[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/249751978/0/0]Index[/url] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I opened up a side panel along the back wall of my quarters, revealing the couple of racks for some of my favored weapons within. There was one in particular I was after, the Graviton Lance, which I had found during a delve into an old Golden Age facility on Venus. It rested on the middle rack of the five inside of that panel, so I gently grabbed it and held it with both hands. It felt good to hold it again. Guardians were known for finding Golden Age tech and weaponry with unique capabilities. The Lance was the only one I had managed to dig up so far, not that I was complaining. It was a two-round burst pulse rifle which used the excess energy from the first shot fired to pull dark matter into the second round and create a miniature black hole which ignored the laws of physics. Hell of a kickback, but the destructive force spoke for itself. I closed up the side panel and walked over to the table in my 'kitchen' area to set the Lance down. A guardian's quarters weren't unlike A small apartment in a large City. They were mostly just a large square box with just enough space to eat, lounge, bathe, and sleep. Not exactly the most 'welcoming' place to call home, but home all the same. Also on the table were a couple of other things I intended to take for the match tomorrow. 'Better Devils', the current standard issue crucible handcannon rested along the right edge of the table. In the center of the table I had laid out a particular set of armor with modifications designed by Omolon, an up and coming foundry that specialized in Golden Age tech. The whole set had been painted a royal Violet and obsidian black per my instructions. They were the colors of the void, and fit my path of choice well. The armor itself had been modified to recapture excess void light given off as waste when I used my void abilities, which allowed me to not only be more efficient when I used my light but to use it more often as well. The tech was brand new so the set had cost me a very hefty stack of glimmer, but I knew it would pay off in the field when I needed it. I set the Lance down along the left edge of my table and hummed softly to myself as I pondered what else I should bring along. "It's not often I see you put so much thought into mission prep." My ghost said as it materialized hovering next to my head, peering over the weapons and armor I had gathered so far. "You nervous?" I chuckled and shook my head before I turned my head to look at it. "Nervous? No. I prefer to think of it as being cautious. The Hive have been growing bold lately. You heard about the incident on Titan right? Countless guardians turned into crystals full of void light to power some kind of ritual. It made me realize how little of the Hive's true capabilities we really understand. For them to target a crucible zone is unprecedented. Nothing good will come of this match tomorrow." "And they say you don't think like a warlock..." My ghost said. Was that a teasing tone I detected in its mechanical voice? "To think a situation through isn't specific to just warlocks, ghost." I reminded it as I turned to look around my quarters, right hand coming to my chin. "I still need to decide on a heavy weapon to bring in case we need a little brute force." "Why not bring a launcher with cluster rounds?" My ghost suggested, floating over to a floor storage panel near the doorway to my quarters. "I think you still have the Suros launcher stored here. If not, then perhaps a heavy machine gun?" I thought to myself a moment, pondering which I should actually bring. While a heavy machine gun was practical for dealing with multiple opponents I was pretty sure the Lance could handle clusters of targets. The launcher would be ideal for dealing with powerful targets that would take more than a few rounds to kill. I made my way over to the floor panel and opened it up to grab the white and red launcher out. I hefted it onto my shoulder and let the panel close with a metallic [i]'Clank!'[/i]. My ghost then de-materialized the launcher for later when I would need it. It was a little bulky to just be laying around my quarters anyway. "You're worried about the taken too, aren't you?" My ghost said after a few moments of silence between us. I was silent a long moment and didn't look up to meet my ghost's mechanical eye as I pondered the question. Perhaps it was true. I [i]was[/i] anxious, more so than normal. I had been to the dreaming city. I had seen what that taken Ahamkara had wrought. For a long while now the taken had been resurging everywhere, acting like a militaristic force with a leader. Someone had taken Oryx's crown. We all knew it but had nothing solid to go on as of yet. "The Hive and taken often go hand-in-hand." I eventually replied as I finally turned to meet my ghost's gaze. "If the taken are involved I'm not taking any chances after the dreaming city. [i]Something[/i] is leading them. After what befell the awoken during the Taken War, I'll not stand idly by and let another threat enter our system unchallenged. Not if there's a chance to stop it from happening. I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach about the match tomorrow. The Hive want guardians for something. The real question is for what?" My ghost was silent for a moment as it processed what I had said before it finally spoke up. "Whatever happens, I've got your back. There's a reason you are my guardian. I know no matter what happens you'll pull through." I couldn't help but smile at that and I paused for a moment before I replied. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." I was about to begin giving my quarters a final once over to make sure I had gathered everything before I headed to the ramen shop for dinner. But I stopped just a moment to add in: "And ghost? ....Thanks." "Anytime." It replied.