Hello, everybody, here's part 59 of Into the Hellmouth! Here's[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/215132432?showBanned=0&path=0] part 58 i[/url]f you missed it, or, if you're looking for a different part, here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/209303839?showBanned=0&path=0]master post[/url]! As usual, if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon! Stay classy, Guardians! Eris wandered through the tunnels for days on end. She found that she could find water easily enough. However, she could feel her energy draining with every step. Somehow, killing that wizard had alleviated some of the need, but now she was growing increasingly desperate. One day, she heard a noise from farther up in the tunnels. She quickly ducked into a nearby crevice, and waited. Then, she peeked out. Two acolytes where rounding the corner, shredders in hand. They conversed in muted tones. “Do you think it’s true that there’s still a servant of the light in here?” one asked. “They’re all dead,” said the second. “My bet is that the weapons-masters fought each other, and the survivor blamed it on some ‘mysterious enemy.’” “But the body - “ the first began. “She was a weapons master,” the second one said. “Who knows what she can do?” Eris felt a hunger rising within her. Acting more out of instinct than will, she waited until the acolytes were almost upon her. Then, she grabbed the first one by the neck, and bashed it’s head against the cave wall, killing it instantly. Before the second one could react, she pulled out her knife, and jumped on it. Then, she brought her knife down upon the screeching acolyte, and as it died, she felt her hunger lessen. All the while, the green orb glowed. A chorus of voices assaulted Zavala. “How did you find out about this?” someone shouted. “Are there any other missions that we don’t know about?” “Why were we not informed sooner?” The Speaker waited a few moments before slamming his gavel down. The room quieted. The masked man looked around. “If we want the commander to answer our questions, I think that we should first allow him to speak,” he said. Then, he faced Zavala. Despite the mask covering his face, Zavala could sense that the man was anxious. “I too have questions,” he said. “First of all, how did you come by this information?” Zavala glanced over at Ikora. “I found the absence of these Guardians suspicious,” he said. “I looked in their rooms, and found data logs detailing their plans.” That was half-true. He’d found data-logs in Eris and Eriana’s quarters containing their journals. But he left out how Ikora and Cayde had confessed their involvement to him. The Speaker nodded. “I see.” Judging the tone of his voice, the Speaker seemed to have guessed that Zavala was lying, but had decided against pressing the issue. “And what of the fate of this fireteam?” Zavala sighed. “I would guess that they are dead,” he said. “They left over two weeks ago. If they had been successful, we would have heard from them by now.” The Dead Orbit representative, Arach Linde, hissed. “They should have known better,” she said. “You cannot fight something that powerful - what were the fools thinking?” “Do not call them fools,” Ikora said. The Arach appeared surprised. “What?” she asked. “Do not call them fools,” she replied once more. “They did what they thought was right. What they thought was necessary. They gave their lives to protect this city, and the people in it. Which is more than I can say for you.” She spat out the last part of the sentence as though it was a bad taste in her mouth. The Arach was enraged. She opened her mouth to utter a retort, but the Speaker struck his gavel again. “Enough!” he shouted. “Ikora, please restrain yourself. Emotions are high right now, but I would rather that this meeting did not devolve into a shouting match.” Ikora remained in her seat, and continued to glare at the Arach. The Speaker turned to Linde. “I would ask the same of you as well,” he said. “Me?!?” Arach Linde sputtered. “But I -“ “Regardless of their recent actions, every Guardian that fights for us is a hero,” the Speaker said. “Misguided they may have been, but fools they were not. Now control your tongue before I have you expelled form this meeting.” Mollified, the Arach looked away, and stared at her feet. The Speaker nodded, and then turned his attention back to Zavala. “Now,” he said, “the only remaining matter is to decide what to do with this information.” The New Monarchy representative nodded. “I say that we make this public to the Guardian ranks,” he said. “Use it as a cautionary tale against going off-Earth without Vanguard support.” Ikora stared at him, shocked. He was planning on using her fallen Guardians as a propaganda piece! The Speaker shook his head. “No,” he said. “To do so would dishonor their memory.” Lakshmi-2, the Future War Cult representative, nodded. “I vote that we honor their achievements,” she said. “Hold a public ceremony commemorating their battle for vengeance.” Arach Linde shook her head. “To do so would cause more Guardians to follow in their footsteps,” she said. “We would be all but assuring more deaths.” The Speaker nodded. “Then we hold the ceremony,” he said. “But we do not say how they met their final deaths. We simply say that they vanished in mysterious circumstances. They met their ends as heroes. Let us remember them as such.” Lakshmi nodded her ascent. “Fair enough,” she said. “Then let us vote,” the Speaker said. “All in favor?” “Future War Cult votes yes,” Lakshmi said. “As does New Monarchy.” “As does does Dead Orbit.” Zavala stood up. “As do I.” The Speaker glanced down at Ikora and Cayde. “You two have yet to cast a vote,” he said. Ikora shook her head. “They fought to avenge their friends,” she said. “They fought to save us all from Darkness. They should be enshrined in every building throughout the city!” She stood up. “We cannot - must not - relegate their legend to the shadows.” She glared at the Speaker. “I vote no.” If the Speaker was unsettled by her response, he didn’t show it. “And what of you, Cayde?” he asked. The hunter vanguard sighed. “I’m with Ikora on this one,” he said. “I made a mistake the last time I voted on this council - I’m not about to make another one. I’m gonna have to say no.” “If you are referring to the Emergency Order, then that edict is already -“ the Dead Orbit rep began. “Enough!” the Speaker said. He finally turned towards Lord Saladin. The Iron head of the Banner technically carried no formal standing on the Consensus, but the Speaker, as well as some of the representatives respected his opinion a great deal. As such, Lord Saladin had been granted an honorary seat on the council. “And what does the Iron Banner say?” he asked. Lord Saladin sighed. “I have lived long,” he said. “For four centuries I have defended this City. And in my many years, I have learned that some things are best left buried.” He looked up. “Sadly, on this issue, I must urge you to vote yes.” The Speaker inclined his head. “I agree,” he said. He turned back to Ikora and Cayde. “We seem to have reached a verdict. Ikora. Cayde. Your opinions may differ from ours, but I would ask that you respect the decision of this council. The Consensus only works so long as it’s decisions are respected by it’s members.” Ikora fumed. “I understand,” she said with clenched teeth. Publicly disobeying the Consensus would’ve been just the excuse that Dead Orbit needed to begin engaging in side-deals of it’s own - such as planting an exclusive claim on Golden-Age resources. And that was something that she could not allow to happen. The Speaker nodded. “Then let us plan for the services,” he said. “We should pay these Guardians a fitting farewell.” [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/215657427]Part 60[/url]