It was raining above the Cosmodrome. The three ships cut through the storm like a knife in butter. They followed an invisible line straight back to the Tower, the beacon in the night. They slowed down as the hanger came into view. Three lots opened for the ships so they could dock. The Guardians jumped out and collected their gear. The Tower was quiet-- not many people were loitering, and only a handful of lights were on. Victor threw a bag over his shoulder and carried his auto rifle in his free hand. Laurel and Matson followed behind him as they climbed the stairs out of the hanger. The hushed noise of a frame sweeping the hallway filled their ears. The team reached the Tower plaza and stopped. Raindrops splashed just inches from Victor's boots. He pointed across the courtyard and said, "You two, get some rest. As for Crimson and Panoptes, you will come with me." Everyone looked at each other, but both Laurel and Matson handed over their ghosts and bolted through the rain. The concrete slabs were slippery from the rain. He wasn't halfway across before Matson slipped and slid on his back for a good five feet. Victor shook his head then walked for the Hall of Guardians. Laurel, who was laughing hysterically, held out her hand and hoisted Matson up. Now they were both laughing as they ran the rest of the way together. Victor carefully stepped down the stairs. His armor was dripping water, and his boots left dust prints on the recently mopped floor. The frame that just put the mop away gave a monotone sigh and grabbed the mop again. The Hall, for most part, was empty. Lord Shaxx was no longer at his post, and all the lights there were off. Captain Riekel, Crimson, Nathaniel, and Panoptes followed the one light above the Vanguard table. There, Commander Zavala stood with a hunter covered in desert camo. "Captain, you made it." Zavala clapped his hands together as he looked to the approaching titan. The hunter looked as well. "I've been waiting for your report on the trainees," he continued. Victor looked to Nathaniel, who shook his shell in disapproval. The ghost knew what the titan had in mind. Victor looked back to the commander. "I can't deny that these two Guardians are more powerful than my last few cadets. They both share traits that set them apart from others. It would be an honor to fight alongside them in any strike mission, Sir... but not this one. Assign them to someone else, they don't need to go to Mars..." Nathaniel drooped down. Victor still found a way to bring that up. "Victor, most of our Guardians are on Mars. They'd still be going to Mars anyways." Victor propped his hands on the table and dropped his head. "Captain, I believe you're familiar with Ajax Ramsey..." The two Guardians shook hands. "He's the leader of our Desert Foxes on Mars. I believe he has good news for you." The hunter stood tall, he was a proud man. His armor had many scratches from the various desert storms he hunted through. Even his helmet was modified to keep sand particles out of his rebreather. This hunter had experience. "Several platoons have confirmed pushing the Sand Eaters out of the Exclusion Zone and the Scablands are nearly ours. At this rate, Meridian Bay shall be ours once again," Ajax highlighted different areas of the holographic map of Freehold. "As long as we can keep the pressure on them, the Cabal forces will break; their morale, is weakening. Once I get these two properly trained, I'll return to see to it that the Cabal forces are defeated--" Victor looked to Zavala. "whether they will come with me, or not, is still in the air..." Zavala scowled a little, but did not say anything. "Well, Captain, Commander, I have a battlefield to venture..." Ajax picked his helmet off the table then slid it over his head. Commander Zavala and Victor nodded to the hunter as he left. "I have my own business to attend to," Victor said as he left the table. He walked to the end of the hall and started talking to Crimson and Panoptes. Commander Zavala knocked some stacked papers on the table and set them to the side. He glanced up at Victor, but didn't worry about what he was telling them. "Today was awesome!" Laurel said as she twirled on one foot, arms out. A thought crossed the warlock's mind. "I wonder what's on Mars that's so bad..." Matson, who was propped up against the railing, huffed. "Probably nothing. I bet ya, he's just trying to spook us... you know, we're the fresh meat so he's playing with us." "Hey, guys!" Crimson said as she flew over to the two Guardians. "Sup." Panoptes followed close behind. "What did Victor need to talk to you about?" Laurel asked, still glowing with enthusiasm. Crimson sighed lightly, "Don't worry about it, Raisin..." The red and grey ghost spun around and stared at the titan standing in the rain. "Wha? Crimson, what's wrong?" Laurel asked. Her ghost began to sob quietly. "You see, we'd like to tell ya, buuut, Victor made it pretty clear that we can't..." Panoptes interjected. "Panoptes, what did he tell you?" Matson said sternly as he stepped closer to his ghost. "Sorry, bud. Under orders," the ghost shrugged two parts of his shell. Soon, Crimson was crying loudly, getting everyone's attention. She hastily flew down the hall with Laurel in pursuit. Matson began to follow, but stopped. He watched the ghost and Guardian run down the hall, then looked to Victor. The titan had walked over to the railing and stared at the sleeping city.