[spoiler] An Introduction, of Sorts Hello! This is my first attempt at a fan-fiction writing, and I believe it’s ready to be put out there. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Without further ado... [/spoiler] —— Even during combat, Sazed wouldn’t shut up. Couldn’t his modulator be... [b]A flash of light. A new scene. “Feeling okay?” The strange machine inquired. The Awoken groaned. Spots stained his vision like the rust covering the metal wasteland. He couldn’t remember much. Anything, actually. “Where, what, am I?” The small robot floated a little closer. “For starters, you’re in an old graveyard of cars, surrounded by four-armed cutthroat pirates. And, as for you, you are a Guar...”[/b] “HAM! BIG BLACK THING!” The man, now much more lively, snapped out of the trance. He cursed and rolled to the right, barely avoiding the blast of pure Darkness. The polished white tile phased black, then slowly faded to its original color. Hammond would have found this interesting, if this damned Captain let up. The Warlock’s pistol came up, and three sharp blasts thudded across the hall. The Taken Captain understood. Ham’s Translation Theory was phenomenal at carrying points across. Death, was, after all, a universal language, and the sidearm was succinct. After a scream (they always screamed), and a brief microsingularity, silence once more enveloped the Blind Well. “Nice shot. Or three. Or, you know, not dying. Mind telling me why you looked like a Taken Ogre there?” Sazed inquires. No response. “Ham?...Ham?” The Warlock remained silent. Sometimes silence was the best talker. Sazed disagreed. The Ghost’s shell spun, clicking into place like a rifle’s bolt, as he often did while thinking. “Flashes again, hum? Lujan-2’s started a few weeks ago. Remember it’s only normal for yours to start soon after! Can’t you...” [b]Hammond’s brain suddenly throbbed, as if something attempted to tear its way out of it. Another flash of memory. “Trust me. It’s the only way out, Guardian,” the Ghost repeated. “This is where you run, I think. Or die heroically in glorified thermals.” Black, heavy fabric materialized around the man’s body. A light buzzing noise emanated from the starlike machine. Was it laughter? His legs shuffled...[/b] His Ghost’s synthesized voice came back into focus. Ham sighed. “...like a noodle”, Sazed finished. “Did you really just check out again? You missed my noodle joke!” Ham’s frustration rose, boiling over is normally calm demeanor. The Warlock rose to his full height, a daunting ([i]or “vertically extended”, as Sazed would say[/i]) 6 feet 3 inches. His scarred mouth opened to speak, but his Ghost had that covered. “In all this time having me as your Ghost, you’ve never improved at being annoyed. Let me help you. Losing half your Sparrow in transmat frustrates people. Missing a sniper round frustrates people. And finding your fourth Tractor Cannon frustrates people! Not flashbacks! Now, see, if your rations were burnt...” A Warlock’s helmet contains thousands of small receptors, each attuned to a neuron in its wearer. Sazed had constructed a digital interface that somehow patched these to the little light’s cortex. The result was a one-way empathic bond (and occasional migraines, as a side effect). Not every Warlock’s Ghost did this, but Sazed couldn’t pass up the chance. Ham was simply too good at virtual poker ([i]Yes, Ghosts are able to play poker with their Guardian. It definitely wasn’t Cayde’s idea, and Cayde definitely didn’t bring you this tip.[/i]). Hammond scowled. “You know, Saze, all of those things were your fault. Not mine.” “Shin Malphur! It’s an honor!” was the sarcastic reply. “But, on the serious side...” (“You have one?” Ham mumbled.) “...we have work to do. Just complete the bounty paperwork and we can go toss another Oracle Offering into the glowing orb. We can talk on the scenic drive, huh?” —— The drive was sure scenic, but the Void repeater rounds sort of messed with the atmosphere. Damn Scorn, always... [b]Ham blacked out. His consciousness floated for a few seconds, buoyed up by an invisible force. Color and sound exploded. “Pick one! Just think! A Ghost should have a name! It’s the least you can do!” The floating star was beginning to annoy him, but it had saved his life, so he kept emotion in check. Hoping to shut it up, the new Guardian shook his mind for a name. It was akin to rummaging in a closet for change, but his mind found purchase somewhere. The man’s voice carried softly through the jumpship’s cockpit. “Sazed. That’s your name now. I think it was from a book or something.” An unexpected silence settled on the two. The newly dubbed Sazed spun his shell, as if pondering the name. The newly dubbed Guardian enjoyed the rare quiet. “Sazed? What sort of half-baked name is...”[/b] Ham heard a warped voice. “This isn’t pressing, boss. But you should jump now.” Ham cursed, snapping once more to reality, and managed to Glide out his free-falling Sparrow to a nearby ledge. An explosion and a Ghost’s soft buzzing echoed through the Spine of Keres. —— The ethereal Oracle Engine continued to spin, but Hammond was stock still, staring at the block of text. [url=https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/is-it-you?]It seemed familiar[/url]. Could it be from... “Eris! Hah! That one was too creepy to die a normal death! Let me scan it.” said Sazed. A conic array of blue light paced the screen. The machine’s shell stopped spinning abruptly. “Ham? Erm, I think I’ve found something here. You’re going to like this. But...” “...I see it too. Eris, she remembered! She remembered her last life!” Ham exclaimed. “Yes, but, you see the cost, right?” “...Yes. There’s always a catch, little light. Always.” —— [spoiler]If you could, any positive or negative feedback would be appreciated. Be brutally honest, I can take it! If this gets positive feedback, I’ll continue it with another installment. Congratulations for getting this far![/spoiler] Next installment: [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/249777613?sort=0&page=0]Chapter 2[/url]