Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Long War. Enjoy the 3000-word story. I do not own Destiny; Bungie and a few others do.
Phobos was all too much of a base for the Cabal. Both the Siege Dancers and Skyburners were all too distracted.
Both Legions were prepared, both of their legions were busy attempting to plot for the war upon the Vex and Hive.
Primus Ta'aun seemed to be thrown off as he looked over at Valus Ta'aurc. The two different leaders looked at each other, discussing for the moment at the end of the day.
"The Siege Dancers have no Primus… The Siege Dancers need a leader and Empress Caiatl wishes for more connections to Earth… The other legions have been distracted; the Siege Dancers have been fighting for years." Ta'aurc stated before he looked to the side.
The Siege Dancers had lost their commander, they had no real leadership and Ta'aurc had to leave the Dust Giants just to lead them. Currently? The Valus would have liked nothing more than to have a commander so he could end up selecting a good replacement for his previous post.
"The Skyburners are the most skilled group of soldiers besides the Red Legion. I risked too much to defect and stand to lose more if the Dominus decides to come back for revenge." Ta'aun stated, crossing his arms.
The Primus knew it would be odd to step down from his post. Yet? His concern was to his men, Alex had proven if anything? Letting the Skyburners be led by someone else was worth more than being in charge.
That? And they also needed a second in command. There was no Val within the Skyburners, just their Valus and those who could be seen as the best leaders.
The Siege Dancers did need a leader but so did most of their legions. They had Primus but those were nothing in a war besides a military commander.
That and the coming war demanded more of a caliber. They had plenty left to do, plenty to do… And if nothing else? They were asked to fight all too much.
He would not lie, the Siege Dancers did fight much of the war, and they were the ones who took the most losses in the war.
Then again? There was only so much they could have done with the time they had. So much beyond the pale and it had hurt.
Both Cabal officers were interrupted by a knock on the door which then opened. They were greeted by a familiar pair of officers whom Ta'aun was familiar with.
"He approaches… The fleet and soldiers are prepared… But we have a problem, Primus." He heard as the Skyburner commander turned.
"Excuse me, I must check to make sure we are prepared for work," Ta'aun stated as Ta'aurc sighed, turning to look to the side.
He had a lot of different ideas once more as he relaxed…. The Skyburners were to fight and he knew more and more that something was going to be dealt with.
There was a war coming. If someone did not lead them? He would. He hoped this Alex did indeed be the leader the group needed, the legion needed stability.
If nothing else? He would have a group worth fighting for.
(With Alex)
Alex would rarely approach the firebase upon Phobos. It had been converted into a fleet base, a weapon. The Cabal had been wishing to use it against Mars if needed and the Vanguard was not willing to propose an invasion of the moon.
Granted? Alex was not stupid. They had LITTLE in the way of bargaining power if the Cabal wished to fight.
Alex did not know what the Cabal wanted. They had plenty of firepower and they had plenty of things they could do when it came down to it.
It seemed there was SOMETHING of an escort, a pair of their Harvester-Class Dropships cloaked in the colors of the Skyburners angled towards him.
Alex hummed and slowly allowed the engines of his ship to power down. He was no stranger to flying but as a soldier? Alex knew they were asked to do plenty they did not want to know.
Something about it all had been too much when it came down to it. Alex slowly set down his ship, preparing for the meeting.
It was odd, very odd and it was something that the Guardian was unused to. They had plenty of work, plenty of battle left to do.
"Alex? Seems like there is an issue… Evade!" Alex heard as he was forced to dodge an unknown object, forcing the Reaper to the side.
Alex turned to get back to look… And watched a Tombship. Another and another as several seemed to drop out.
"The Hive! Open fire and let the human land!" Alex heard as the Cabal responded.
It was then he realized the Hive was invading. Another dozen Tombships dropped from whatever hellish dimension they had come from… And then came a quartet of larger, more vile shapes from the black void of space.
Warships, they were sending warships.
"Screw it… Vesper? Bring us towards their main ship… We are taking them down." Alex stated, realizing the invasion was going to be won in orbit.
"You think they can hold off the Hive?" Alex heard and frowned.
"Let's hope," Alex stated before gunning the engines of the ship toward the formation of Hive Warships.
It appeared that he was not the only one who was interested in such a thing. Not at all when it came down to it.
There was something to be said about how it would have gone… But the Cabal seemed to have the same idea, he could see what looked like AA guns firing on them.
"This is Primus Ta'aun of the Skyburners. You must be the warrior who fought in the Black Garden… And now you are here to fight the Hive? Interesting." Alex heard as he frowned.
"Can you handle those soldiers on the ground? I am going after their fleet, cannot let them get close or they are going to level Phobos." Alex asked.
"Yes… Brothers? Coordinate the defense down here. I will engage the rest of the ships in orbit. I see why the empress wants you to command one legion, you have guts and the Cabal is respectful of such courage." Ta'aun stated before he sighed.
He knew had a lot more to try…. Something within the commander told him that the Guardian had guts. Something the Siege Dancers would want more than the Skyburners.
But the Skyburners also had a habit of airborne combat, they were marines more than simple infantry.
Granted? He had done this only because his brothers had told him it was better to betray the emperor than risk the legion.
Ta'aun thought of a few things… Perhaps if they were the Sand Eaters? They would have broken; the legion had no real commanders and fell more under the command of all legions.
If it was Dust Giant? They would be pressing forward but running support work, they were pretty good at fighting.
That only left the Blind Legion… But he did believe they would be getting work at the end of the day.
Something about it had been too much to distract it for now as he thought of what was growing on his mind. They had a lot more left to see.
"Ta'aun? The Hive has been attempting to besiege our emplacements. Most of them seem to be striking once more, I believe the Hive are attempting to wipe us out." The Skyburner commander heard before he looked to the side.
He had a lot of different ideas on his mind as the commander of the Skyburners rallied his men, and prepared for the battle ahead.
Something had been too much to distract them as both were locked in a small contest when it had been too much as they thought.
Ta'aun chuckled and ordered the Skyburner fleet to prepare and launch. The Hive had to be repulsed, lest something compromise their hold on Mars.
(With Alex)
The guns on the Reaper made short work of a pair of Tombships. The Crypt-Hammer class jump ship was built for combat, built for war.
"We don't stand a chance against those destroyers," Vesper stated, the small Ghost bobbing and weaving around the cockpit.
"We do when we get close… Can you lock onto their hull and beam us aboard?" Alex asked as he angled towards the lead Hive destroyer.
"Yes, but we are going to be stuck there until we find a place with less darkness interference. Those ships are full of Hive and death." Vesper stated.
"We do what we can do… Ta'aun? I am going to take down their lead destroyer, the other 3 are yours if you can handle them." Alex stated as the Skyburner commander chuckled.
"I will handle them… Good hunting, I will send one of my officers to assist you. I can see why the other Legions want you as their representative." Ta'aun stated as Alex hummed.
"Well, nobody likes Hive," Alex stated before arming one of the Voyager-class anti-ship missiles the jump ship had.
It would punch enough of a hole for the ship to be boarded and taken down if needed. It was something the Guardian hoped turned the battle at the very least.
Alex sighed and thumbed the firing stud, being rewarded with a muffled thump as the ship launched the munition.
(With Ta'aun)
Ta'aun was not unfamiliar with the Hive's tactics. They fought like savage dogs and swarmed them like whimpering pups, underhanded, dishonorable.
He watched as the base fired upon them, Psion gunners easily nailing the Tombships which he studied on the Exodus's main screen.
"Breach on lead destroyer, transport signature from human spacecraft." A Psion reported as the Primus hummed and then nodded.
"What is he doing?" One of the legionaries questioned.
"What we do. He is taking the fight to the enemy properly." Ta'aun stated before he sighed to himself. "Gho'ourn? Lead a boarding party to that destroyer… All ships? This is Primus Ta'aun, engage the hive, with long-range cannons only, the lead destroyer is being disabled by boarders… Gunners? Disable their guns to allow boarding parties." Ta'aun stated as the Primus turned, too interested in the battle to fight.
Right now? He had been unable to do more than find work. He had a lot more riding on them now at the end of the day, it was odd now at the end of the day.
Something about it all had been too odd… This assault to try and think of what was growing on his mind, he had a lot more left to deal with.
He had a lot more to try and think of… As a soldier and as a strategist at the end of the day for now… Something about it all had been too much.
Ta'aun was too distracted at the end. They were a good soldier, all of them would be now. They had a lot more left to think about anyway.
Alex knew at the end of the day what to do… As a soldier? He would be asked to fight and fight well, a true soldier.
If nothing else? Ta'aun respected that, it took guts, something the Cabal had in spades.
"You in there, soldier?" Ta'aun asked, watching as the three warships he had including this command ship engaged.
"Yes… It reeks. Going to head towards the reactor, tell your men to board at the hole I made." Alex stated before he looked to the side as he thought of himself.
He had a lot more distractions at the end of the day. He had a lot more to think as he relaxed once more as he thought of what was growing on his mind.
Ta'aun hummed and turned to the fight once more. Ta'aun seemed to be distracted at the end of the day but he did not care, this battle was going to be long and tedious at the end of the day.
Ta'aun seemed to want to grow to get off thinking at the end of the battle.
(With Alex)
Alex watched as the battle continued and then turned backward into the warship. He had a lot more to try and think of when it had come down to the battle for now.
Alex seemed to take a deep breath as Vesper appeared, the small little ghost floating alongside as he thought of himself. Alex seemed to be distracted, too thrown off at the end.
Alex checked his rifle and then thought of what to do. The best plan he could come up with was going towards the reactor, deactivating it, and shutting the ship off.
He had a lot more options, the fight coming up was a problem and the hive was bothering the guardian he had to fight through at the time.
Alex had been too tired now; he had plenty of plans left to overcome for now. Alex yawned to himself, cracking his fingers, and then slowly strode forward, cracking a smile once more.
Alex seemed to be thrown off, checking his weapon, and then turning to Vesper.
"What are we doing? You have a bead on the reactor?" Alex stated before he looked to the front and then thought of himself once more.
He was bored, very bored. They had plenty of work done and it was going to be a long day when that was done.
He had a lot more to try and think of it all had been too much to distract himself at the time being.
He had been too distracted at the time being. Alex knew what was going on when it came down to it all… It was FAR beyond what he needed to deal with usually.
He knew at the end of the day, knew something was coming.
"Have you found whom you plan to lead?" Vesper asked as Alex hummed.
"Right now? The Skyburners are looking interesting… But I do not know, the Siege Dancers seem like they understand us best." Alex stated before he sighed to himself.
He was all too distracted now, every damn legion in the Cabal empire was attempting to survive, part of him thought of the fact that there was something to their plan to attempt to recruit a human.
Then again? From what little he had found out? He knew at the end of the day there was something to be said about HOW they were coming to a head at the end of the day.
He knew that they were going to strike at the Hive or Vex, might as well help them in a war where they had a common enemy.
"Might I suggest the Blind Legion? The Cabal has been studying the Vex as well and learning more and more about them. You have tried to learn how they studied the Vex…" Vesper asked before Alex brought up his rifle and gunned down a pair of acolytes who were standing guard.
"Leading has never been my strong suit," Adam added before he looked to the side. "There are plenty of things I cannot do…" Alex stated before he sighed to himself.
"I do not think they need commanders… I did the coin flip, the one you did back when we were debating going towards Mars." Vesper stated as he looked to the side, more thralls coming which Alex cut down with single headshots.
"And?" Alex asked, checking the ALR96-40 auto rifle he was holding.
"Came down to the Dust Giants and Blind Legion… And the Blind Legion came up 90% of the time." Alex stated before he sighed to himself and then looked to the side…
Alex was silent, knowing that the fate of an entire legion was something that he could not have understood.
He was too much to deal with… Something about it all told him what he had been dealing with as he descended deeper and deeper into the depths of the warship.
"So, it came down to Dust Giants and Blind Legion?" Alex asked as Vesper bobbed up and down. "Going to be odd telling them not to focus on fighting here," Alex said, pausing to think.
He gained too many ideas as to why this fight was going to be the end of them. He knew damn well they would continue to strike, to fight back at the end of the day.
Alex brought up his rifle, he gunned down a pair of acolytes again and stared at those who had been fighting… The thralls who charged him?
He knew their master; he had studied who they were. It was Crota who had been the mastermind of this attack.
What he was doing was odd, however. if he was to attack Phobos? He would have led it personally.
Which meant he had to be here. He knew more and more that their strike on the fleet was a problem.
"Vesper? Tell them Crota is commanding the Hive, he is here. He wanted us to strike back at him." Alex stated before he sighed to himself.
The idea as to HOW this was going to end now, something about it all had told him what was occurring for now.
They had a lot more to deal with and he? He knew more and more at the end of the day something else would come to a head for now.
Alex raised his rifle, eager to strike back now. He had a lot more upon his mind as he relaxed for now, something about it all made the Titan tired.
He was curious, too curious as to what was growing upon his mind, he had a lot of different ideas once more.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
I have narrowed down the two legions I might use either Dust Giants or Blind Legion. The poll will stay up for 2 weeks or so.
The crossover will be soon. And it will be Mass Effect.
The cabal will be doing more soon.
The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show Adam and the Cabal fighting the Hive and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!