She wasn't about to tell Cayde what had happened on the Tangled Shore. Clueing the Vanguard in to whatever it was the Spider was doing out there would doubtless make her situation worse.
"Got your message," Cayde continued, "loud and clear, Professor."
Meren recalled the strongly-worded messages she sent the other day.
She sighed through the comm, "Sorry, Cayde. I was just frustrated."
"Hey, in my defense, I thought you already knew Variks spoke English", Cayde said, "Your wheelhouse, not mine."
"What, exactly, is in your wheelhouse?" Meren countered.
"Wheels. Probably." he quipped.
Meren pivoted to save her sanity. "Are you back to the City yet?"
"Three words: Operation Wolf Hunt."
Right. Cayde had gone to collect on some of the Queen's bounties.
"I need to ask a favor."
"Uh huh," Cayde replied.
Meren tried not to sound annoyed. "Are you actually listening?"
"I'm all ears."
Talking to Cayde had momentarily brought the bad memories of the Tower flooding back to her. Her thoughts flashed to Brelor for the briefest of seconds.
"When you get back to the Tower," she paused, "I need you to look into what happened to the Eliksni they hauled off after the trial, Revys."
By asking she was opening herself up to more of Cayde's pithy jokes, she knew. But the joke never came.
"Sure, Meren." his voice had no trace of mirth.
"Thank you." she smiled.
A sound came from the datapad, pulling her attention away from Cayde. Hiro had sent the Palamon site maps.
"I have to go, Cayde. Happy hunting." she cut the line before Cayde could say something stupid.
Hiro's excavation maps filled the datapad's screen. He had sent dozens of files. Coordinates, elevations, everything was there. Now all Meren had to do was scour the data for any trace of a Servitor.
This was her only chance, after all. It was time to get to work.
