[quote]Check out all other Brave Light episodes [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/176320409/0/0]right here[/url]![/quote] [i]The fanning sound of a ship drive roared throughout the air. A Fallen Skiff in the distance flew full speed at the guardians' position. Large booms began sounding off as the ship fired its main cannon.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b] [i](summoning his sparrow)[/i]: Let's get out of here. [i]Zale's ghost, Virgil, appeared before them.[/i] [b]Virgil[/b]: Wait a minute, I'm no so sure this is our beacon! [b]Zale[/b]: What? Why not?! [b]Virgil[/b] [i](scanning the object in the Hunter's hand)[/i]: It matches the same energy signature as the one from the missing fireteam, but it's also emitting an Pairing Signal. [b]Liz[/b]: Pairing Signal?! [b]Virgil[/b]: Yes! A signal that specifically connects to another beacon in order to exchange energy and data between two sources. This one here was activated about a month ago. [b]Liz[/b]: That was when we lost contact with the fireteam.... [b]Virgil[/b]: Exactly. But according to my scanners, the beacon it's pairing with is from.... About 50 years from now.... [b]Zale[/b]: WHAT?! That can't be right. Check the frequency log, find out who used it last. [b]Virgil[/b]: Scanning.... Wait.... New Monarchy? But how does that make any sense? [i]A loud buzzing screeched through the air. When they turned towards the source, two blasts of arc energy were headed straight for them.[/i] [b]Virgil[/b]: Uh oh. [b]Zale[/b]: Get down! [i]The three of them dove out of the way as arc energy from the Skiff blazed past them.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b] [i](motioning away from them)[/i]: COME ON! [b]Liz[/b]: Let's get out of here! [b]Zale[/b]: Wait, but what about the beacon! [b]Liz[/b]: No time, take it with us! [b]Zale[/b]: But what if it's– [b]Liz[/b]: ZALE. WE HAVE TO GO. [b]Zale[/b] [i](shoving the beacon into his belt)[/i]: Fine, fine! [i]The three hopped onto their sparrows and sped away from the area, the Skiff following closely behind.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: They REALLY want this beacon. [b]Zale[/b]: Looks like it. If they knew to react this quickly, there's got to be more than one of these things... [b]Liz[/b]: It won't matter. Next waypoint is the space station, Archer's Line; that's where Janus will be waiting for us. Once we get there, we should be safe. [i]Arc bolts began raining down from the ship above, cracking into the ground like lightning. The guardians swerved left and right to avoid the shots.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: You just had to pick up the beacon, didn't you! [b]Zale[/b]: Of course, dumbass! How else are we gonna find the fireteam?! [i]A side hatch on the ship opened up, with two Vandals firing wire rifles through the opening. The Hunter quickly dodged the streams of light that whizzed past them.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: All I know is that everything was perfectly fine until you picked up that stupid beacon! We probably didn't even NEED it to track them! [b]Zale[/b]: I'M the tracker, and I already told you: THE TRAIL ENDED! [b]Hayden[/b]: SO WE COULD HAVE FOUND ANOTHER ONE. [b]Liz[/b]: Both of you, shut up! [i]A blast of arc energy buzzed into the ground in front of Hayden. Zale activated his sparrow's strafe thruster, smashing into the Titan's sparrow and pushing him away from the blast. Their vehicles smashed into a wall on the right, crushing the metal against the Moon rock surface. The sparrows began to shake uncontrollably from the damage, sparks bursting left and right. Eventually, the thrusters exploded and the two were thrown into the air.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Zale! Hayden! [i]The two guardians soared above the Warlock before landing in the ground by a large building ahead. She hit the brakes on her sparrow, stopping several feet in front of them.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b] [i](tackling Zale)[/i]: You son of a bitch! [b]Zale[/b] [i](smashing the Titan back)[/i]: Gonna kick your ass! [i]The two were locked in a struggle, now throwing each other around. The Fallen ship sailed closer, its cannons firing a barrage of blasts at the fireteam. Zale and Hayden split apart to dodge one of the blasts.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: I knew this was a bad idea from the beginning. I'm gonna shove that cloak so far up your ass, you'll be spittin' fiber in the morning! [i]Hayden sprinted at the Hunter, eventually gaining a field of blue energy around his body.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Both of you, stop it! We don't have time for this! [i]Arc energy cracked left and right as the Titan Shoulder Charged the Hunter into the wall behind him, breaking the concrete surface in an explosion of rock and debris. When the Hunter's helmet hit the concrete, a web of cracks rippled across the glass. He yelled out in pain as his head throbbed from the impact.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Hayden, quit it! [i]A storm of wire rifle shots were now blowing past them as the ship flew closer and closer. Liz fired back at the Fallen Skiff while the other guardians were preoccupied with their rumble.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: GUYS, STOP IT! [b]Zale[/b] [i](running back at Hayden)[/i]: Bring it on, you overgrown cow. I never wanted to join on this in the first place! [i]After he rolled forward to close the gap between them, the Hunter activated his double jump and smashed his knee into the Titan's face, launching him backwards through the air. Zale landed firmly on his feet, but stumbled face-first into the ground shortly after, disoriented by the pain in his head. Hayden landed in the ground a few feet from Zale, his backplate breaking the fall against the rock. Shards of plasteel plating flew left and right, the armor's surface now broken from the landing. Liz threw a scatter grenade up at the ship and ran towards them, stepping over the pile of debris mixed with armor shards and pieces of visor glass.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Oh no... [i]Zale was curled up in a ball, his arms wrapped around his head in pain from the throbbing.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Hayden... [i]Hayden gasped for air, pain spiking throughout his exposed back.[/i] [i]The Fallen Skiff was now directly overhead, shining a spotlight directly down on the guardians.[/i] [i]Liz grabbed the two of them by their arms and heaved them onto their feet.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Get up! Head for the building! [i]The three guardians made their way for the station, Zale and Hayden stumbling all along the way. The Fallen Skiff began firing arc bombs down from above. When the bombs landed around them, a loud timer beeping from each one.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: RUN! [i]The three broke into a sprint for the building. Liz was practically dragging the two injured guardians.[/i] [i]When they neared the entrance, the bombs exploded in a bright burst of blue light all around.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: JUMP! [i]The three of them leaped forward as the blast of the explosion propelled them through the doorway and into the building.[/i] [i][b]-----------------------[/b][/i] [i]Zale, Hayden, and Liz landed in a pile of filing cabinets in the corner of the room, moaning as they sat up. Virgil materialized in front of them as the door slid shut behind.[/i] [b]Virgil[/b]: I'm locking the doors. We should be safe in here, for now. [b]Henry[/b] [i](appearing next to Virgil)[/i]: Janus is just up the stairs waiting for us. [b]Liz[/b]: Thank you.... Both of you... [i]The Warlock turned and faced the others.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: And YOU two. What the hell was that?! [i]The Hunter and Titan silently looked down at the ground.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: ....well? [i]For a long time, the silence continued. Zale and Hayden had their backs turned to each other. Neither of them wanted anything to do with the other... Eventually, the Zale spoke up.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: He's right... [b]Liz[/b] [i](looking up at him)[/i]: ....What? [i]The Hunter slowly pulled himself up and began walking to the other side of the room.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: This was a bad idea from the start. [i]After a pause, Hayden followed in suit, getting up from the debris.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: I can't believe I let myself think this would all work out.... [b]Liz[/b]: So that's just it? [i]The guardians avoided her gaze.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: After all this, you're both just going to walk away? [b]Hayden[/b]: We'll see it through to the end. But once this is all over... [i]Liz was struck silent by the Guardians' words. After all the time they had spent opening up to each other, it would just be thrown away.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Fine. [i]The Warlock stepped past the two of them.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: You may not see anything between us three.... But I see a team. A pretty damn good one, too. [i]Zale and Hayden stared at the ground.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: And I won't be the one to break it. [i]Her steps echoed throughout the hall as she entered the stairwell and made her way to the upper floor. After a brief silence, Zale and Hayden shot a cold glance at each other before following.[/i]