If you missed the last chapter of REEF MOB, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/223227976/0/0]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]“I’m past a hundred thousand miles and feeling very still.”[/i] The pilot responds immediately to the code phrase, answering through the comm: “And I think my spaceship knows which way to go.” [i]“Code confirmed, welcome home, Bounty-5.”[/i] The hidden bay doors open and the Raptor cruises casually inside, the pilot keeping a low profile and sticking to running his docking procedures. “Get hidden and stay there,” he whispers as we fly into 6 Demeter’s hangar. “Wait a few minutes and take off slowly and quietly. I’ll keep the deckhands busy, but if anyone spots you, you’re on your own. You didn’t come in this ship and we’ve never seen each other.” [i]“Hai, Sensei,”[/i] I whisper back as the pilot shakes his head. “Maybe if you spent more time paying attention to what’s going on around you rather than looking up catchphrases to make yourself seem smarter, I wouldn’t have to smuggle you in like this,” he gripes. I don’t respond, but instead hunker down in the hidden overhead compartments. However, I can’t shake the feeling he has a point. [i]Not like I had much of a choice though when I was partnered with Kenedi,[/i] I think ruefully. [i]You try to be around a brainiac like that without some ammo to hit him back with from time to time.[/i] The ship touches down and the door opens. The pilot disembarks and begins speaking with the deckhands outside. “Supply run?” “Yeah, these schedules are kicking my ass. You know how long it takes to get to here from Chryses with only being able to bunny-hop?” “You kidding? I’d love to have some time to just kick back and relax. Better than the non-stop traffic and work they’ve got us doing down here.” “No kidding, they up your quota?” I hear the voices grow fainter and can only assume the pilot’s leading the deckhands away. I cross my fingers and slowly push the hidden compartment open a crack – There’s no one outside. As quickly but quietly as I can, I slither out of the compartment, feeling again the downsides of having an artificial body. [i]Easy, easy, take your time –[/i] Voices begin to grow nearer – [i]Nevermind, gotta move now –[/i] I land as lightly as I can on the deck of the ship, but there’s still a pronounced CLANG! that accompanies me – “The hell was that?” I hear from nearby – I duck out of the ship just in time as the deckhands reappear, looking curiously inside. “I know I heard something, maybe it was one of the crates.” “Damn teenagers probably sneaking around down here again,” one of the deckhands grumbles. “Effing Verge, nothing to do but screw with the rest of us – “ I wait until they pass again before moving – I wind my way through the crates, seeing a discarded deckhand jacket lying nearby – cutting my eyes to see if anyone’s watching, I quickly snatch it and put it on – inside one of the pockets, I find the deckhand’s hat and stuff it on, pulling it low. I move quickly and finally make my way out to the lower levels. I grab onto one of the rickety metal ladders connecting the levels and begin climbing, trying to think ahead – [i]Gotta make it up to Hedon House without being seen[/i], I coach myself internally. [i]But how will I make it inside?[/i] I land on the next level, but a moment later I duck down a nearby corridor to avoid the approaching Sarifs – I miss them by half a second. As soon as I hear them pass by, I duck my head back out. [i]Too close[/i], I think. [i]And I’m not even past the first level yet. How am I gonna make it all the way up –[/i] And then it hits me. [i]Kenedi, you mad genius, you have no idea how much you just saved my ass…granted, after you stabbed me in the back, but still…[/i] I look around for the nearest airlock, but find none on this level. I climb to the next, finally finding an emergency airlock on the third level. Crossing my fingers and hoping no one’s close by, I close the inner door and quickly yank the outer one open, force myself out, and use all my strength to shove it closed behind me – the scream of escaping air tapers to a hiss and then merciful, absolute silence. I begin climbing across the asteroid face quickly, moving toward the half-buried ship ahead. [i]No cover out here,[/i] I think as I climb. [i]I’ll have to move quickly, but at least I can move fast without having to worry about finding hiding places.[/i] I think back to Kenedi again as I climb – on our first case together, he’d hypothesized an intruder in Hedon House could only gain entry via the exterior, proving that the culprit couldn’t be organic. I’d dismissed the thought at the time, but he might have had a point – [i]Maybe not the only thing he had a point about…[/i] I shove the thought away, keeping a firm hold on the asteroid to avoid floating away, and before long I finally reach the wreck of the Golden Age ship. Crawling through the exposed struts and metalwork, I finally find another emergency exit door within its depths. Silently praying again that there’s no one on the other side, I yank the door open – pushing myself inside quickly, I pull the door closed once more and listen intently to the silence for any sound – There’s nothing. [i]Lady Luck smiles on me again,[/i] I think, permitting myself a smile as I sneak out of the inner door. [i]Let’s just hope I keep in her favor.[/i] I move cautiously through the remnants of the ship, tip-toeing through the corridors until I find my bearings. [i]Left corridor takes me to Seren’s chamber, and straight ahead is Seren’s personal collection[/i], I think. [i]If she were hiding something, where would she keep it….[/i] My first thought is immediately of her personal chamber, where she’d be surrounded by Sarifs and her Maivas – [i]But would she trust them with whatever she’d be hiding? The Maivas, perhaps, but the Sarifs? Doubtful. So where then?[/i] I think it over, but come no closer to any solution. [i]Maybe I should just start somewhere and see what I find. Not like this trip could really be planned, I don’t even know what I’m looking for…[/i] Sighing to myself, I shake my head. [i]This was stupid to come here, but what choice did I have? I know she’s up to something, that she’s hiding…something. But what? And where? No use endlessly questioning[/i], I think finally, squaring my shoulders. [i]I have to take action, have to start somewhere. The Collection’s as good a place as any to start.[/i] I keep walking straight ahead, hugging the corners of the corridor. [i]Where is everyone?[/i] I suddenly think as I keep walking. [i]Shouldn’t there be Sarifs patrolling? Or at least someone moving around up here? Where are they? Perhaps Lady Luck is smiling on me still[/i], I think in response, hoping it’s true. I ease the door open to the Baroness’ Collection and sneak inside. I turn around and see the extensive array of Golden Age artifacts that the Baroness has managed to collect over her years, her family’s heirloom known only as the Crystal Orchid sitting dead center in a place of significance. [i]Still never truly figured out who stole it[/i], I think ruefully, remembering back to my first case with Kenedi. [i]The junkie they blamed for it couldn’t have gotten in. But Seren granted me what I really wanted for simply bringing it back, so I wasn’t in a position to complain at the time. Still, who really stole it? And why?[/i] I bury the questions for the time being – [i]there are more pressing questions I need answered now.[/i] I quietly creep through the Collection, looking carefully at everything I pass, looking for any clues, anything out of place – My eyes land on a door at the back of the room and I curiously walk toward it. I check the handle and find it unlocked – I push it open, careful not to make noise, and slip inside – It’s completely dark, but I switch the light input in the receptors behind my eyes and everything springs into focus. The room is a workshop of sorts, perhaps even a restoration room for the Collection’s pieces – there are cabinets and counters lining the walls, and a large workbench in the center of the room. On the bench rest several tools, parts and casings, and a small, geometric shell lying in the center – [i]Why does that shell look so familiar?[/i] I move closer, reaching out to pick it up – And instantly realize what it is. “Ghost?” I whisper. Finally, after a few moments the light behind its eye starts glowing – the shell whirs and clicks, like it’s processing, and the eye starts twitching. “Where….” “Ghost? Ghost, do you remember what happened to you?” It seems groggy, but slowly regains its senses. “Ghost? Do you know where you are? Have you heard anything about Djido?” The name seems to bring it back to life. “Djido?” it mutters weakly, then suddenly it darts into the air, hovering and twitching madly. “Djido! Have to find him! Have to warn him! Have to – “ “Whoa, whoa!” I hiss, trying to calm it down so it won’t alert Hedon House to our presence. “Shhh!!! Calm down, just tell me – “ “Have to find, have to warn!” he keeps insisting, darting back and forth in midair, scanning wildly, its light filling the whole room. “Ghost!!” I hiss, trying to get its attention to shut it up. But upon seeing me, the Ghost freezes, staring at me blankly. “She knows,” it says, and the light overhead turns on. Wheeling around, I see Seren, her Sarifs and the Maivas standing in the doorway, staring at me. “Welcome home, Nas,” Seren says calmly, a smile tugging at her lips. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you.”