[i]This will be the last chapter in the fanfiction series, at least for awhile. It was never all that popular, and I've put more of my focus on creating Kindergaurdians stories. [/i] If you're new to this series, here's a link to Ch. 1: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218285634?sort=0&page=0 Our Guardians are staggering wearily along. They've been walking deeper and deeper under Mars for over an hour, and had to dispatch close to a hundred Taken on the way. Moreover, the transport grid has run out, so they're having to walk. Kiara is by herself, but the two Titans are chatting to pass the time. TY: "So non-Guardian Exos actually don't live forever?" MAGS: "No. They have organic components, which age like everything else. That's why we eat, to sustain our live tissue." TY: "And you can feel pain?" MAGS: "Yes. Because our consciousness is human, we can't handle in a purely mechanical body, incapable of pain or pleasure. They tried that early on, and the test subjects went mad." KIARA: "And they weren't controllable after they went mad becasue they couldn't be hurt. They had to destroy them completely to stop them." MAGS: "It was ugly. So, Exos were redesigned to be the way they are now. With enough human weaknesses that we retain our humanity." TY: "So do Exos have moms and dads?" MAGS: "Some of us do. I was born a human, and was transferred to an Exo body a few years before the Collapse. Others, however, are built as Exos. They have programmers, not parents. Haytham-30 was one of those, he was built as a soldier. That's part of why he's so messed up now, he can't integrate his programming with being a parent." MAGS'S GHOST (deploys): "Sorry to interrupt, but the Echo is close. And... we're entering an ArcBurn zone. Watch out for electrical discharges, they'll do additional damage." MAGS: "Understood. Ty, do you have any arc weapons other than your handcannon?" TY: "No, my fusion's solar. And I don't have any ammo for my heavy." MAGS: "Your Super?" TY: "Used it in the last fight, but it's almost recharged. Everything else is ready, though. Shouldn't you be watching where you're going?" MAGS: "No, I expect the Echo is down furth... AAAARRGGHHH!!!" He says this last as a blast of arclight from the Echo hits him dead on, dropping him to the ground, dying. MAGS' GHOST: "It's all right, I can revive him." KIARA: "No! We haven't secured the room." GHOST: "You two can't take it alone. I'll just... ARGGHHH!!" [i]Zappp![/i] Another insane blast of electricity hits the Ghost, and it crumples to the ground. TY: [b]"NOOOOOOO!!"[/b] Enraged at his mentor's fate, he charges into the room, Fatebringer blasting away madly. Bullet after bullet goes home, followed by a grenade, then a ferocious shoulder charge. Ty quickly grabs his mentor and the Ghost and high-tails it out of there. The Echo comes after him, but is promptly backstabbed by Kiara's Blink Strike, then she fires up a full auto burst with her arc shotgun, followed by a ferocious arcblade. As the monster turns on her, Ty reenters the room with another Fatebringer clip, a shoulder charge, and finally a shattering Fist of Favoc, and the Echo screams and disintegrates. Ty runs from the room to where Mags is lying. TY: "Kiara! Help!" Kiara enters and looks. KIARA: "He's dying, and I don't know if his Ghost can help him." (she picks up the Ghost) "Ghost! Can you revive your Guardian." GHOST (in deep gurgly voice): "Daisy... Daisy... give me your answer do... I'm half crazy... all for... the love of y..." And he disintegrates into little particles of light. And Kiara and Ty exchange horrified glances over the motionless body of their mentor and friend. Fade to black. [b]EARTH, Outskirts of the Last City, Wall Section 309 - Three Weeks Later[/b] The shiny new Goliath tank rumbles out of the automated production facility, joining the small squadron of them assembled around the building. Kiara Pel and Cayde-6 watch the process, while sipping from foam cups marked "Starbucks". CAYDE: "A beautiful sight, wouldn't you say, Guardian Pel?" KIARA: "Mmmmmmm. A beautiful taste." CAYDE: "Very true." KIARA: "I would hope so, considering the price we paid to get it. We lost a Guardian with nearly a century of experience at fighting the Darkness." CAYDE: "But the cease-fire on Mars is holding. Mags would undoubtedly remind you that it was well worth his sacrifice." MAGS'S VOICE: "Matter of fact, Mags is reminding you of that right now." Enter the Titan in question, very much alive, albeit sans Ghost. CAYDE: "Oh, hey, Titan. How are you doing?" MAGS: "Fully recovered from my injuries, of course. I still have light-powered healing ability. But it's a strange feeling, after dying thousands of times and hardly thinking of it, suddenly realizing that my next death will be my last." KIARA: "Well, I wish you were still leading us into battle, but they couldn't have picked a better person to oversee this factory." MAGS: "Yeah, well... someone had to do it. Don't worry, we've got five new Goliaths in play and three more that just need qualified operators. We'll have the Fallen out of Europe by the end of the year." CAYDE: "I'm sure you will. Where's Ty, by the way?" MAGS: "Well... you know that when the Cabal gave us this unit, it included a full driver designation module. So we were able to program Ty's tank to accept a new operator, so he's kind of gone off in a snit." KIARA: "Last I heard, he was in the Reef, killing things in the Prison of Elders. I expect when he's ready to come back, he'll call to ask me to pick him up." MAGS: "Since Holliday won't give him a ship, it's not like there's any other way for him to leave." [b]THE REEF - Prison of Elders, Warden's Post[/b] Tiberius Frost is hanging out in the Vestian Outpost, following his latest Prison battle. He's not as cheerful as he usually is, to say the least. He knows that his mentor survived, of course, but not having him by his side anymore was a bit tough for him to deal with, and the loss of his tank doesn't help either. He approaches Variks, and the friendly Fallen recognizes him instantly, he's been gleefully watching the young kinderguardian wrecking various aliens in the Prison for some time. VARIKS: "Hello, my friend. Will you be fighting in the prison today?" TY: "Maybe a bit later." VARIKS: "Good, good, good. In the meantime, your prowess in battle has earned you a reward. Come see what Variks has." Ty comes over and looks at the list of offerings. TY: "Anything I want?" VARIKS: "Anything, Guardian. Champion of Elders deserves no less." TY: "Let's see... Aegis of the Reef, nice. That's a nice-looking chest-plate too... whoa. Is that what I think it is?" VARIKS: "Yes, yes. Coldsnap VKR jumpship. Warp-capable smuggler craft. Do you like?" TY: "Beautiful... but don't I need a ship operator's permit?" VARIKS (scornfully): "Why would you need ridiculous piece of paper from the Tower? If you want the ship, it is yours." And for the first time in weeks, Ty smiles. (End)