[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/246624086/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] Avery strode into her throne room, tailed by two guards. Two more waited for her, with Derik behind them. He smiled and asked, “How’d it go?” “It went as planned,” the Warlord replied, then waved away two of the guards and ordered, “The others are putting away the Sparrows. Bring them here.” The pair hustled away while Avery, Derik, and the remaining two gunmen made their way past the throne and down a hallway. “So Lord Rotan joined us?” Derik asked. “Rotan is dead,” Avery declared flatly. “Good riddance,” one of the guards spat. “Wait, dead?” Derik questioned, “Did you kill him?!” “Yes,” Avery answered. “He could have helped us!” “No.” “Did you even ask him for help?” Derik accused, “Did you just go there to kill him?” Avery stopped in a doorway, pivoting with a swirl of her cape to glare at him, “I knew he wouldn’t accept. He’s better off dead.” Derik opened his mouth to argue, but she looked past him, “Lerit. Wait at the entrance and come tell me when everyone is here.” “Yes, m’Lady,” the guard obeyed. Avery turned to enter the room. When Derik moved to follow, the last guard grabbed his shoulder. The Exo glanced at them over her shoulder, “He can come in. Wait there.” The guard released Derik. The outsider barged in and continued, “You can’t just murder a man on a whim!” “You don’t know a thing about Warlords, Mr. Magnate,” Avery remarked, setting her helmet on a table and opening a door in the back, “Have a seat.” Derik ignored the chairs and pursued her. “We’re doin’ this to bring humanity together!” He proclaimed, “Not to put ourselves on top!” “I don’t need to hear your speeches, Mr. Magnate,” Avery criticized coldly, procuring a satchel from under her cape, “You told me you would be willing to kill those that resisted. Rotan would have tried to kill us all.” Derik’s fury was dwindling, and he had no response. He noticed the room’s furnishings, seeing the bed, chest, dresser, and wardrobe. A sword was mounted on the wall, and a chill ran up his spine when he recognized it as a Fallen blade. “This is your room?” He guessed. Avery shot him an irritated look, “Obviously. You have yet to say anything intelligent today, Mr. Magnate. I suggest you keep quiet or try harder.” “Preferably the first,” the guard grunted, still standing outside. Derik stayed quiet and scanned the room, absorbing smaller details while the Warlord unpacked her bag. A small rock sat on top of the dresser, jagged and uncut with veins of color adorning its brown surface, and a tattered boot lay in the back corner. He took a moment to consider how the Exo would react to another question, but his curiosity won out, “Why do you have one boot?” “Never found the other one,” Avery answered cryptically. She showed no intention of elaborating so he didn’t press further, letting her stow her bag in the dresser. Derik hurried out of her way as she came out. They went back into the hall and down to the throne room, where she sat. “You may stay, Mr. Magnate,” she allowed. They waited in silence until Lerit burst in. He staggered to a halt then announced, “They’re all here.” “Bring them in,” Avery bid. The guard rushed away, returning with less than a dozen others. When they were all in, Avery addressed them, “Lord Rotan is dead and we have taken Blackbush.” Some cheered, but fell silent as the Exo continued, “I have given Brenon responsibility of securing the sector and weeding out the last of Rotan’s supporters. It may take several days. Lord Daedalus will be aiding us, but I don’t expect much help. He is occupied with his own territory. From now on, we will be shorthanded. Getting recruits across the territory will be our first priority. Sedrik will integrate anyone here into shifts to guard the walls and Lerit will make preparations for travel.” She looked over the guards, “We’ll need to prepare our new territory as soon as possible and make ready to fight. I will go to Fairmont in two days to speak with Queen Natalia.” The guards all tried speaking at once, effectively drowning each other out. Avery raised a hand for silence, then one of the guards stepped forward. “M’Lady,” she pleaded, “Shouldn’t we finish securin’ the sector an’ set up a defense before we go to Lady Natalia?” “That would be better,” Avery acknowledged, “But we don’t have that time. Natalia will know what’s happening soon, and we can’t give her the chance to attack before we can defend ourselves.” “Could we kill her before she starts a war?” Another guard suggested. “Probably not,” Avery said, “And her followers would just take her place.” “But she might join us if we ask,” Derik suggested. Everyone‘s eyes turned to him. Avery sighed, raising a dismissive hand, “That will be all.” • • • “So you’re taking me along,” Derik analyzed. Avery swept her arm, emphasizing the fact that they were inside a jumpship, and scolded, “Was that not clear?” Derik put up his hands, “Yes, but that wasn’t my point. You’re taking me along and you didn’t even bring guards, after all that talk about Lady Natalia bein’ dangerous. So you think she’ll join us, right?” “Don’t be a fool,” Avery criticized. Her glowing eyes burned into his. Derik blinked in surprise, “Then why are-“ “I said we couldn’t kill her yet,” Avery reminded coldly, “Assassinating her in Fairmont is suicidal. But she’ll let us leave Fairmont alive, even after we declare war.” “Why would she let us go?” Derik asked skeptically. “Because she wants war,” Avery answered, completely serious, “It’s like a drug for her. She’ll leave the safety of Fairmont.” Derik couldn’t think of a reply, so he averted his eyes. Avery watched him for awhile, then a thought popped into his head, “So why don’t we tell her she’ll get all the war she wants against the Fallen if she joins us?” Avery hadn’t expected that suggestion, and she took a moment to think before replying, “That’s clever, but I doubt it’ll work. There’s no reasoning with her.” Derik decided to drop the matter, and the two sat in silence until the jumpship slowed and began to descend. “Don’t say a word without permission,” Avery commanded, “And don’t say anything stupid.” Derik huffed indignantly, “I wouldn’t say anything stupid.” Avery gave him a long stare, making her disagreement very clear. The jumpship stopped and the ramp cracked open with a hiss of escaping air. Avery stood as it creaked down, donning her helmet and adjusting her cape. When the ramp ground to a halt, Derik followed her out. They dropped a couple feet to the ground and looked around. They were in a clearing on the side of a large hill. Buildings stretched down the slope, and one large structure was perched at the crest like a miniature fortress. Dozens of people were crowded at the edges of the road and around corners, curiously watching the newcomers. Five armored gunmen were spread out in front of the jumpship ramp, aiming their rifles directly at Avery and Derik. The ramp slowly swung back up until it closed and the jumpship remained where it was, hovering in the air. “Name and business!” One of the gunmen called out. “I am Lady Avery,” the Exo declared, “I have come to speak with Queen Natalia.” The gunmen exchanged looks, then awkwardly lowered their weapons. One of them peeled away and jogged uphill. “Right this way, m’Lady,” another directed stiffly, and the group unsurely guided their visitors up the rise. “This doesn’t seem normal, m’Lady…” Derik whispered. “No,” Avery muttered, “They’ve been ordered to let me in at any time. Lady Natalia can be very…eccentric.” “Eccentric?” Derik echoed curiously. Avery didn’t elaborate. They slowed to a stop at the entrance of the fortress. “Weapons,” a guard demanded. Avery unfastened her belt and pulled it out from under her cape, revealing two handguns and a pair of large knives. When the guard took it, she reached down and procured another knife from her boot. A second guard stood in front of Derik. “He’s unarmed,” Avery informed, “But you may check.” The guard sneered slightly at being given permission, then patted Derik down. Derik tried not to show his discomfort, and the guard stepped back with a suspicious grunt after finding nothing. “Let ‘em through,” he barked. Two of the others pushed on the large doors, swinging them inward to reveal the interior of the building. Derik looked inside and gasped, “Traveler above.”