[spoiler]This installment of Exotic History is made in part by ewokman23[/spoiler] ***Four months later*** Daniel quickly readied himself for the trip to meet his friend again. He had packed a hefty scrap of lunch for the two of them and dressed in more casual clothes. Thankfully, the militia were given days off from guarding as the Fallen attacks were starting to diminish slightly and more and more Guardians began to patrol the city for themselves. Although they were small in numbers, they could easily outlast any Fallen attack. Menendez placed his helmet on his head and got on the sparrow to crank it up when a voice stopped him cold. "Menendez!" Daniel swiftly looked back to see his commander of his squadron walking towards him. "Where are you going?" "Oh... It's my day off sir... I usually go out the Walls and just explore a bit. Sir." His commander gave him a slanted look. "What's with the big sack? And why aren't you carrying your gun?" "I... thought we were supposed to be unarmed when off duty sir." "When in the confines of the Last City, yes. But why go out there?" "I'm working on being a better milit..." "Don't give me the bulls*** answer Menendez." His commander walked forward and stared him dead in the face. "That's the way to talk to superior officers, not me." Menendez gave his commander a blank stare back, one he had perfected over the months. "Fine. I just want out of here every once and a while. I might save someone who's lost or someone who's injured. But either way I don't like being confined to the same place I'm not wanted." "Everyone is wanted here Menendez." "With all due respect sir, that's a load of bulls***." The two men stared each other down for a solid minute before the commander sighed and rubbed his neck. "Very well. Be careful out there." He pulled out his AA Type 34 'Peace Monger' rifle and slapped it to Menendez' back. "And it's not bulls*** because I care. We have lost enough as is." Menendez nodded slightly and kicked up the sparrow and zoomed off out of the City into the wilderness, leaving the Walls he guarded behind. After the long drive to the cave network, Daniel slowed down and parked the sparrow out of view and walked into the cave. He glanced about as several charts were stuck to the walls and three makeshift leather tanning cradles were propped up by the entrance, each sporting a different color skin of some animal. Daniel sighed and whistled slightly. He paused and waited as he heard scuttling from the dark hole above him as a familiar face popped out. Geriksor gave a chuckle and waved. "Well well. Nice to see Daniel again." "Hey Geriksor." He gestured towards the leather. "What's all this then?" Geriksor drew in breath as he inhaled the ether stored within his reserves and spoke again. "Little charts left. Must make do. Killed animal. Testing. Read from book Daniel gave." He held up a thin leather bound book, a small piece of what Daniel gave him over the course of the past few months. "Might work." "You know I could get you some paper?" Geriksor hissed slightly. "Paper bad from Daniel. No get wet. If wet, fall apart and smear." He growled in frustration. "Very baaaad." Daniel sighed again and took of his helmet. He sat down on the ground and rubbed his head. He thought for a moment and began to speak in Fallen dialect. "Not nice. Not my fault paper bad." Geriksor scuttled out of his hole and landed by Daniel and spoke back. "Regardless, a navigator is a disgrace without the proper charts. If a Servitor breaks with the database, then I am needed. If I have no map, then I have no neck." He touched his throat slightly. "And I wish to keep it where it is." "Fine. Reminder. Ether. Have some?" "Yes yes. I managed to snag some from a roaming band of Kings last week. I was never caught." He chuckled to himself proudly. "Kings? Here?" "Yes. They are not like the Devils. Very crafty individuals." Daniel cocked his head to the side. Geriksor paused and thought. "They are very smart."Daniel nodded and gestured for him to continue. "Kings are happy to wait out their prey for a while, then conquer when the time is right." "Soon? Maybe?" Daniel shifted uncomfortably. "No, I do not think so. Otherwise they would have been more alert of my presence when I came through. Kings do not like surprises." Daniel held up his hand. "Surprise you say?" He stood up and walked over to the sparrow, grabbing the sack of food. Geriksor chittered happily and spoke in English once again. "New food? Geriksor try?" Daniel smiled. "Yes of course." He sat back down and opened the bag to reveal a small collection of fruits and meats he had gotten from the kitchens. Geriksor picked up an apple and studied it, pointing out what he could. "Red. Not Round. Close enough. No smell." He tapped the fruit. "Hard. And soft?" He peeled away some of the outside. "Both yessss..." He removed his mask for a second and chomped down for a bite. He chewed and quickly put the mask back on. His face looked puzzled. "Soft... Wet. Sweet?" He swallowed and held up the fruit. "What is thing?" "That's an apple." "A... apple?... Sound strange. Should be athetheros. More pleasing to ear." Daniel laughed and spoke Fallen. "Words not always pleased. Just how thing called. Apple." Geriksor grunted and took another bite. He gagged and spit it out and looked at it. "Baaaad. Very baad! Bitter. Many things nasty." He spit out a seed. "Geriksor eat core. No eat that. Eat around. Throw core gone." "Throw core? Stupid... Athetheros no efficient. Waste some." "Core throw, seed in core grow. Make tree. Make more apple." Geriksor pondered this. "True... Make sense..." He looked at the apple. "Athetheros still stupid." Daniel laughed and shook his head, speaking English once again. "Geez buddy..." He paused as his radio began to pick up transmissions. He steadied the signal and listened. "Ma... y Mada.... Fallen... tack Cit... Red al... All sold... return to sta...." Daniel's eyes widened as he quickly got up. "S***! Someone has attacked the City!" Geriksor growled. "Devils. Like fight." "I will see you later Geriksor!" He quickly began to get the sparrow ready. Before he left, he turned and placed his fist against his chest and bowed. "Hide. Stays safe in the tunnels." Geriksor nodded. "Geriksor well. Daniel well too." Daniel nodded and tore off back to the City, leaving behind him a trail of dust. https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/181424464/0/0 link to part 4 https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/205299998/0/0 link to part 6 https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/172152565/0/0/1 link to The Peace Monger