[spoiler]Hello #lore! It’s been forever and a day since I posted my last fanfic. If you don’t like fanfics, I would suggest not leaving me hateful comments, simply move on. Here is the link to the introduction of this story: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/251291933/0/0. It’s pretty different in terms of writing style for the direction I’m planning to go with this series, but there you have it. Anywayz, as always, leave any constructive criticism on my writing and storytelling. [/spoiler] Under the stars, the three guardians rested. Zara-9 removed her helmet, steel Protecting steel. It glistened in the dim twilight, and the reflection of Zara’s Exo face gazed up at her. In her first life, she was an impoverished street rat who worked as an exotic dancer. Even then, the call rang in her ears, louder than the trumpets on Easter morn. Then, Zara became ill. It was a disease that no doctor could trace, the origin was unknown. Darkness ate away at her heart. The doctors too special interest in her case, and one day they handcuffed her and put her in deep-freeze for the purpose of study. After all, there was no one to stop them. Zara awoke hundreds of years later, when Golden age humans uncovered an primitive medical facility. Zara lay inside, miraculously alive. She was unfrozen and released into a different world, with the music still playing its haunting melodies in her ear. She fell into work for the Bray facility, and in order to save herself from her ancient body, she willingly became one of the first Exo machines. She was “permanently” shut down after the Brays decided she was a failure. She was having unexplainable short-circuiting. The music played on. A ghost, a little piece of light, was Zara’s savior and her next companion. She fought the children of the darkness and won. The Hive feared her name. Zara put her helmet down next to her. She could transmat it on and off, of course, but she’d always appreciated the tactile. A pulse rifle was strapped to her back and a sword lay nearby. “So when is this Felron character planning on showing up?” she asked her fireteam. “He’ll show. He alway shows.” The rugged gunslinger, Ryden Samir, responded with confidence. "He always shows! I trust everyone! We're all gonna hold hands around the fire and sing Kum Ba ya! Even the fallen and the vex will join the fun!" Torinn, the rookie Titan, snipped, mocking the old warrior. Zara and Ryden exchanged a look... Torinn was new to the group. He was taken on for the quest only because the team was down a member, and Torinn's fame and glory from the Crucible seemed to make him the best plausible candidate. No music haunted his ears. He only searched for god roll shotguns and small orange rocks. Ryden Samir held firm. "Felron and I go way back. He owes me a favor... a few in fact. It's not in his nature to go back on a promise." Ryden spoke with the confidence of a lifelong friend, and yet uncertainty and fear crept into his steady voice. He had lost enough friends on this journey. "Oh, I know that voice, Mr. Leader man. That's the "I'm saying this because it sounds good and leader-y, not because it's true. For all we know the fellow could be indulging in the pleasures of the Leviathan..." Zara laughed despite herself. Even Ryden cracked a grin. "Well, looks like I've been caught red-handed, very observant of you, my... burly friend!" Another hunter stepped out of the shadows, dressed in leather armor, with a holster at his side and smile lines on his lavender-colored Awoken face. "Felron Gayle... I thought I'd never hear your voice again after that business on Venus!" The two hunters shook hands, laughing. "Ryden Samir! I never thought I'd see you with your fly down!" Ryden did a double take and checked his zipper, then turned around and indignantly fixed it. "I was going to tell him, but I decided to let him figure it out himself." Felron wheeled on Torinn. "I don't know this one. Your name, honest gentleman?" "I am Torinn, of the Shore. I've heard all about you and your feats... did you truly beat the Veist Scorpions solo, six versus one, in a mayhem match?" "Well, if we're being completely honest here, I did, but not before I sprinkled something in their pre-game ramen. If they hadn't all been using the old Matador, I would've kept it a fair fight." Torinn looked at the Awoken hunter with respect. Felron turned to face Zara. "My lady of ash, how lovely it is to see you again. It has been far too long." If Zara could blush, she would have. She'd always thought his humor to be overbearing and the ease with which he killed to be disturbing, but when the starlight struck him the right way, there was something somewhat attractive about his particular shade of lavender skin. "Now, down to business. Ryden, my friend... what is this job you require?" Ryden cleared his throat and paused for a moment before speaking. "This one is off the book." Felron raised a single silver eyebrow. "I'm listening..." "Well, I need you to steal some top-secret documents." "From whom, from whom?" "These particular documents are being held in the private quarters of Commander Zavala." Felron laughed heartily. "Good one, you had me there for a second..." he stopped when he noticed he was the only one laughing. "Wait, you're serious, aren't you?" Ryden nodded gravely. "Well... in that case..." the sly hunter twiddled his thumbs and then looked up crisply. "What's in it for me?" The air instantly became thick with tension. Zara and Torinn were immediately back on guard. A silent look passed between the two of them, an agreement that if Felron tried anything, anything at all, they would be ready to defend their comrade. "You owe me one! I saved your life on Venus, and you swore to repay me. These documents are important to our quest. You know what we intend to do, and we can't do it without Zavala's diary. So what say you? Are you willing to help an old friend, one last time?" A second passed. Then two, then three, so silent you could have heard a pin drop from a mile away. Zara was on edge, ready to pounce at any moment. Felron and Ryden stared each other down, each silently sizing up the other and wondering if it would come to blows. Then, a smile broke across Felron's face, and he extended his hand to Ryden. "Deal." The moment was gone, and Zara relaxed. Torinn began to laugh with the hunters, and in that moment of relief Felron flashed a dazzling smile, which Zara decided that she liked very much.