[i]"The core is an inescapable, hellish inferno. Nothing can survive there. The core of stars are a place where even atoms are smashed together, heated beyond recognition, stripped of identity and remade as new things or simply radiated bit by bit out into a void gleefully consuming the byproduct. Don't you understand? Being too close to the Light, or any locus of power, is to forfeit life. Comparably, the surface of a star is relatively cool. Spectacular, but ultimately impotent. A slave to gravity, a slave to its own radiance. The corona, however... The outside 'atmosphere' of a star. The hottest, the most accessible. We will not travel together. But I will advise you. Stay to the fringes, Guardian." ~ "Corona" [/i] ____________________________________________________________________________________ [i]"Chiora El-Alket. A name I didn't think I'd need to speak again. You'd think we'd have learned a thing or two about the everpresent threat of... loose ends."[/i] Zavala was projected as a miniature version of himself, a ghostly blue projection from the palm of Doss' left hand. Fault tried his best not to be judgmental. Grafting a projector into his hand seemed like it was somehow dismissive of the notion that Exo are as human as humans, only sans the flesh---but then, if tatoos and other body modifications were perfectly acceptable then... Perhaps it was merely jealousy that Fault himself couldn't have something to handy installed. [i]Handy. Hah.[/i] The Commander folded his hand at the small of his back, taking a deep breath and beginning to pace. Fault could see that he was walking, but the projection didn't move. "Never heard of her." Ricochet grumbled from the other side of Doss. "But I'm gonna just take a guess and say that this whole Mars situation has something to do with her. Or else you wouldn't be bothering us in the middle of an op." Zavala stopped, and looked into whatever device on his end was allowing him to be seen. He took a deep breath, and Fault recognized that expression as his attempt to gather his patience. [i]"Sorry to [b]bother[/b] you, Guardian. But this is pressing. I'm not certain when you started running ops for Cayde anyway, or when you forgot that you answer to[b] me[/b]. Everyone seems to have let that slip their mind recently. We'll talk later. For now, intel suggests she may be headed to Phobos. You'll meet her there."[/i] "Is she dangerous? I mean, are we dealing with a rogue Guardian here or...?" Fault arched and eyebrow, folding his arms over his chest. [i]"I wouldn't send rogues to deal with a rogue. No. Chiora can be reasoned with just---delicately."[/i] Zavala seemed to be choosing his words carefully. Fault shifted his eyes from the projection, to look across at Ricochet. Their eyes met for a moment, but Ricochet wasn't letting anything on. The large Titan had his helmet off, tucked under his right arm. His dark eyes were hard, as they always were. The interior of their small ship didn't leave much room for any of them to move about, and drawn to his full height he seemed almost comically unfit for the small face. His expression was anything but comical. While Ricochet had a reputation of being a thundercloud of a presence, there were subtle differences which Fault had learned to pick up on in his old friend and ally. This particular look was [i]I probably know something, but weren't not going to let that on in front of the Commander.[/i] Fault drew a deep breath, then nodded. "...alright. Well, uh, we can get to Phobos from here. Since we're here. Guess the strategy of... you know, mostly shooting everything up there is working for the other strike teams..." He trailed off. [i]"Not precisely."[/i] Zavala clarified tensely. [i]"But the majority of the fighting is not your concern. You're to go and intercept Chiora, and be certain that she isn't present to exacerbate an already deteriorating situation. The Vex seem to have taken a sudden interest in Phobos, perhaps for the same reason she has. The Vex run like scattering roaches from Oryx's hoard, so the sudden aggression is... suspect. Whatever they both want, you're to find a way to secure it first. Engage as necessary. And---" [/i] Zavala paused. [i]"If you get the chance, if she'll listen, tell her I said I'm sorry."[/i] The transmission cut. The three of them stared at the empty space over Doss' palm for a few silent seconds, before the Exo closed his hand and traded glances between them. Fault shrugged, and looked at Ricochet. Ricochet was putting his helmet back on. "....right, so now that that's awkward---" Fault started, Ricochet interrupted him. "Probably something to do with Osiris. Usually shit that goes in the [i]not our problem[/i] category. Guess it is, today." His moved from its usual rumble to the tinny, distorted note of being filtered through his helmet speakers. There was a brief hiss of compressed air as his bulky armor suit sealed. "Ricochet." Doss spoke quietly. "We're to deal with Vex as well as Cabal and Taken, most likely. Will you be alright?" Fault inwardly winced. Ricochet was already turning away, to hunch and make his way into a forward compartment. He stopped. Fault glanced at Doss, who stared with his usual unblinking white backlit gaze. Ricochet didn't respond. He just stopped for that instant, and then kept going wherever he was going. "Can you look up this Chiora chick?" Fault asked sidelong to Doss, catching a quick nod. "I'll ask my Ghost to help. I assume we'll head straight there, but I'll know as much as I can by then." Fault nodded, breathing out a sigh. "...I'll call Fox. He's not going to call for backup until long [b]after[/b] we need it on this one." He took one more look around the compartment, as Doss moved off to prepare. "She'll probably be able to tell me where I know that name from." He muttered, mostly to himself. He found his eyes on the Vanguard Assault Lance logo emblazoned on the wall behind where Doss stood, still visible even in the low lighting. He heard the drives spin up, and the engine start to rumble. Reddish dust still drifted through the air, leftover from their last op. Things had been relatively quiet for a bit, after Philadelphia. Officially instated as a team, going about doing the Tower's dirty work in conveniently off-screen sort of ways. They hadn't had to be together as an entire group since Philadelphia. Not even when some team killed Crota and pissed off Oryx. They were launched on cleanup duty for that, but not directly involved. Not being directly involved seemed like a good place to be. Center stage seemed to have a far higher mortality rate. It was far less likely to bump into someone particularly dangerous, out on the fringes. But if Lorentis, Law, Angel, or Trinity were any indication than it wasn't entirely unlikely either. [i]Hopefully Chiora's just an old flame of Zavala's or something. That's gotta be it.[/i] There was more space to breathe, out here on the edges of major events. But when things got hot... ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [spoiler]Guess who's back? :) Keep an eye out for more, and I'll link each section as I go along.[/spoiler]