"You're sure that's what he said?" Ikora asked as she rose a brow, quite intrigued with the information that titan Tri Saberlinx had brought back from Venus.
Tri nodded. "Yes. He said that the manner of our destruction had been chosen, and that nothing would survive its coming. Not even the other races of darkness would survive."
"And where exactly did he pick up this information." Zavala asked, sounding as if he doubted the information. Indeed, if it hadn't been for Tri's high standing in his eyes, Zavala wouldn't even be considering these threats from a dying mad man, and a Fallen as well.
Tri sighed, clearly not convinced of the evidence himself. "He says that he tapped into the mind of the Vex, and discovered what they fear, that all their work is to prevent this…" He spun his hand, trying to come up with a word. "This coming destroyer."
Tri's ghost, Sparks, then appeared.
"While the words of a dying Archon may not be completely trustworthy, when I scanned his data files and compared them with Vex transmissions, I did see some similarities. While I can't confirm all of what was said, I can say that there is something else out there that the Vex fear, something outside of the Darkness."
Tri glanced at his ghost, silently thanking him for assisting.
Cayde chuckled at this. "Well. The mad alien actually was onto something. How about that."
Zavala and Ikora didn't share Cayde's humor however. Both were deep in thought, Zavala stroking his chin in thought while Ikora stared at the table, hands clasped behind her back.
"Does anyone else know about this information titan?" Zavala turned to Tri, who shook his head.
"No sir. Only myself and my fireteam, but they know less than I do."
Zavala nodded. "Good. Keep it that way."
"We must continue to look into this. I will send out the Hidden to gather information, but I want you to keep your eyes open as well Tri. Please contact us if you hear anything else" Ikora added.
Tri nodded, saluting the Vanguard before turning and walking out.
"This is most unsettling", Ikora said, rubbing her temple.
Cayde rose a brow at this. "So, you actually believe that this is a serious threat?"
Ikora glared at him. "This could be the greatest threat the City has ever faced and you're not taking it seriously?" Cayde began to retaliate, but was cut off by Zavala.
"Until we know for sure, it's best if we just keep this quiet. No need to start a panic."
Huffing, Ikora crossed her arms, but said nothing. Cayde however began stroking his chin, looking down at the table as he thought.
What if this was serious? And what if it had something to do with the transmissions he was going to share right before Tri arrived. Cayde cleared his throat, and gained the attention of both Zavala and Ikora.
"Actually, I might need to take this seriously. I've just received some stolen Fallen transmissions that might be related to the crazy Fallen's story."
Shepard sat on a table within the medical wing of the Tower. To examine her closely, the robotic nurse, or the frame, as Amber had called it, had asked her to remove her armor. So, here she sat, wearing only a sports bra and underwear as she sat on a cold operating table. But she didn't really care. Years of military experience had made sure she wouldn't be embarrassed by being seen with little or no clothing. Currently her mind was going over everything she had learned since she had arrived.
Shepard held in a groan as she was once again teleported. She was never a fan of teleporting, and this specific kind felt extreme weird. Plus, it didn't help that her muscles felt like molten lead had been injected into them. When it finished, she had to shield her eyes for a second, the brightness being too much. Finally, her eyes cleared, then widened at what she saw.
"Welcome to the Last City." Amber said with an uplifting tone.
They were on top of an incredibly high tower and stretching out below was a vast and bustling city. However, the most shocking and eye-opening thing was the moon sized sphere which hung over the city, casting a pale shadow on the ground below. It was white, mostly, but had what looked like large jagged black scars along its underside. It seemed to be a machine, and yet didn't, rather hard to describe. Then Amber spoke again.
"And that, is the Traveler. Our savior, and our only hope."
Shepard turned to glance at her, and noticed her helmet was off, allowing her to see her face and study it. Amber had a smooth face, not overly harsh or fierce. Her hair was cut short, just above the shoulders, similar to Shepard's. However, Amber's hair was dark brown, and was styled in spiked layers. Her eyes were startlingly blue, and almost seemed to glow. A pale white tattoo was just visible on her face. A vertical line underneath her right eye, and a horizontal line beneath the left, almost underlining it. She smiled at Shepard, showing a mischievous grin.
"So, what do you think?" Shepard glanced back at the Traveler. "It's quite astonishing." She then frowned.
"So, I'm guessing you call it the Last City because it's just that?" She glanced back at Amber, who shrugged.
"Well, technically, this is the last major human city, but there are still a few scattered villages out there, but they're few and far between."
Shepard nodded, and turned back to the Traveler. Despite its damaged look, Shepard could help but look at it with awe. It was truly awesome and beautiful. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. Glancing back, she saw Amber smiling at her again.
"Come on. I'll take you to the medical wing to get you checked up, then I'll introduce you to everyone."
Shepard smiled softly, hoping that her sore muscles would be dealt with. "I'd like that."
Her mind still lingered on the Traveler. What exactly was it? How did it get here? Why was it damaged? Why had Amber called it their savior and last hope?
She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the metallic feet of the nurse frame returning, its thin, white and red metal build definitely making it live up to its name. It spoke in its robotic tone, quite a far cry from the voices of machines back home, such as EDI.
"Please come with me."
Shepard nodded, and hopped off the bed, shivering slightly when her bare feet touched the cold floor. She glanced around the medical wing as she followed the frame. It was a simple white room, with medical beds, tables and equipment lining the walls and filling the room. Several machines that Shepard couldn't identify also filled the room. No one else was here, something which she found a little odd. Most medical wings had at least a few patients in them if not several. But, it just might be because she was in a testing room, and not an actual operation room.
"Stand here please"
The frame gestured to a large circular device on the ceiling, which had several arms dangling down below it. It gestured to the space between the arms. Shepard nodded, then stepped inside of the arms.
"This machine will repair your damaged muscles," the frame said flatly.
Shepard rose a brow, and looked up as the arms lowered. Now she could see that each one had a needle on the end. Before she could think farther on this, the arms stuck their needles into Shepard. One in each arm, one in each leg, one in her spine, one in her neck, and another right above her left hip. Surprisingly, there was no pain, just a cold prick as the needles slid into her skin. Moments later, she felt warmth spread over her as her sore muscles loosened instantly, and the slight tremble in her legs leaving. After a few moments, she was warm all over, and the arms retracted from her. She smirked, raising an arm and forming a fist before stretching her fingers. The pain was gone. She glanced at the frame before dipping her head in thanks. The frame returned the gesture.
"You will find a fresh pair of clothes lying on the table behind you. Your armor is also there, but I recommend picking up some new armor before you head back into the field Guardian."
Shepard almost said something about not being a guardian, but held her tongue. It would be easier to not try and explain her predicament to the machine. Instead, she simple nodded and turned to the table behind her as the frame left the room. As the nurse had said, a pile of clothes was placed on the table behind her, along with a pair of black boots and her scuffed up armor. She lifted up the first article of clothing. A plain white t-shirt, nothing special. She pulled it on and was surprised that it fit her perfectly. They must have gotten her sizes from when they took all the measurements of her during their examination. A few minutes later, she exited the medical wing. White shirt, black pants, and black boots, her armor held underneath her arm. She glanced around and spotted the only non-robot she had seen since she'd arrived.
Amber was leaning against a nearby wall, her knife in hand as she carved on a small metal sphere. She was still wearing her armor, but she looked more casual due to the changes she'd made. She had removed her cloak and upper armor, revealing a white tank top she must have been wearing underneath it. The upper armor, or at least the cloth parts, had the sleeves tied around her waist so they wouldn't dangle. Her legs were still covered in her green armor, leaving her with a half casual, and half armored look.
The knife she was using came from her thigh, where a sheathe was still attached and accessible. With her skin exposed, Shepard could make out several faint scars that crisscrossed her athletic build. She could also see a tattoo on her left arm. It resembled a skull, but had three eyes in the center of the face instead of two. The skull's mouth was open, as if it was screaming, and a knife was stuck through its temple, jabbing out the other side. Cracks on the skull around the blade gave the appearance that the skull had been stabbed. She also had a golden necklace on, with a pendant shaped like the sun dangling from it. She glanced up and smiled at Shepard, her blue eyes bright.
"All fixed up I hope?"
Shepard nodded at her. "Yep. They fixed up my muscles. I'm fully combat ready. The nurse even called me a guardian, though that's not accurate. I'm not a guardian. Not even sure what a guardian is exactly."
Amber chuckled, sheathing her knife and lifting up the sphere, which disappeared in a flash of light. Standing up straight, she shrugged before responding.
"Well, we can deal with that later. Come on, I want to introduce you to my squad first."
She turned and began jogging down the hall. Shepard quickly followed, thankful that she could do so without pain again. She followed Amber up a flight of stairs, then into a hallway which resembled an apartment or hotel. She stopped by one of the doors, which was marked with a strange symbol Shepard didn't recognize, three triangles placed side by side, with their lines overlapping. Along with this, below the symbol was the number C18, proving that this must be like some sort of apartment. Amber opened the door, and gestured Shepard inside. With a raised brow, she stepped in.
The room was full of … artifacts? Strange things, like cubes, skulls, pieces of metal, things like pottery, all of it was either placed on pedestals, mounted on the walls, behind glass, or with some of the items, floating in the air. Several objects glowed, and others still pulsed or shimmered with energy. A large lounging chair was placed by the window, an end table next to it with a data pad on it. A couch was in the middle, with a coffee table in front. A large table was placed by a wall and was covered with books. Actual books. Shepard hadn't seen one of those in ages. She glanced around the room, surprised by all of it, however, it was the books that intrigued her the most. She walked over to the table, and looked at the pages of a large open books. English, written English. However, whatever it was about, she couldn't place it.
Amber walked up beside her, chuckling. "Be sure not to touch anything. Crystal doesn't like her things being touched." Shepard turned to her.
"Crystal? Is that a squad mate of yours?" Amber nodded. Casting another glance around the room, Shepard commented. "A bit of a collector I see."
Amber nodded again. "Yeah. One among a long list of strange things she does." She turned to another door, and went to open it before stopping and turning back to Shepard. "So, just as a warning. Try not to do anything normal, she'll think you're weird. Also, try to use big words. She'll gripe if you act simple."
Shepard rose a brow, confused by the odd requests. Clearly Amber was just insulting Crystal, for whatever reason. A smirk tugged at Amber's lips, proving Shepard's point.
Making a half hearted bid, she turned to the walk through the door next to Amber, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Riiiight. I'll be sure to do that." She turned and faced the next room, and thought that maybe Amber was right about her comments.
If the last room was strange, then this one was downright bizarre. The room was arranged like a bedroom, study room, and a laboratory had a strange love child. The room was filled with even more shelves and items along the walls. More books as well, however these were stranger, and had a withered look to them. Some even had glowing covers. Computer like machines sat on a table by the wall, along with more books. In the far corner was a wide, rounded bed covered in elaborate sheets. Something resembling an ancient Indian dream catcher hung on the wall behind the bed. Feathers rimmed it and a bird skull was in its center. In fact, Shepard could see several bird things in the room. Bird skulls and feathers were everywhere, not in a creepy way, but still enough to be noticeable. In the center of the room was a large table that had what looked like a robot lying on it. The robot was made from brass colored metal. It had a large fan shaped head with a single eye placed inside a pointed narrow face. No other facial features. A container full of shimmering white fluid sat next to its torso, as if it went with the machine. It also appeared to have what looked to be bullet holes in its chest.
On the far wall was a large L shaped desk, with the large side against the wall and the short end sticking out from the wall. This only left a small opening to get behind the desk. The wall above the desk was covered in dozens of drawings that Shepard couldn't identify. Everything from strange creatures and humanoids to machines and vehicles. A couple others were objects that she couldn't place. It was then that Shepard noticed someone was in the room.
Behind the desk sat a female, though calling her human would not be accurate. For starters, her skin was colored an off-purple shade, and seemed to shimmer with incredibly faint tendrils of light that moved gently across her skins by her hairline. Her hair was pale blue and seemed to shimmer softly like her skin. On her forehead was a glowing orange tattoo that ran down her nose line. A second line ran across from eyebrow to eyebrow, forming a rough cross shape. A small triangle topped the line, completing the tattoo. Her eyes however where the most noticeable. They were yellow, and shown like small lights, causing her pupils to stand out from her eyes.
She was dressed in what seemed to be a long, purple and white cloak, and a ring of teal feathers lined her collar. A bird skull necklace, decorated with white and yellow, feathers hung from her neck. Her hands had gloves on them that left her fingers exposed, showing that her hands were colored the same as her face. A ring of more teal feathers went around her arms just above the elbow. On her left arm was a band that shown with blue, holographic energy. A blue energy pyramid stuck out from the band, making it quite noticeable. What the heck was the band for? She looked like something of a mad scientist mixed with a cultist.
The woman suddenly looked up from a small book she was writing in, releasing a soft gasp of surprise upon seeing that people where in here with her. She sat up, scanning Shepard with wide glowing eyes before smiling softly and speaking in a calm and soothing voice.
"Well hello." She chuckled. "I apologize, I didn't realize that you were here." She then turned and noticed Amber.
"Amber. Do you need something? And who is this?" She gestured to Shepard as Amber slid up behind her
"This," she placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder, "is Jane Shepard. Found her in the wastes outside the Cosmodrome. Apparently, she's new around here and knows nothing about what's going on. I think she might have amnesia." The woman, who she assumed was Crystal, rose a brow and glanced back at Shepard.
"Really? Well, she must have tons of questions then." She stood, and stepped around her desk. Her cloak was long, going past her knees, and ended in points that went along its edge. Her boots matched the outfit, purple and white with a ring of teal feathers on her ankles. She extended her hand towards Shepard and smiled.
"My names Crystal and I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you may have."
"So, Awoken are basically humans who were changed by spending too much time in deep space?" Crystal, chuckled, nodding.
"Well, the actual answer is much more complicated than that. But I won't bore you with such details, so we'll say that's close enough of a description."
Crystal was quite intrigued by this human, this Jane Shepard. Like most humans, she was inquisitive, strong willed and not afraid to speak her mind. However, at the same time, she was soft spoken, and humble enough to accept advice. This trait alone made her better than most other humans, including the other human that was in here. But that was an unfair judgment. Amber may be a pain, but she meant well, and she was a skilled fighter, so really Crystal couldn't complain. Honestly, despite their differences, Crystal viewed Amber as a sister. An annoying one, but a sister none the less. Hopefully Shepard here would be easier to work with, if she decided stick around and work with them.
They were sitting in Crystal's living room, her in a lounge chair with Shepard and Amber sitting on the couch. While they could have stayed in her study, Crystal felt that a more comfortable atmosphere would be better for a questioning session.
Shepard nodded slowly at Crystals response, seeming to mull it over. Crystal could see many things in her eyes. Astonishment. Confusion. Perhaps even a sense of wonder. Fascinating.
Crystal was abruptly pulled out of her observations as Shepard asked another question. "So, what exactly are Guardians? Amber says both you and herself are called Guardians and those Frames in the medical wing kept calling me one."
Crystal thought for a moment before speaking. What a complicated question. What was a guardian? What did it mean to be one. A complicated answer with many different opinions. Best to give a generic, overarching description. So she spoke gentle with a professorial tone she'd mastered years before.
"Guardians are champions of the Traveler. We wield the Light that it produces as a weapon, and use it against the forces of Darkness. We are protectors of the City and its interests. That's a rough summery."
She watched as Shepard mulled these things over in her mind. It truly was strange, to encounter an adult that knew nothing about the City and its interests. While it wasn't the first time, in the past it was because someone had been living in the wilds, completely cut off from all society. Someonek who had to be taught even the most basic of things. Shepard however was different. She was an intelligent and inquisitive woman and, if Amber was to be believed, a fearsome fighter even when outmatched. That didn't match the description of a savage from the wilds. And yet here they were, describing the most basic of ideals to a fully grown woman. So very perplexing.
Shepard glanced up from her hands, her eyes dark as she spoke softly. "Is this Darkness the thing that killed everyone?"
Crystal nodded slowly, a solum tone entering her voice.
"Yes. Several hundreds of years ago, humanity was at its Golden Age. The Traveler brought prosperity and longevity. Our technology soared, and we grew. However, this didn't last. The Traveler's enemy, the Darkness, arrived with its armies and destroyed the Golden Age in an event known as the Collapse. However, the Darkness was pushed back, but not without severely damaging the Traveler. On the verge of death, the Traveler went into hibernation to preserve itself. With its last breath, it gifted us the ghosts to find warriors to wield the Travelers light as a weapon against the armies of Darkness. For centuries we Guardians have stood as a bulwark against the Darkness, holding it back in that hopes that one day we will finally find salvation."
Shepard nodded, glancing down again as she processed the information. There was conflict in her eyes. Crystal could see it. A fear of the unknown classing with a deep sense of duty and honor. A warrior tasked with helping those who they were not trained to protect. Or perhaps, like a Ghost in search of a guardian despite the dangers beyond the walls.
Shepard then glanced up again suddenly, a fiery resolve now in her eyes "I want to help. If humanity is in danger and there is something I can do to protect it, I want to do it. I don't care if it's dangerous."
Crystal rose a brow and glanced at Amber, who looked back with an optimistic smile. Turning back to Shepard, Crystal switched to a tone of concern.
"Are you sure? This isn't an easy job we have here . And it sounds to me that this isn't even your fight."
"Don't be a wet blanket Crystal! She held off the Fallen incredibly well. And that was with a bruised and battered body. Imagine what she could do with proper gear!"
Amber received a motherly glare from the Awoken, almost squashing her enthusiasm.
"You and I both known that there are threats far worse than the Fallen. And without a Ghost, she'll lack the most important weapon that we Guardians wield."
"I'm not just your average run of the mill solder. Back home I was a Commander. A decorated solder who was trusted to not only lead, but to safe guard the interests of humanity and her allies and protect it from any threat. I've stared death in the eyes many times before, and I am prepared to do so again."
Crystal stared at the woman in silent fascination. This woman who has no reason to help at all was essentially giving them an elevator pitch about her career. An impressive one at that if true. And something in the woman's eyes told Crystal that it was true. Those green eyes held a fierce determination. But would that be enough? She sighed.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm, I really do. But it still seems to risky to me. The cities enemies are endless, savage and cruel. They will not stop until we are all dead. It is no place for anyone without a ghost."
Amber huffed, but didn't seem dissuaded by her arguments. Thick headed fool.
"We could at least let her join us on a mission. Get some scouting experience! If we keep an eye in her, I'm sure she'd be invaluable!"
"Even if I wanted to say yes to this, which I'm not."
She gave Shepard a stern look before turning back to Amber.
"I would be in no position to allow it. I'm not Fireteam leader and neither are you."
"Then who is? Who do I talk with to get in?"
As on cue, the door opened with a soft whoosh, causing all 3 women to turn as one to face the door.
...
To Shepard's surprise, a much different figure than she could have expected walked into the room.
They wore bulky armor like some of the Guardians Amber had pointed out to her. This one, however, had its helmet off, revealing a mechanical head that was definitely not human. It was green, with orange stripes running from the top of the head down to the glowing green eyes. A horn like protrusion jutted out from its forehead, and seemed to be collapsible. The mouth however was bizarre. Instead of lips, two plates extended from the top and bottom, meeting at the middle. Two strips of metal ran down from the angular cheeks and converged at the large chin. The design meant that from the side, she could see clear through the mouth to the other side.
The machine's armor was thick and angular, with a broad chest pieces and thick shoulder pads. It was a metallic navy blue in color, with golden accents that stood out from the blue metal. Glowing yellow lights shone out from under several pieces of the armor, giving it a powered and advanced look. A short piece of cloth hung from its belt, dangling down from its right side. It was black with a strange blue emblem on it. A sheet of chain mail hung down from under the cloth, extending farther then the cloth and ending in several long strips of chain. A large knife was attached above the cloth. She could see a rifle of some kind attached to its back, an assault rifle from the looks of it. Overall the presentation was rather intimidating, despite the relaxed gate that the robot walked in with.
The machine abruptly stopped shortly after entering the room, its eyes stopping on Shepard for a second before turning and glancing between Amber and Crystal. A small piece of metal above its right eye rose, most likely a simulated eyebrow, as it turned back to Shepard. It then spoke, its voice sounding almost human except for a metallic flange that followed its sentences.
"Amber, please tell me you'r not trying to convince Crystal to experiment on another one."
Shepard blinked twice, caught off guard by the question. She turned and noticed Amber's face turning red and Crystal's face turning purple from embarrassment. Amber quickly jumped to her feet, shaking her head, and arms outstretched as she retaliating to the machines question.
"NO! NO! Traveler no! Nothing like that!" She glanced at Crystal, whose face was purple and contorted with embarrassment as she glanced back at Amber. Taking a breath, Amber calmed down before speaking again.
"No. This is a friend. Not…never mind. Anyway, we were just talking with her about what it means to be a guardian."
The robot turned glanced over Shepard, brow still raised, before it lowered, and he walked towards her.
"Well then, in that case, I suppose I should introduce myself." He walked forward, extending a hand.
"Tri Saberlinx. I'm the leader of this fireteam." Shepard stood, and shook his hand.
Not surprising, his grip was strong. Very strong. Shepard could swear she felt a tingle in her hand as well, as if he was charged with static electricity. Probably due to being a robot. She smiled, giving his hand a strong squeeze back.
"Jane Shepard. I didn't realize that robots could be guardians."
Tri blinked at her, his eyes switching on and off to simulate the blink. He seemed put off by the comment. Shepard frowned, releasing her hand from the shake.
"Oh. Ahhh, I'm sorry if I've offended you." This introduction was not going well.
"She's never met an Exo before," Crystal said from behind, bailing Shepard out.
She glanced back at Crystal, giving her a grateful nod for the assistance. As first impressions went, that one was pretty lousy.
"Ok, that makes more sense." He chuckled. "I apologize for that response, I've just never had someone call me a robot before."
Shepard nodded slowly, still embarrassed about the remark.
"What are you then, if you don't mind me asking?" Tri chuckled, shaking his head.
"I don't mind at all. As Crystal said, I am an Exo. We are, you could say, combat androids, built during the Golden Age. For what reason and how, no one is certain. All Exos, including myself, have had our minds wiped several times, resulting in us having no memory of the Golden age, or even of why we were built. Most of us, at least the ones that are functioning, serve as guardians, but not all."
Shepard nodded at him, fascinated by all of this. A machine race that was created for warfare long ago, now repurposed for new jobs now that their original purpose was forgotten. In all honesty, it sounded quite tragic to Shepard.
"I'm glad to hear you found new purpose in life. It must be difficult having no memory of your past self."
Tri waved off the comment with a short chuckle, clearing thinking differently.
"It's not all bad. Some Exos lose their minds attempting to find their past selves. Others have been wiped so many times that they're little more than hollow shells. But me? I've just accepted my new life. What I was then doesn't really matter. I have a new purpose and goal now. Protecting my family and my city."
Shepard couldn't help but smile at that. An admirable cause. To move on, accept your circumstances and make the best of what you have. She'd learned that lesson long ago.
Tri moved past her, positioning himself by the wall as he leaned back to relax.
"So, you're asking about guardians. I'm guessing you're from outside the city then? Some rogue traveler that Amber picked up?"
Amber scoffed at that, mildly offended, earning a chuckle from Tri. Shepard paused, her mind raising. Should she tell them the truth? That she was from a different...dimension? Universe? Whatever it was, entirely? That she was from a world with no Fallen, no City and no Traveler. They'd lock her up for sure, and if they did that, she'd never get the chance to look for her friends. Better to find them first and then reveal the truth. With her mind set, she exhaled softly before responding.
"Something like that. I was traveling with some friends when I became separated and injured. I must have hit my head, because I don't remember much of anything before that. Your friend Amber here found me and brought me in. I was hoping I could join you guardians to fight those..."
She paused, momentarily forgetting the name before it came back and she continued.
"...Fallen. If they're threatening humanity, I want to help. Plus my friends are still out there. I need to find them."
Tri released a metallic sign, looking to the floor in thought. Crystal looked at Shepard with pity while Amber seemed to hold admiration for her dedication. The silence lasted a full 5 count, causing Shepard's skin to crawl with unease. If this didn't work out... what could she do? She was in an unknown land with unknown threats. She needed their help.
Finally, Tri glanced back at her, his metal features set.
"I can respect your sentiment. A desire to fight for humanity is not one we can ignore. If you're able and willing to fight, it would be foolish of me to deny it. Besides, I would travel into the depths of the HellMouth for my friends. I know how you must feel."
A wave of relief washed over Shepard, tossing her doubts to the side. She was going to get back out there, and now she would have help to do it.
Amber stood quickly, a wide smile across her face as she cheered.
"Excellent! I knew you'd go for it Tri! She's quite the fighter, even when under equipped. Seeing her in proper gear will be a sight to see!"
Crystal however looked far more apprehensive, locking her yellow eyes onto Shepard.
"I still think it is unwise. She might be a soldier, but she isn't a guardian. We all know there is more to a guardian than equipment and skill. She'll be fighting the Darkness without Light. Like trying to fly without wings."
A pregnant pause came over the room, leaving Shepard confused. Once again, Crystal had mentioned Light and Darkness, as if they were more then merely concepts of luminosity. It almost sounded, religious. And when paired with Amber's comment about the Traveler being their savior, it became even more so. Was this a religious thing? Had she stumbled upon a conflict that dealt with the supernatural?
Perhaps it was. But to be honest, she didn't care. It was her job to protect humanity, and if that included helping a strange religious form of it, so be it. As long as they weren't sacrificing children or drinking blood, she'd be fine. Besides, she needed to find her friends soon, and this was the best method.
"Perhaps I don't have all the weapons you do, but I want to try. My friends are out there. They need me."
Crystal and Tri both sighed, glancing at each other before turning back to Shepard.
"Well. If you're willing to try."
"Tri! You'll be condemning her to death!"
"Perhaps not. We all know that you can fight them without Light. It's just more dangerous. We've become so used to our great power that perhaps we've lost sight of what it means to be a true warrior. Indeed, I'd say that wanting to fight without Light, despite the dangers, makes Shepard here braver than us all."
"Indeed. Plus, we'll be there to keep an eye on her! Don't worry Cris."
Crystal glared at Amber, but it quickly faded.
"Alright then. I suppose we can help her. Though I think we should inform the Vanguard first. Bringing along a non guardian soldier onto our missions is sure to get us in trouble."
"Well I guess we'll just have to be extra careful then, right Amber?"
"Of course! No fear Crissy! Careful is my middle name!"
That comment did not seem to inspire confidence in Crystal, much to Shepard's amusement.
Suddenly, a soft beeping noise sounded in the room, confusing her. She rose a brow, and glanced a Tri, the origin of the beeping. He pushed himself from the wall, placing a hand on the side of his head. He was quiet for a second, then lowered his hand, glancing to the two other women.
"Excuse me real fast." He walked out of the room without further comment, earning a soft snort from Amber.
"Always on the move. Titans just don't know how to hold still."
Titan. That was a new term for Shepard. Perhaps it had something to do with the different armor that the Guardians seemed to wear. Tri's was quite different from Amber's, and beyond comparisons to Crystal's. Perhaps there was a deeper meaning for this. She'd have to ask later.
Shepard was pulled from her thoughts as Tri reentered the room, clearing his throat to gain everyone's attention. Wait, could mechanical beings actually clear their throat? Odd.
"Alright Saber Squad. The Vanguard has a mission for us. Cayde has picked ups some Fallen transmissions concerning an "item of interest." He wants us to check it out and, if possible, acquire this item for ourselves. We are allowed to use any means necessary to infiltrate and acquire the asset. Destruction of the base isn't necessary, but Cayde said they wouldn't complain if it was rendered inoperable."
The team all nodded, their faces taking on a serious and determined look. Even Shepard couldn't help but feel the energy. Tri then turned to Crystal.
"I'd like you to sit this one out Crystal. Ikora wants us to continue researching the signals we picked up on Venus. We need to see if the threat from Javvick is legitimate. Beside, I know that infiltration isn't your style."
"I won't argue with that. I'll begin immediately. Have Sparks send his data to Don and we'll get right on it."
Tri nodded, then turned to Shepard.
"Shepard. I would like you to accompany us. Infiltrating a Fallen outpost isn't easy, but i have confidence that your skills will be of aid. Plus, I can get a personal assessment of your fighting skills, which will be useful if you wish to pursue guardianship."
He gave her a slightly playful look, a surprising sight on this war machines face.
"That is, if you still wish to come with us."
She smiled wide, nodding as she stood and snapped a sharp salute. "Of course. I would be honored to work with you."
Amber then cleared here thought. "Not to be "that guy", but she doesn't have any weapons nor adequate armor."
"Don't worry about that Amber, I've got it covered. Get your things, we move out in 10."
Amber nodded before jogging out of the room, Crystal turned and went back into her study. Tri glanced at Shepard, locking eyes with her for a moment before giving her a sharp nod and exiting the room.
Shepard glanced down at her hands, thinking to herself. Slowly, she lifted her right hand, then closed it into a fist. Immediately, her omni-blade sprang to life, casting a faint orange glow onto the room. She couldn't stop a smirk from spreading across her face. Commander Shepard was back.
Authors Note: A much more significant change this time. I hope you've all enjoyed it. Please comment and review! Tell me what you think. Until next time. ZOMAN out!