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3/1/2017 12:27:44 AM
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REEF MOB, Ch. 57: Secrets & Servitors

If you missed the last chapter of REEF MOB, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/222738568/0/0]here[/url], or if you need to find a previous chapter, you can find them all in the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218618986?sort=0&page=0]Table of Contents[/url]. Please give a bump or leave a comment if you enjoy this and any other chapter! ***  [i]The red-haired Awoken stares haughtily down at me from her elevated cushion, smoke wafting from her lips as she considers me silently. I cast a furtive look behind to the two Awoken who brought me before their leader, and see the male drop a quick wink to me. I smile inside – I never knew the Awoken were capable of kindness, let alone the kind he’d shown – “And she came of her own volition?” the red-haired Awoken asks calmly. “Yeah, I mean, she wasn’t in great shape when we found her,” the golden-eyed female replies. “But she didn’t put up a fight or try nothing.” The red-haired one takes another drag – I wonder briefly what substance she’s imbibing before the male interrupts – “Look, if it’s an issue of loyalty and trust, just remember how we found her.” “Which I’m still surprised about,” the red-haired one retorts. “I didn’t think you were very….partial to the Fallen, Djido.”[/i] Djido, [i]I think, mulling the name over.[/i] So his name is Djido. [i]“Guess I’ve got a soft spot for outcasts,” Djido replies, cutting his eyes away. “As do all of us here,” the red-haired one replies. “But our adversaries could use this kindness against us.” “So keep her on a leash,” the golden-eyed one retorts. I growl instinctively at the jibe, and they all turn to look at me. “She understands us,” the red-haired one says, bemused. “And how long were you going to keep this from us, Eliksni?” I run my options through my mind[/i] – Do I tell them? How can I trust them? [i]But I’m outnumbered, outmatched, and still weak from the loss of my arms – taking a deep breath of ether, I finally speak.[/i] “I understand.” [i]Everyone looks at me in shock. “She talks!” the golden-eyed one says with wonder. “How’d you learn to talk?”[/i] “All Eliksni talk,” [i]I tell her with a slight growl.[/i] “Just not your language. I learned.” [i]“Why?” the red-haired one asks.[/i] “My father wished it,” [i]I say, taking my last chance and laying it all out.[/i] “He is Kell of Kings.” [i]The red-haired one stands, watching me shrewdly. “You’re Skolas’ niece,” she says breathlessly. The other two turn to look at me in amazement, but I keep my eyes averted.[/i] “My…uncle has done many things,” [i]I hold up my remaining two arms, cuffs still tight around my wrists, to illustrate my point.[/i] “But father won’t accept me back after being docked. I….I have nothing….nowhere….” [i]I hang my head morosely – I have nothing left, nowhere to go, no allies. If these strange Awoken do not accept me, my only choice would be to go to Exiles, who would likely just sell me back to Skolas – “Then you may stay,” the red-haired one says finally, and I feel my heart skip a beat, unsure if I heard right – Djido and the golden-eyed one look equally surprised, but before they can say anything, the red-haired one holds up her hand imperiously, continuing. “However, in order to prove your new loyalty to us, a promise must be made.”[/i] “What promise?” [i]“That you will never rebuild your own servitor. You must remain dependent upon us to supply your ether from hereon.” I immediately nod – it’s a more than fair bargain, though there’s a part of me deep down that cries indignantly over the proposal, that I am a warrior, royalty, a –[/i] If I was all of that, truly, I wouldn’t be here, [i]I think ruefully, nodding again to confirm my new allegiance. “Good,” the red-haired one says, seating herself again.[/i] An ear-splitting squeal cuts into the memory as my cell door opens – squinting my eyes against the sudden light, they finally adjust for me to see the lead Raptor pilot entering, followed closely by Nas. “[i]Nas![/i]” I cry happily, and he rushes forward to see me. “How ya doin’, kid?” he asks, looking me over. “Got some of your strength back, I see.” “[i]Just needed ether,[/i]” I reply, grinning behind my mask. “Good, good,” Nas replies absent-mindedly. “Listen, I’ve made a deal with the Raptors here, so I’m gonna be gone for a little while, but I’ll be back as soon as – “ “[i]You’re going to Demeter,[/i]” I interrupt, ears drooping. “Only to find some dirt on Seren,” he tells me quickly. “If we can just figure out what she’s doing, we can – “ “[i]Seren won’t let you find,[/i]” I tell him, shaking my head. “[i]And if you do find something, it’ll be because she wanted you to.[/i]” “Still, I’ve gotta try,” he tells me, and I feel a stroke of anger. “[i]You risk freedom for answers[/i],” I hiss, shaking my head. “[i]Count yourself lucky you escaped and move on[/i].” Nas hangs his head. “I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t. I have to know.” I turn my face away angrily, the same words echoing in my mind from long ago – but I know I’ll have just as much luck stopping them now as I did then. “[i]Be careful,[/i]” I tell him with a defeated sigh. “[i]You’re last friend I have. Amigo.[/i]” Nas chuckles and quickly hugs me – only Djido had ever done so before, so it’s strange feeling cold metal instead of warm flesh, but I lean into it anyway, realizing how much I would miss Nas were something to happen to him. “I’ll be back before you know it,” he says, breaking the embrace. “And the Raptors have agreed to let you out so long as you don’t stray.” “[i]What about Kenedi?[/i]” Nas turns to the lead Raptor pilot. “He’s staying in his cell,” he says coldly. “We can pump him for info or use him as a bargaining chip should we need to.” I nod quietly, considering it – it’s cold to do such to our crewmate, but then again he did lie to us indiscriminately and put all our lives in danger – “[i]And I will be freed?[/i]” I ask, holding my hands up. The Raptor pilot fishes a key out of his jacket and uncuffs me. “So long as you follow the rules and stay where we tell you to, then yeah.” “[i]I understand,[/i]” I nod. “Then good, we’ll get you a fresh ether mask and – “ “[i]No,[/i]” I tell him suddenly. “[i]I….I want to build my own servitor.[/i]” Both Nas and the pilot look taken aback. “What? Why?” I look seriously at Nas. “[i]After what happened on the way here, it’s time. Especially now that we’ve turned on Seren.[/i]” Nas looks sheepishly at the Raptor pilot, who merely shrugs. “Whatever, we’ve got plenty of spare parts, I guess. Just know that if you try to increase your size with it to take us on, we’ll do more than just dock you.” He points to my missing arms cruelly, and I growl at him. “Easy, Solis,” Nas says. “We’re all friends here.” “At least it’ll leave our ether reserves intact,” the Raptor pilot retorts finally. “Fine, now that everything’s decided, you ready to go, Nas?” Nas nods, then casts a final look back at me. “Yeah, I’m good.” He briefly hugs me again as I rise before walking out of the cell. Another Raptor pilot meets him outside, and Nas follows him away down to the docking bay. “All right, Eliksni,” the lead pilot says. “Follow me, I’ll show you where you can find some parts.” “[i]Thank you,[/i]” I tell him. “[i]What do I call you?[/i]” “Djoz,” he says simply, falling silent as he leads the way. I follow him through the corridors and out into a small repair shop littered with all manner of parts – ships, weapons, equipment, Eliksni, Awoken, human – “[i]Where did you find all this?[/i]” I can’t help but ask. “Salvage mostly,” he replies. “Some from wreckage, some from the old Golden Age ships. Pretty much anything we find we hoard. Don’t get many supply drops out here so we’ve gotta mostly make do with what we got.” I idly peruse the collection of scrap, eyes lighting on various telltale parts I recognize. “[i]Thank you, Djoz,[/i]” I tell him, and her merely nods in agreement before backing out. “I’m gonna have to lock you in for safety reasons, but just page us if you need anything,” he says, indicating the small comm next to the door. I nod again, and he closes the door, sealing it behind him. Alone, I turn back to the various parts scattered around the room, and begin collecting what I need, stacking up piece after piece on an open table. Within minutes, I feel what Nas refers to as “Lady Luck” shining on me as I come across a curved sheet of metal underneath one of the tables. I pull it out and inspect it, finally realizing it’s part of an old servitor’s housing. Barely believing, I keep searching and pull more pieces of housing out from around the room, finally finding the telltale shape of a servitor eye in the corner. [i]How do they have so many parts?[/i] I wonder, still amazed. [i]It’s almost like –[/i] I feel a sudden shiver. [i]It’s almost like they’re keeping broken servitor parts here.[/i] I scan the room, eyes furtively flicking toward the locked door. [i]Too many to be mere coincidence… But why?[/i] I turn my eyes to the ceiling, looking, looking – The light glints off a familiar lens hidden in the far corner of the room. [i]They’re still watching me.[/i] Acting like nothing’s wrong, I gather more parts and sit down at the table I’ve chosen, beginning to construct the servitor. Inside, however, my mind can’t stop racing. [i]What do they have all these extra parts for? Is this all really just salvage? Am I just lucky I found all this? But what were they going to use it for before I arrived?[/i] Beginning to understand how Nas feels, I keep my head down, focused on my work, resisting the urge with all my will to peek back at the camera still watching me.

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