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Edited by Azidamadjida: 1/18/2017 5:44:34 PM
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REEF MOB, Ch. 23: The Scarred Ship

If you missed the last chapter, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/219053216/0/0]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]. Kell of Scar's crossover chapter can also be found [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/219007159]here[/url]. Please give a bump if you enjoy this and any other chapter! *** The Reef was supposed to be safe, neutral ground. That was how it was supposed to be after the Darkness destroyed the ships fleeing the Collapse. That was what the survivors who built the Reef planned. But thanks to Queen Mara, those days are gone. She destroyed Ceres with her Harbingers, unleashed Charybdis, and scattered the Wolves, all in the name of saving the Last City, of aiding people who didn’t even know the Awoken existed. And what has this sacrifice gained? More violence. More war. More death. We fought the Wolves, but they kept coming back, over and over, each wave seeming to contain more than the last. Taniks is still free to commit his atrocities. Skolas is still free to spread his insanity. They say we are now “allied” with the Guardians against the Wolves, though they bring just as much death and chaos as the Fallen. [i]Well, when life gives you lemons[/i], I think, trying to cheer myself up, but to no avail. I feel again for the hundredth time since we’d left the Last City that our choices keep narrowing, the decisions we make leading to fewer and fewer decisions we can make and more actions that must be taken whether we like it or not. I wonder if this is how the Queen felt before she had to choose – or if she even was able to. We watch the window behind Seren grow opaque as she spins around on her cushion, watching as the window becomes a screen by which we can see the reserve Raptors launching from their hidden bases on the Karmanors, the twin M-types most closely orbiting 6 Demeter. My eyes flick to the corner of the screen, where I can see the Fallen ship hurtling towards us – I hear a gasp from one of Seren’s Maivas. “Those markings are from House Scar,” he says coldly, his brow furrowing. “House Scar’s dead, Khaedo,” Shoko reminds him. “That we know of,” another Maiva, Amala, reminds them both. Seren remains silent, pensively smoking her hookah, watching the screen with her calculating grey eyes and listening to the Raptors as they approach the unknown vessel. “[i]Bounty-4 to Shangri-La, you reading us?” “Copy Bounty-4, Shangri-La reads you loud and clear[/i],” Shoko responds over comm. I watch on the screen as the Raptors tear across the Reef, one following the other through the chaos of dust, debris and asteroids. “[i]Bounty-4, this is Bounty-7, sticking to your six.” “Copy, Bounty-7, 2 minutes to contact.[/i]” The screen shows the helmet views of the pilots inside the Raptors as their ships approach the intruder. Inside Seren’s chamber, we can see the small dot of the Fallen ship growing larger. “[i]Weapons hot.[/i]” Seren leans over to Shoko. “Tell them to hold their fire until they get closer. Maybe the ship was abandoned.” Shoko relays the orders. “[i]Doesn’t look abandoned, Shangri-La.[/i]” Seren takes the comm. “Bounty-4, this is Caster, do you read?” “[i]Loud and clear, Caster.[/i]” “Do not open fire on that ship. If it looks abandoned, board and see what you can find.” “[i]Negative, Caster[/i],” the pilot responds, “[i]we can’t board with only two pilots, we should just destroy it and –[/i]“ “Bounty-4,” Seren says calmly. “I do not want that ship destroyed until we’ve catalogued everything it contains onboard.” “[i]…Copy, Caster.[/i]” She turns to me. “Nas, could a ship have been dispatched from Taniks’ ketch to follow you?” “I don’t know, it’s…it’s possible, I guess. But why would Taniks send a ship after us? We never even saw him, we were with the Exiles the whole time.” “Maybe the Exiles and Taniks have entered into an agreement,” Kenedi posits. “The Exiles never leave the Moon, though…” I begin weakly. “That we know of,” Kenedi finishes. I think back to everything that had happened to us on the Exile’s ketch – and the fact that we blew it up. I cast a furtive, accusatory glance to Ghost, but then turn away, remembering why he had to set the self-destruct. [i]Djido[/i], I think again. [i]This really is all his fault.[/i] My alloyed fingers unconsciously curl into a fist as the Raptors get closer to the Fallen vessel. Through the pilot’s helmet cams, I can see the details of the small ketch, well-kept yet obviously used for decades. The paint bearing the mark of House Scar is faded, but still defiantly visible. A warning sounds as the pilots ready their onboard defenses. “Bounty-4, I said do not destroy that ship,” Seren snaps, her voice rising a little in irritation. “[i]Just a precaution, Caster,[/i]” Bounty-4 responds. “[i]Gotta keep Shangri-La safe from the beasts.[/i]” Next to me, Solis growls in annoyance. Though she has been proven to the Awoken, the prejudice and malice that some of the Reef dwellers have toward the Eliksni still rankles her. As I watch the pilots draw closer to the ketch, I rest my hand on her shoulder in comfort. She turns and nods appreciatively. As the Raptors drift toward the ketch, the comm suddenly crackles, cycling through channels, finally landing on a quiet hiss. We all hold our breath in silence, waiting for someone to speak. Finally, the unmistakable growl of a Fallen warrior speaks. “[i]I am far from the sphere of Awoken influence,[/i]” it says, dignified yet wary. “[i]Yet here I find Awoken ships come to attack me.[/i]” “The Reef belongs to the Awoken alone,” Seren replies. “[i]Then to which Awoken am I speaking?[/i]” the Fallen asks. “When you speak to the Reef, you speak to all Awoken,” Seren responds cryptically. There’s a pause. “[i]Then to all Awoken I say that I have come to the Reef to search for parts I may use to rebuild my servitor.[/i]” “And why might you wish to rebuild your servitor?” Seren asks. “Forgive my ignorance, but was the House of Scar not destroyed?” “[i]I am the last of the old House,[/i]” the Fallen replies. “[i]All that remains.[/i]” “It’s gotta be a ruse,” I interject. A ship with Scar markings appearing right after one of our companions has been taken by their only known living member? “He’s gotta be connected to Taniks.” “I agree,” Seren nods, cutting the transmission while we speak. She opens the channel again, telling the Fallen “From what I understand, Taniks is the last remaining member of House Scar.” “[i]Not last,[/i]” is all the Fallen stranger replies. Seren turns to consider us. “Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise,” she finally says. “Yet it is too coincidental to be a random occurrence. Shoko.” Shoko looks to her Baroness, waiting her command. “Prepare the reserve guard to meet us. We’re going to meet this Eliksni.” “Seren!” I find myself shouting. I feel the hint of power that the old Tech Witch still commands as she rises, the room seeming to darken around her as a mysterious light grows within. “You do not command any in this chamber, Exo,” she says softly, but with authority. “There is no Fallen alive that can present a threat here. I am the ruler of this world, and if any wish to challenge me for it, I welcome them.” The air crackles menacingly around her, and I can feel the Harbinger’s whisper in her words, see the jeweled augmentations she still bears glow fiercely. The full power of the Harbingers requires several Techeuns working in conjunction, but not many know that a single Techeun can still harness enough of that energy to present a terrifying threat. “My apologies, Baroness,” I say, bowing my head unconsciously. The Maivas chuckle at the gesture, reminding me forcibly again that the Reef Mob bows to no one, and that despite my time here I often feel like a stranger myself. Seren takes the comm again. “Raptors, this is Caster.” “[i]Copy, Caster.[/i]” “Shepherd our visitor to Demeter’s surface. We’ll meet you up top.” “[i]…may I speak freely, Caster?[/i]” “Only if you choose your words wisely,” Seren responds, the edge creeping into her voice again. “[i]With all respect, Baroness, this could easily be a trap. I don’t want to put Hedon House in jeopardy – might I suggest meeting our new guest on Beta Karmanor?[/i]” ... “Very well, Bounty-4, we’ll shuttle over and meet you momentarily. If that ship breaks trajectory or deviates in any way, shoot it down.” “[i]…Copy, Caster.[/i]” Seren switches channels before the pilots can ask any more questions – like I said, Seren can be mercurial at times, but perhaps this is only for our benefit. I never asked and never thought I’d get an answer from any of the Maivas about what Seren’s really like. I look to them as Seren speaks to the Fallen, but can read nothing from their faces – Seren’s taught them very well. “Fallen vessel, you will follow the advance guards to the closest asteroid and we will meet you there. If you deviate from this course, my pilots will shoot you down.” “[i]Understood, Awoken[/i],” answers the Fallen. “[i]I wish no bloodshed.[/i]” “Let’s hope for your sake that’s true,” Seren muses as she shuts off the comm. She turns to us, commanding, “You three will accompany me as well. We need every gun we can muster as a precaution.” “Yes, Seren,” I respond, nodding along with Kenedi. Only Solis still seems unsure. “[i]House Scar unknown,[/i]” she tells Seren. “[i]Many years since they fought. I do not think this is House Scar.[/i]” “We’re about to find out,” Seren answers, stepping down to walk toward us, her Maivas falling in line behind her. “Ready my shuttle."

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