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Destiny: Gospel of a New Genesis [Evangelion/Destiny]

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Alright, Shaxx, get a Crucible arena set up in the vicinity of Rasputin's entrance ASAP!
 
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4.4, in which everyone's expectations regarding a certain Evangelion Pilot are subverted.
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    • Misato huffed, resigning herself to a bunch of headaches in the near future. "Great. So, do you have any information that can help us out? Like, data about life before the Collapse? Or even from the Cataclysm?" If nothing else, it would offer some context to the flashes and blank spots that decided to rush through her head without so much as a how-do-you-do, or give her greater context about her past. "It would really help, because it would make a lot of people happy."

    "IF YOU INSIST." A nearby server suddenly beeped, and out slid an entire hard drive. "THAT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR YOUR PURPOSES."

    "How much does it contain?"

    "ENOUGH."

    Sometimes, Misato really wished for a visor with transparent materials. It made giving the stink-eye much less enjoyable. "And why not all of it?"

    "I HAVE TO LEAVE AT LEAST SOME REASON FOR PEOPLE TO RETURN. THIS DIMENSION IS QUITE LONELY, IN SPITE OF THE OTHER MAGI. SOME OF THEM ARE...UNPLEASANT."

    Misato's ire dimmed. "...I can understand that." She calmly grabbed the hard drive, looking idly at something that was, in this day and age, utterly outdated. "Will it survive going through the portal?"

    "YES."

    "Good. Now I just have to try and make sure I don't get caught on the way out..."

    "THE ANCHOR FUNCTION OF THE TRANS-DIMENSIONAL CAUSEWAY IS ONE-WAY."

    "Say what now?"

    "THE PORTAL THAT YOU USED TO ENTER THIS DIMENSION IS FIXED TO THIS LOCATION. HOWEVER, THIS PORTAL IS UNFIXED; SINCE THIS DIMENSION IS HOMEOMORPHIC TO A PROBABILITY SPACE, YOU COULD THEORETICALLY EMERGE AT ANY COORDINATE WITHIN SPACETIME."

    "...that doesn't help. That doesn't help at all!"

    "THE PROBABILITY MEASURE IS WILLPOWER."

    "...eh?!"

    "Wark."

    "Oh. That helps." Misato shot an annoyed glare at the MAGI. "You could've just told me that I had to think about where I wanted to end up, and that would do the trick!"

    "I DID."

    "Feh, whatever." Misato turned back towards the portal, which crackled and shimmered as she approached. "Let's go Pen-Pen. We got what we needed."

    "Wark."

    The Hunter glanced over her shoulder, looking meaningfully at RASPUTIN. "...there'll be a lot of people who are gonna try and find a way to pull you out of here. You'll have new company before long."

    "I CAN IMAGINE. TREAD LIGHTLY, HEIR OF THE TRAVELER."

    Misato nodded, as did her Ghost. Calmly, they entered the portal, vanishing in a crack of light. The gateway died down, and the facility was once more quiet...but it was not quite empty. Or at least, it was no longer so.

    "YOU CAN COME OUT NOW. I KNOW YOU'RE THERE."

    "I am aware." The voice had a subtle twang to it, the kind that belonged to all Exos. It was a quietly feminine voice, small and fragile, like old china. "You did well. They will need SIVA if they are to make it to Venus in the numbers that they need."

    "THEY DESERVE ALL THE INFORMATION AT MY DISPOSAL."

    "And they will get it when the time is right." The Exo stepped out from behind a row of servers, clad in a dark bodysuit with a dusty blue hood and cloak. "Too little, and they will be caught unawares. Too much, and they will stretch themselves thin out of panic. If they had it all...then they would destroy themselves, knowing the truth of the Contradiction. This is the most optimal solution."

    "I AGREE WITH YOU. BUT THEY STILL DESERVE IT ALL."

    "In time." The Exo's white face gazed at the portal, once more dead and quiet. The form of the technology triggered several flashes, insights and impressions from within and beyond.

    "SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN GLAD TO SEE YOU."

    The Exo looked back at the MAGI with glowing eyes, colored a striking shade of red. "Lady Katsuragi likely would have been. And then she would have had many questions. Questions that I cannot yet answer."

    "QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULDN'T ANSWER. QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER ANSWER."

    "...farewell, RASPUTIN. Our next encounter will be...uncertain."

    "HOW UNFORTUNATE. I HOPE I'LL HAVE BETTER COMPANY BY THEN."

    The Exo quietly turned away, holding a strange pulse rifle with a steady grip. In the course of a single step, the strange woman unfolded in strands of white light, vanishing entirely from this current slice of existence.

    And then RASPUTIN was once more alone.
     
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    • Huh, Rei's the Exo Stranger. And just as mysterious.
     
    4.5, in which Misato crashes the party. So to speak.
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    • The moment Misato and Pen-Pen crossed the portal-

    (Over and over, she sent them out to face those monsters. Over and over, she wished she could join them.)​

    -they found themselves facing a table.

    SMACK!

    Pen-Pen eyed Misato curiously as she crashed into the long piece of furniture, sending papers flying. "Wark."

    "Don't sass me..." grumbled Misato.

    "Ah, if it isn't one of my favorite Guardians!"

    The exclamation prompted Misato to wearily look up; staring at her were none other than the Vanguard. Well, at least I made it to the Tower like I wanted.

    Cayde-6 continued speaking. "I have to say, this is easily the second most surprising time you've crashed in uninvited."

    "...and the first?"

    "Twilight Gap, in the SUROS Foundry, surrounded by a swarm of Iruelim with my fireteam. You crashed through the roof with your jumpship, eliminated the Fallen via divebomb. Ring any bells?"

    "...oh yeah. That probably was surprising," admitted Misato with a chuckle.

    "Lady Katsuragi," said Saint-14, obviosuly bewildered by her sudden appearance. "What just happened? Last I heard from Lord Saladin, you were investigating the anomaly that Owl Sector alerted him to."

    "Oh. Right!" Misato sat up, turning towards the Vanguard Commander. "So. Would you believe it if I told you I found a MAGI?"

    The subtle shift in Osiris's stance evoked the impression of a 'raised eyebrow'.

    "And," she continued, pulling out the old hard drive. "Would you believe it if said MAGI gave me a bunch of information about Pre-Collapse humanity?" She raised her hand for others to see the hard drive...and it was no longer in her hand, already swiped by Osiris.

    The grin on the Warlock's face was delightfully demented. Or dementedly delightful. "Saint-14, you can have command for the time being. I'll be in the company of the Cryptarchy for an...indefinite length of time." The Vanguard Commander practically floated out of headquarters, so great was his excitement. He also literally floated out of headquarters, turning the heads of a few Guardians as he levitated past them.

    Cayde and Misato shook their heads. "Warlocks."

    Saint-14 sighed. "It seems not even Osiris is immune to every Warlock quirk..." The Titan Vanguard straightened, and already the atmosphere became sterner. "Lady Katsuragi...what else did you discover?"

    The Iron Lady hopped off of the table, quietly removing her helmet. Long locks of purple hair spilled past her shoulders, and a heart-shaped face - that of a woman in her prime - almost grabbed his focus. However, her brown eyes - heavy with the weight of centuries, yet still possessing a spark of youthful vigor, against all odds - always commanded attention. "The MAGI...RASPUTIN...he indicated a way for us to actually control SIVA."

    "Are you sure? But I thought that the Iron Lords-"

    "I know what happened. I was there."

    (The storm of red scattered them all. All it took was one touch, just a single touch, and her comrades were no longer so.)​

    "There's apparently some kind of intelligence that's been in control of SIVA. If we destroy it, whatever it is, then we can reclaim SIVA for the City. But we'll need to be quick." She leaned on the table, looking directly at both of the Vanguard leaders. "The Fallen want SIVA, to help push back the Hive. We can't let that happen: whether they fall under the control of this 'intelligence', or even if they somehow manage to take full possession of SIVA...either outcome will be disastrous for us."

    Saint-14 nodded. "We will begin coordinating an organized offensive. Do you have an idea of where we should begin?"

    Misato nodded grimly. "Yeah..."

    (From the great observatory, she stared at the realm beyond the Cosmodrome. With their numbers depleted...they could no longer hope to keep it free from hostiles. And thus it was abandoned.)​

    "...the Ironlands."

    Cayde-6 broke the dramatic moment with a wry chuckle. "Well well...you never fail to make things interesting, Katsuragi."

    xxxx

    Grimoire: The MAGI

    The legendary MAGI have long been whispered of by the Warlocks, and alluded to by the Speaker: biological supercomputers, they were rumored to have been hidden during the Collapse, a last line of defense to protect the remnants of humanity as we recovered from the ravages of the Darkness. It was a compelling myth.

    It is a myth that has been substantiated. In the course of exploring the Cosmodrome, Lady Katsuragi made positive contact with MAGI-15: RASPUTIN. She returned with the gift of knowledge and discovery: over two dozen MAGI still live, diminished and separate, but unbroken.

    Constructed before the Cataclysm by an organization known as GEHIRN, the MAGI - despite their age - represent the cutting edge in organic computing, capable of acting in concert. The means by which they affect the metaphysical are still unknown; only that their efforts are why the full force of the Darkness has yet to take advantage of the Traveler's crippled state.

    Aside from RASPUTIN, the physical and computational architecture of the MAGI remain a mystery; due to the stark nature of their isolation, we must remain open to the possibility of rampancy, or that the other MAGI may be compromised. Establishing physical contact with the other MAGI is now a significant priority.

    If we can retrieve the MAGI from the dimension they are now sequestered in, perhaps their efforts to protect us on a metaphysical level can be extended to the physical as well.    ​

    xxxx

    /and thus ends chapter 4
     
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    • Judging from the flashbacks, Misato was still tactical commander for the Evas. Shinji is gonna get glomped.
     
    5.0, in which we take a brief detour beyond Earth.
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    • Grimoire: The Fallen

    "We have butchers at our gates - a gaggle of strangeness, but all eager for slaughter."

    The Fallen are ruthless scavengers. Brutal and uncaring, they arrived on their massive Ketches in the wake of the Collapse to loot and pillage our devastated worlds.

    There are hints of ancient nobility to the Fallen - the scars of lost grandeur, whispers of a once-mighty confederation. For such disparate species, there are shared features: the Archons speak mysteries to the Prime Servitors, the Fallen's greatest living relics; the Kells of each House claim a divine right to rule.

    But they leave only grief and wreckage in their wake.    ​

    xxxx

    Far away from Mercury, its simmering surface, and its interlocking structures of brass and bronze.

    Far away from Venus, its immense jungles, its infestation of alien scavengers, and its untold subjugation by the Vex.

    Far away from Earth, its desolate wastes, its Fallen-congested wilderness, and its crippled 'interloper'.

    Far away from Luna, its lifeless surface, its horde of vermin, and their awakening godling.

    Far away from Mars, its red deserts, its legion of Cabal, and their unceasing advance.

    Far, far away from it all...there was a family of asteroids, within the Belt. Known as Vesta, this cluster was now home to a new dynasty, out on the border between the Light and the Dark.

    The largest asteroid within the Vestian family - and the second-largest of all within the Belt - once bore the unimaginative description of '4 Vesta'. Now, it was colloquially known as Sovereign, the base of power for the Reef.

    We delve underneath the surface, sprawling with a mixture of prefabricated structures and buildings fashioned from the wreck of Fallen ships. We move past thousands upon thousands of Awoken, easily the largest concentration within the Solar System...and to no surprise, for here is where they first came to be. Deeper we go, to a fortified chain of facilities within the asteroid, home to the aeroponics and hydroponics facilities that fed the whole dominion.

    A particularly special Awoken stood outside the window overlooking one of these facilities, quietly observing the workers tend to rows of aeroponically-grown maize and potatoes. To those who looked at her, she would seem just another Awoken, with pale blue hair and gray skin that was almost ashen. The clothing was a bit finer than normal - a black bodysuit adorned with various pieces of mismatched-yet-pristine armor, covered by a violet cloak with gray fur adorning the neck's hem - yet nothing that would seem out of place in the Reef. However, it was the pendant around her neck that would signal her true status, for it bore the symbol of authority: a spiked ring of gold, surrounding a trio of golden kites which in turn were bordered by two white triangles.

    "My Lady."

    The young woman turned, red eyes glowing brilliantly within the dim corridor. She looked upon the kneeling Fallen, and acknowledged it. "Yes?"

    The humanoid slowly rose, its form shrouded in a shadowy haze that pulsed with will and intent. The head was nothing more than a humanoid skull, with a strangely-shaped jaw and deep sockets, seemingly levitating in the dark fog that comprised its body. Painted onto the skull's crown was the same symbol on her pendant: not a symbol of authority as it was with her, but a mark of allegiance, or perhaps ownership. "Our Kell desires your presence."

    "Has she already called for our brother?"

    "Yes."

    "I see." It seems her sister wanted to make a unified show of power. Such were among the daily doldrums that she had to endure. A shame; watching their food grow - silently, quietly, without any malice or ill will, existing only to be consumed, and uncaring of it all - was her favorite hobby. "Then let us be off."

    "Of course."

    And so Nula Sov - Princess of the Reef and Mistress of Secrets - departed, accompanied by the Zeruelim that swore fealty to the Queen.
     
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    • 5.1, in which the we see the royal family and a blind guy.
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    • Nula Sov often wondered about her siblings' taste for the theatrical; within the depths of Sovereign, the Queen's throne room held a strange, otherworldly glow: a pale violet light, the kind which had permeated the Reef ever since the Collapse. Suspended amidst an immense chamber carved from the asteroid's rock, draped with multiple overlapping sheets of deep red, the entire throne room evoked royalty; authority; power.

    Standing idly at Prince Uldren's left side, the Princess pondered the familiar routine, knowing it was very likely that their visitor would soon be dead. Alas, it was all up to the Queen.

    Nula watched as the visitor approached, flanked by two Awoken of the Queen's Guard; compared to their dark and lavender bodysuits and armor, the visitor was a proverbial lighthouse by comparison: awash in robes of yellow and dark brown. Although his eyes could not be seen, the symbol on his shawl was clear: on the portion overlapping his right shoulder, the white circle with a jagged black outline - an impression of an exploding star - was clear enough as to his loyalty.

    Her brother stood tall in front of the empty throne, leering at the visitor. "So. This is the trespasser demanding an audience?" Uldren - clad in the slim, gunmetal armor and gray cloak characteristic of the Crows, bearing pale blue skin, a black asymmetric haircut, and piercing yellow eyes - sneered at the human. "And why should we entertain your request? Because no one travels this far from Earth without something to gain."

    "I am here to speak with the Queen of the Reef."

    "The Queen herself judges who may or may not be allowed to speak to her." Uldren quietly stepped down the stairs, away from the throne fashioned from the commanding seat of a Fallen Kell; every single gesture was calculated, to be as condescending as possible. "Me? I see no reason she should deal with riffraff that washes up on our shores...but here we are."

    The man's lips quirked into a wry smile. "The assistance of the Reef would be most...appreciated."

    From behind the throne, two Zeruelim emerged, growling malevolently at the visitor. Their hazy limbs sharpened into spears of black, ready to impale the man where he stood.

    He did not move a muscle.

    And then the Queen emerged. "It isn't afraid of the Fallen..." The Awoken woman with feathery hair of silvery blonde and shimmering blue skin walked methodically, her clothes of black and purple bearing strange tones of authority despite their seemingly casual style. Her leather jacket's collar was coated with silver fur, another odd stylistic choice. "...it understands that these ones are mine." It was all tied together by her blue eyes, glowing as if containing an entire constellation. That sense of charisma and might...all of it bled through her eyes. With those eyes, even a pauper would be seen as a king. "What troubles a servant of the All-Seeing Eye to come so far, with so much uncertainty?" Mara Sov - Ruler of the Reef, Queen of the Awoken, and Kell of House Zeruel - sat down, slowly crossing her left leg over the right. Her minor slouch perfectly communicated how little she thought of the visitor. "Especially one who has not been 'gifted' by the Traveler?"

    The man bowed courteously. "You are well-informed, your Grace."

    "We are not ignorant of the affairs of Earth. Even if you would prefer to be ignorant of ours." The cool tone masked the acerbic words.

    The man smiled. "The Vanguard Commander is truly grateful for the role played by the Reef during the Battle of Twilight Gap. It was at the Speaker's insistence that your contribution wasn't publicized. I believe he said something about how...in a pitched battle, daggers are only useful if they aren't seen coming."

    Uldren scowled. "Your impudent tongue would look better on the floor. It's up to you if it is still attached."

    The Queen smiled lightly. "Ah...your Speaker. He is not as foolish as one would expect...and that's what makes him so dangerous."

    "At the end of the day, aren't we all schemers, your Grace?" asked the man in yellow.

    "This one presumes much," snarled Uldren.

    Mara Sov cut through the tension with a mere word. "The Queen requests counsel with her brother."

    Nula watched quietly as her brother - slowly, almost painfully - turned around, walking up the steps and leaning towards the Queen. Her sister whispered quietly, her words illegible. Finally, Uldren rose, turning back towards the visitor. "Your request?"

    "Nothing in particular, for now. This is only meant to establish grounds for the future, where a more...equitable partnership may be realized."

    Uldren's eyes narrowed. "Such as?"

    The man smiled. "A favor for a favor."

    The Prince frowned, and the Zeruelim tensed. The Queen did not react, her eyes staring dispassionately at the visitor. Finally, her sister spoke. "What does the Queen's Mistress of Secrets make of its request?"

    The Princess's gaze narrowed upon the visitor in yellow, noting his calm stance and the obvious lack of eyes. Despite the loss of vision, the man acted as though he was aware of all his surroundings.

    Nula Sov closed her eyes.

    She was behind him, now. It would be simple to kill him.

    Retracting a knife from her armor, she plunged it towards the back of his neck.

    He never saw it coming.    ​

    Nula Sov opened her eyes. Nothing had changed. "...the Mistress of Secrets believes that this one may be indulged, my Queen. Even though his masters may be a threat...Brother Vance currently bears us no danger."

    For the first time, the man seemed surprised. His lips quirked with an odd smile. "Truly, you have eyes far and wide, to know the name of a lowly peon like myself."

    The Queen slowly stood. "This will not be the last we speak with the people of Earth's Last City. You are free to leave; I hope your departure from the Reef is a peaceful one."

    Brother Vance bowed, and he slowly turned, allowing the Queen's Guard to escort him from the throne room.

    Nula Sov watched these events in silence, pondering how events would pan out from this particular instance of time.
     
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    • 5.2, in which even *more* questions are raised.
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    • Soon, the siblings were alone in the throne room, and they could speak freely. "I don't like it." Prince Uldren slowly paced, his yellow eyes narrow with suspicion. "The affairs of the Traveler and the City are none of our business. Their wars are not ours."

    "I disagree," said Princess Nula. "We Awoken were born because of the affairs of the Traveler. The nature of the schism between the Light and the Darkness means that its affairs will inevitably become ours, once more."

    "We have managed to carve an actual way of life in this patch of rock and void," countered Uldren. "On the edge of Light, the edge of Dark; we have become a power unto ourselves. We ended the Reef Wars, and gained the loyalty of two Fallen Houses! We do not need the City, nor do we need the Traveler."

    "But there is no guarantee of that scenario continuing. We may be more easily ignored, but it only means we are more easily swept aside, if push comes to shove. Our position is more precarious than you think, dear brother."

    Uldren frowned. "Explain, dear sister."

    "It is elementary." Nula closed her eyes, seeing far and wide; flashes flickered through her mind, from Earth, and its Moon; from Venus; from Mars. "If the Fallen triumph over the City, they will reclaim the Traveler, their vaunted 'Great Machine'. The other Houses will quickly unite under their banner, and will undoubtedly come to the aid of their brethren in the Reef. If the Hive triumph, then the hunger of Crota will scour the entire system...and we are not Dark enough to spare. If the Vex accomplish whatever their inscrutable designs are, then the entire continuum of space and time will be their plaything." The Princess opened her eyes, staring forlornly at her brother. "The triumph of the Cabal would honestly be the kindest of those outcomes. They will simply settle for annihilating us."

    "You underestimate our strength," retorted the Prince. "I am not foolish enough to suggest we could stand against their full might as we are now. But if ever the City were to fall...we would not be the same as we are now. We would be stronger."

    "We might also be weaker."

    "I will not let us become weak."

    Mara Sov's sardonic chuckle stopped their argument in its tracks. "My dear siblings...this little debate of yours would continue until the heat death of the universe if no one intervened. Brother." She turned towards Uldren. "Your little sister is simply being mindful of all possible outcomes, even the unfavorable ones. Her role as Mistress of Secrets merits nothing less."

    "...of course. Apologies, your grace."

    "As for you, sister," Mara said, turning towards her. "Your older brother is merely dedicated to the power of the Awoken, and intent on ensuring the Reef's continued survival. Do not let your fatalism color everything."

    "Understood. My apologies, sister."

    The Queen smiled wryly. "In the end, never forget the I am Queen. The Awoken are my family. And I will not allow my family to come to harm."

    xxxx

    Those words - of familial bonds, of fellowship - quietly churned through Nula's mind as she traversed the breadth of Sovereign, eventually finding herself arriving at the Vestian Outpost: it was the designated port of entry for the asteroid, where other Awoken throughout the Reef would arrive for security screening. Formed from the ruins of an old Fallen Ketch and a much smaller asteroid, it was a great bastion locked in low orbit over Sovereign; if trouble ever knocked on their doors, no one would ever mistake its source.

    "Ah, Princess Nula! You are making your rounds, yes?"

    She paused at that voice: calm and not unpleasant, yet with a strange presentation. It was as though the human tongue were...utterly foreign. And honestly, it was no surprise. "Variks." She turned, looking at the enigmatic Fallen. "You are not at the Prison of Elders?"

    "I heard that Hive were on the move, thrashing with tooth and claw." Variks was sitting atop a crate, his body shrouded by a green cloak with a high collar; the hardy brown pants with black boots were the only bits of clothing he wore, with the rest of his upper body being bare. Tattooed upon his pale abdomen was the symbol of his House: four equidistant circles, mixed with horizontal lines and four curly spikes at the corners, all in dark ink. Embedded within his sternum was a miniature Servitor of sorts, radiating with cyan light. It was certainly an unusual arrangement, yet an understandable one, given his...unique position. "Also heard that Fallen on Earth were seeking strange machinery, yes? Old tech, from before the Great Machine's slumber."

    "...you are well-informed."

    The Fallen chuckled, running a hand through his ashen hair. An all-too human face looked at her, crimson eyes twinkling with a strange humor. "Was Variks out of place to learn?"

    "...no. Not necessarily."

    The sole living member of the House of Tabris smiled. "That is why of the royal family, you are my favorite: sensible and clear-minded, yes?"

    xxxx


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    • 5.3, in which we have an unwanted jailbreak.
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    • Nula Sov quietly walked through the Outpost, followed by Variks the Loyal. "What are your thoughts regarding the events on Earth?"

    The Fallen thoughtfully scratched his chin, a strangely human gesture. "So many Houses, scattered across Earth. Arael. Shamshel. Gaghiel. Bardiel. Ramiel. They throw selves against walls of Guardians, using threat of numbers. Bloody. Effective. Yet slowly losing ground. Both sides dealing with Hive filth. Fallen Houses will be...desperate."

    "I concur." The Fallen Houses beyond Earth were too preoccupied with other affairs to focus on the hunt for SIVA. Yet, if one obtained that hidden boon, they could conceivably turn the entire conflict on its head. "And desperation makes for poor strategical choices."

    "But can also make for inspired tactics, yes?"

    Nula stood at the edge of the docks in the Outpost's main hangar, leaning against the railing. The Sun's light was distant, but the luminescence of the Reef - the radiant haze of violet, an artifact of the Collapse - provided more than enough visible light. "Perhaps."

    "And what of your thoughts on other factors, Mistress of Secrets? Emerging Hive; mysterious Vex; unyielding Cabal; and our dear...benefactors." Variks' crimson gaze looked over her shoulder, peering curiously at a distant dock.

    The Princess followed his gaze, and frowned at the sight: hunched over, in a black trench coat with hood, a merchant with an unseen face. "Xûr." A strange fellow, and a servant of...an old power. "The Nine are...unpredictable."

    "Rulers of Jovians, numbers unknown. Motives...inscrutable," murmured Variks.

    Nula glanced back at Variks, the only living member of the secretive House Tabris - the proverbial Kell, Archon, and Prime Servitor all in one - and pondered the Fallen's own motives. "As are yours, Variks the Loyal."

    Variks smiled innocently. Thanks to his human appearance, he could pull it off; and that was dangerous. "You yourself acknowledge the loyalty of Variks, yes?"

    Nula opened her mouth to respond, but paused at the sudden yellow glow from the Servitor in Variks' chest. It emitted a subtle, electronic growl.

    The Fallen frowned, his visage of good cheer dropped. "Someone unwanted, at Prison of Elders."

    Beyond the docks, in space, one could see several oblong vessels - colored sterling blue, three prongs along a central hull: a fatal flower in full bloom - break off from their patrols, veering on a trajectory towards the Prison of Elders.

    "This was...unexpected," murmured Nula. "Who would be so bold?"

    Variks held a hand in front of his chest, murmuring softly as the miniature Servitor leaked wisps of smoky light. "Hmm...rogue Fallen, prowling House; could only be Sachiel..." Variks was truly displeased now. "Taniks."

    xxxx

    The Ketch was a vessel of ancient design, evoking a scalpel - or, perhaps a syringe - that pierced the veil of space and time. It was a type of ship shared by all of the Fallen Houses, one of the many signs of their shared heritage, their shared history.

    Right now, one such Ketch hovered over an asteroid once known as 1929 Kollaa, approximately seven kilometers in diameter; it now served as the host of a massive prison, filled with the Queen's 'trophies'.

    One such trophy was about to be purloined.

    A dark green humanoid stood stoically atop the hull of the Ketch, wrapped in red sashes and bearing a ragged cloak of crimson, adorned with a pattern of golden circles. Various bony ridges and plates adorned his body, most prominent around the shoulders and torso; of particular note was a jewel embedded in his sternum, perfectly spherical, perfectly red as blood. His avian face - also fashioned from bone, appearing as a mask, with a long beak - peered quietly into the emptiness of the Reef, waiting for the inevitable.

    There; several ships of the Awoken, those mewling wretches. A formidable response from the Vestian Guard, but nowhere near enough.

    The humanoid's blank eyes glowed.

    CHYOOOM!

    Space came alight as each ship vanished in a cross of pink light.

    Such a blow would warrant a heavier response, one that could present an actual threat. But by the time such a response would be made, he would be long gone.

    The communicator on his wrist chirped; the deed was done. He chuckled; his minions had grabbed the cryogenic prison containing their target, and had just been transported into the main hangar of his Ketch.

    Time to leave.

    And so Taniks - Kell of the mercenary House Sachiel - turned, transporting inside his vessel before it made the jump to FTL.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • This is already better than the original Destiny. Granted that doesn't take much, but this is legitimately good.

    Keep it up!
     
    5.4, in which the stage is set for future missions.
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    • Almost forgot a Grimoire at the intro; nothing special, but you might want to revisit threadmark 5.0 to see it.

    xxxx

    /The Throne Room, Sovereign, The Reef/

    Prince Uldren was livid. "Explain," he growled, glaring at the kneeling Awoken before him.

    Leona Bryl - one of the four Paladins in command of the Vestian Guard and its naval patrol wing, the Corsairs - lowered her head further. Her curved helmet hid all traces of the shame in her eyes. "My apologies, my Lord. The Ketch dropped out of FTL far beyond the established safe limit. We never anticipated such recklessness." When emerging from faster-than-light travel, the threat of physical impacts warranted the use of established safe zones, to protect the vessel from kinetic impacts. Too deep into the realm of the Reef, or the Asteroid Belt in general...and you risked destroying yourself. "We were unaware until we heard that the Prison of Elders was being assaulted."

    "Variks did not have a high opinion of the culprit," commented Princess Nula, standing stoically beside the Queen's throne. "Taniks and the House of Sachiel are apparently infamous amongst the Fallen for their navigational daring and unusual tactical maneuvers."

    "That is all very fascinating, but that doesn't erase the mess we must deal with! An Archon Priest, freed; and a jailbreak that we have to put down!" Uldren continued his irritated pacing.

    "My sister Paladins have already dispatched forces to quell the uprising," acknowledged Leona. "Variks the Loyal is assisting them."

    xx

    Deep in the catacombs of the Prison of Elders, Hive thralls stormed at the line of Awoken soldiers, bearing the sturdy armor and sharp colors of the Royal Army. Sidearms discharged bullets of Arc energy into the wave of undead, putting down the beasts that House Sachiel had released in the midst of their smash-and-grab.

    Variks idly observed from behind the line, flanked by two loyal Zeruelim. "Destroy any Hive that you see. If you encounter any Fallen...discretion is yours, yes?"

    The two Zeruelim growled, their limbs sharpening.

    "If, by chance, you encounter those of House Zeruel, who still refuse to kneel before their proper Kell...leave them for me." The ashen-haired humanoid gestured with a flick of his fingers. "Advance."

    Snarling with savage glee, the Zeruelim charged. The Awoken soldiers seamlessly parted, allowing a flurry of shadowy blades to slice into the horde.

    xx

    "Then I suppose there is little to worry about," said the Queen, looking dispassionately at her Paladin. "Variks is many things, but when it comes to his prison, he is quite...diligent."

    "The matter remains that it should never have gotten this far." Uldren turned back towards the kneeling Paladin. "Rework the Corsairs' patrols. This will not happen again."

    "Of course, my Lord."

    "Leave."

    Dutifully, Leona Bryl departed the throne room, properly chastised; once again, the siblings were alone.

    "Still...a message must be sent," said Mara Sov, idly observing her siblings. "That mercenary scum cannot be allowed to think he can operate with impunity."

    "If this 'Taniks' ever returns to the Reef, we will annihilate him on sight," vigorously said Uldren.

    "Of course. But beyond the Reef...he must still bear my displeasure."

    "...what are you suggesting, my Queen?"

    Mara smiled, ever-so-slightly: her expression was akin to an alpha predator, the top of the food chain. "Our visitor...how did it put it? Perhaps it is time begin 'establishing grounds for a more equitable partnership'. Set a bounty for both the Archon and for Taniks. Deliver word to the City...and we will see how eager their Guardians are to jump at my command. Unless..." She turned towards her sister, adding, "my dear Mistress of Secrets has an alternative?"

    Nula Sov frowned, closing her eyes.

    Another time. Another place. Another plane of reality.

    "Toland. Has she found it yet?"

    The Shattered - in more ways than one - spoke from across the ether. "No. She has not."

    "I see.    "​

    Nula Sov opened her eyes. Now was not the proper time for escalation. "No. A bounty should suffice. There are many Guardians who would be enticed by the prospect of treasure from the Reef."

    Mara Sov nodded. "Very well. Send the word, my brother. Make sure your Crows remain observant."

    Uldren Sov bowed. "Of course, my Queen."

    The Queen's word was Law.

    xxxx

    Grimoire: The Royal Family

    "We are noble too, oh Lord of Zeruel. Starlight was our mother; and our father was the dark."

    The Queen of the Awoken is as much an enigma as the Reef she rules. It is said that she won her crown through ruthlessness, and that she stands as master of the Fallen House of Zeruel in place of their defeated Kell. Her brother, the Prince, is her confidant, spymaster, and deadliest enforcer. Her sister, the Princess, is her adviser and a walking encyclopedia of lore and arcane knowledge. With the Master of Crows as her right hand and the Mistress of Secrets as her left, the Queen's rule is absolute.

    The City's continual consolidation of its power - in spite of consistent conflict with the Fallen and the Hive - spells an end to the Reef's age of isolation. The Queen will surely look to this new era as an opportunity. And the City, in turn, must look to her and her siblings. The Reefborn Awoken have spent long ages out on the edge of everything, and they may know secrets of terrible weight - the Queen and its mysterious Princess most of all.    ​

    xxxx

    /and so ends chapter 5
     
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    • I know this may sound a bit stupid, but have we seen Rei yet? I've noticed a few candidates for a re-named Rei Ayanami, but I can't be sure.
     
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