Charles and I made our way past the housing and neared the hanger that we were dropped off at. I glanced around and saw a guard standing by a door. "Excuse me? Could you tell me wh..." "Head that way." She pointed towards another door. "Take a right then a left then you will see a hanger like place without the ships." She sounded annoyed. "Eh... thank you..." I turned and walked where she told me. "Seriously? How many Wire rifles are shoved up their assets?..." Charles watched the guards as we passed by several of them. "They got attacked recently and they lost a lot of numbers, I doubt they are in the mood for it." "Its more than that! They act like they are under lots of stress, it's ridiculous..." I rolled my eyes and made it to the place she was talking about. It definitely was hanger like in structure but more open. A couple of ships dangled from the ceiling but they were either beaten up or being repaired. The hanger was suspended over nothing as several catwalks lead to straight ahead. To my left was an alcove with several hundred candles that were snuffed out. Various chimes hung from the ceiling that blew gently in the artificial gravity/air field. No one was there presently. I walked forward past a Frame and a storage area and looked ahead. There were three Awoken guards speaking to a small group of Guardians and I made it to the group. Sri, Amelia and Natasha were there already when I walked up. "Ah here's the final one now." Said the only guard without a helmet. Her right eye was covered in a patch bearing the Queen's Wrath symbol along with every other piece of equipment on her. She held a knife that spun freely in the air as she flicked it with ease. The three women looked back at me, each with different expressions. Amelia's didn't care, Sri's was reserved but more on the negative side, and Natasha gave a flirty smile. I simply stood on my own on the left. The main Awoken guard nodded at me. "Glad you could make it Guardian. My name is Petra and I am, currently, the head of the Awoken in the absence of our Queen." The two guards beside her flinched slightly but did nothing more than that. "As of now, we have had complications arise all over and we need your help to restabilize our Outpost." She looked at the four of us. "You four are seemingly the most capable of leading and/or getting the job done so we need you to be the role examples. This does not exempt you from the work but I would hope you all will be able to help us out, as much as I pains me to say it." She sheathed her knife and looked at us. We all stood silently, waiting. She examined our every movement and waited. I nodded and was the first to speak. "What is out main priorities and/or thing we have to do first?" Petra looked at me and grinned. "Firstly, if things attack, you are the first to go and the last to pull out. Our defenses our crippled at the moment. Secondly, we need your help in rebuilding. I know it is not a suitable job for Guardians but the faster you can help us repair, the faster you can move on." I nodded. Petra looked at the other three Guardians. "It this clear?" They nodded. "Good." She turned to the screen behind her. "That will be all..." "I think they should be informed of the dangers of the Reef, yes?" A strange voice spoke from across the room. We looked to find a Fallen Captain in an unusual green garb. His primary arms were robotic in nature and he wore chain mail around his mouth and sides, along with two shock pistols, an arc blade, and a staff from a Devil Captain. "Well... would you care to explain for me Variks?" The Fallen Captain bowed slightly and motioned the Guardians over. We walked over to a small structure with a flap over the front that resembled a small hut. The Captain, named Variks, looked at us. His body was also covered in bandages and his lower right arm was slung in a sling, close to his body. He breathed in slightly as he spoke. "Many bad thingsss happen in the Reef; Broken Kell, prison outbreaks, Taken attack. Protecting the Reef is no small matter." "I don't see it being a problem." Muttered Amelia. Variks eyes narrowed and he hissed a bit. "You would not understand. You seen no war. I've seen war." He placed his hand on his chest. "Fought, lost, won, winning. You know not what you speak of." "Well I have been in war." Natasha spoke up. "Been a Guardian for over a year." Variks gave a laugh that sounded like a strange mix of a hiss and growl. "I have been Captain for over many years, I know more." "How much more and how long?" "More than I remember. House Judgement does not keep such... meaninglessss records about, unless warrior is dead." "Can you describe what the last attack was?" Said Sri, breaking up the conversation. "Yes, the so called Tae Ken." Variks jammed his staff into the ground. "Cleaver, Cleaver creature..." "What was it?" "Not it, you. A Guardian, corrupted by the power of the Hive god, Oryx." "A Guardian? You mean?..." "Hunter by the way bow and blades were cast. This Guardian possessed strange powers akin to the Light, to the Great Machine, but darker and stranger." "So what? Doesn't seem like much of a problem." Amelia said. "We will..." "The Great Machine does not revive those that are lost to the Light." Variks said loudly. He breathed heavily for a second as the hanger fell nearly silent. He loosened his stance and spoke quieter. "This Guardian is crafty, well verssed in the ways of war. He likes to play, but when he loses... you lose more." Variks snorted and jabbed his staff into the ground. "Being brash will not give you a chance at a third life, Guardian." Amelia fell silent. Variks looked at the rest of us. "Caution is needed here. He is a murderer and very good at what he doess. I have tracked him to the Dreadnought, but we cannot go yes? We must remain and prepare for next attack, which may not be long." We nodded slowly as Variks turned. "If you need me, I am here. Simply... do not push House Judgement, for we will push back." He went past the flap and dissapeared. We stood for a second and looked over at Petra. She waved us away. "I will hand out assignments tomorrow. Get some rest." We nodded and walked back to our chambers, we walked in silence for a bit before Natasha stretched a bit and yawned. "So what are your plans tonight?" I simply shrugged. Amelia grunted. "None of your concern." Natasha gave a sly grin. "Well someone's a bit b****y." Amelia growled. "Clam it. Before I sell your parts in the Black Market." "I give my parts to anyone who is willing to have a good time so just send them my way." She laughed and Amelia growled and stormed off in a different direction than us. Natasha giggled and walked beside me. "So are you doing nothing tonight sweetheart?" "Nothing except cleaning out the room we have to stay in..." "I can't believe we have absolutely no reasonable place to be in." Grumbled Sri. "It's so disgusting." "It's not so bad once it's cleaned up." Natasha said. "How did you get it that fast?!" "Because unlike you I have my ways of persuasion." She grinned and opened her room door. "Ta ta." With that she left. Sri's face grew red as she walked off to her room. "Stupid..." I sighed. "You need my help in cleaning?..." "I got it." She closed the door in my face. I sighed and walked off to my room. Charles soon popped up beside me. "Cold is the Void, frozen as that woman's heart." "Just shut it Charles." "Hey I didn't make her feel like an outcast." "It doesn't mean she isn't still my friend." "Friend being a one way street." I grumbled and went into my room. "Just get cleaning..." "Fine..." He grabbed his supplies and started. We worked for several more hours, just getting the place cleaned up. https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/176719609/0/0 link to chapter 22 https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/178318537/0/0 link to chapter 23