Delta B2 Ch3: The Vault

The wooden porch creaked as Alice leaned on one of the support posts holding up the overhead awning. She was careful not to move her right arm as she adjusted the sling in which it rested, wincing as her injured shoulder throbbed. She cursed in frustration. Should they find themselves in trouble again, she would not be able to fight the way she wanted. The Titan took a deep breath in an effort to clear her mind. At least she was alive. She owed her life to the warlock and doctor that saved her. She looked down at the loosely fitting, hand-woven cloth that enveloped her now mortal body and sighed. Eran was also kind enough to give her a change of clothes. She was lucky to be there. Alice blinked as her eyes focused on the dripping of water from the roof above, pattering into the dirt just a few feet away in a steady rhythm she found surprisingly soothing. The storm had finally stopped and the morning sun had begun to creep out from beyond the fields, illuminating the dirt roads of the small town with glorious rays of orange and yellow. Alice couldn’t help but smile and extend her good arm, allowing the water to trickle over her bare palm. She couldn’t remember the last time she had appreciated a beautiful sunrise or the fresh smell of rain water in the air. None of those things mattered when she fought as an immortal guardian, but now… She felt vulnerable. The creak of a swinging door interrupted her thoughts as Delta marched out onto the porch. Finally having the chance to evaluate the exo, Alice looked him over, and was surprised to discover he was shirtless. His dirtied silver body was scratched and beaten all over, and she could now clearly see the jagged socket with bits of wiring and metal hanging out where his left arm used to be. Delta followed her gaze to his body and ran his metallic hand over the empty socket. “I know, I’ve seen better days.” Alice jumped as she realized what she was doing. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to stare.” “It’s fine,” he assured her, stretching his good arm. “I guess we both have a handicap.” Alice looked down at her own sling-ridden arm and laughed. “I guess we do.” The Titan looked the exo up and down once more and shrugged, extended her other hand in greeting. Delta eyed her hand with confusion. “What’s this?” “I think a proper introduction is in order,” she replied. “I’m Alice Roseburn, Sunbreaker Titan and Crucible specialist.” Delta’s expression grew serious. First he stumbles across a village founded by Shaxx himself, then a Redjack sleeper agent awakens, and now the Titan he saved is a Crucible specialist? He had already calculated the odds. This was anything but a coincidence. “I am Delta-1. Voidwalker Warlock,” said the exo, firmly grasping Alice’s hand in official greeting. “You’re an acquaintance of Shaxx too, then?” “More like an apprentice,” she admitted. Delta’s optics flared as he began to draw connections. Alice could guess what he was thinking. “It’s true. I’m here on orders from Lord Shaxx himself.” The exo nodded in understanding. It was as he expected. “Go on.” “He told me to find some kind of vault south of the City,” she explained. “But before I could get any more information, the Tower fell apart and we were separated. I’m not sure what exactly it is I’m supposed to find, but Shaxx was adamant about it, as if this vault was the difference between life and death.” Delta took a moment as he processed this information, and was surprised when he felt a sense of determination. At last. A mission to complete. “That Redjack can’t be a coincidence either,” she went on. “Perhaps he knows where the vault is.” Delta nodded in agreement. “Let’s find out.” The exo headed back inside with Alice in tow. At the kitchen table, Eran sifted through stacks of official town papers while the Redjack Kitokai stood behind him, flagging important information. “How goes the search?” said Delta as he and Alice gathered around the table. Eran shook his head with frustration. “Nothing yet. It would help if Kito gave me a little more to go on, but he keeps rambling about classification or some such nonsense.” “I apologize, Master Eran,” said Kito. “I am unable to access my internal black drive to retrieve such information without a Clearance Code Boon.” “I know!” Eran snapped. “You’ve told me that four times!” Suddenly Alice gasped, her blue eyes shrinking in realization. “What’s wrong Alice?” Delta asked, concerned. Without a word, the Titan ran into the adjacent bedroom and began tearing through her old armor and clothes stored there. It wasn’t long before she found the item in question. She sprinted back and shoved a round object in the Redjack’s face. “This is what you need, right? Lord Shaxx gave it to me before we were separated!” The frame zeroed in on the red, coin-like object in the Titan’s hand. He immediately scanned it and his posture grew rigid. Before anyone had a chance to speak, Kito snatched the object away and fed it into a slot in the back of his head. “Clearance Code Boon accepted. Black drive unlocked. Emergency Vault successfully located.” “That’s it!” Alice exclaimed. “That has to be the vault Lord Shaxx sent me to find!” Delta nodded as his mind raced, trying to put the pieces together. Lord Shaxx must have sent her this way knowing that the sleeper agent would soon wake and direct her to the proper location. Whatever was in the vault, it was clearly meant to be found in case the City fell. Eran managed to put much of it together as well. “Kito,” he said, “you’ve served my family for generations. Were you really a Redjack all this time?” “Affirmative,” said the frame. “I have always been Kitokai, ranked third among the Redjacks. I was placed here centuries ago by Lord Shaxx himself to carry out his contingency plan should the Last City fall.” “This contingency plan,” Delta cut in, “what is it?” Kito pointed at Alice. “My mission is to lead the Boon’s holder to the hidden vault, and bestow upon he or she the power that is kept within. We must leave as soon as possible. There’s no telling when the Cabal will expand their search domain.” This Delta agreed with. The ship he destroyed in the forest would not go unnoticed. Although the storm had helped cover his tracks, it was possible that the alien invaders were already trying to hunt down the culprit. The sooner they left this place, the safer they and the citizens of Warend would be. “The Redjack is right,” said the exo, turning to Alice. “Are you fit for travel?” The Titan bounced on the bridges of her feet. “Of course! My legs work just fine! I’ll admit we should probably avoid combat though.” “Then it’s settled,” said Delta. “Wait!” Eran cut in, interrupting the pair’s sudden momentum. He stood up from his chair and sighed, placing his fingers on the bridge of his nose in frustration. “You two are in no condition to be doing something so reckless!” Alice rolled her eyes. “We may be injured, but we are not out of the fight yet! If I can do something that will help save the people of the City, then I will not hesitate to do it!” Delta nodded in agreement and watched Eran to see what he would do. The doctor glanced back and forth between them and then sighed again in submission. “Fine,” he said. “In that case, I’m coming with you.” Delta felt he had to interject. “There is no need to accompany us. You don’t have to put your life in danger for our sake.” “The hell I don’t!” Eran growled. “Guardians you may be, but the two of you are my patients! Someone has to make sure you don’t kill yourselves! I’m coming with you, and that’s final.” Delta looked at Alice worriedly, but she just shrugged. “If he wants to throw himself into danger, let him,” she said. “I will not get in the way of a man doing his duty.” Delta’s eyes widened. It never occurred to him that Eran acted out of duty. “Be that as it may, I must hear it from his own mouth. Eran, why are you willing to risk your life for ours?” The doctor crossed his arms as he took a few seconds to formulate an answer. “Well, in the end it’s quite simple,” he said. “I’m not getting any younger, and the only source of protection for this town has been wiped out. It’s only natural that I step up. Someone has to do it.” Delta grinned and nodded slowly. “A fine answer. Very well. You may accompany us as we uncover the vault.” Eran grunted at the exo. “Of course. I wasn’t looking for permission anyway.” “Wonderful,” said Kitokai, who was listening to the conversation. “Now that our party is in order, we must set out immediately. Gather what you need. I will lead you to vault.” [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Post?groupId=1371758&postId=249597758&sort=0&page=0]Part 2[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/224417569?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=1]The Hub[/url]