[spoiler] Part 2[url]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/244320926[/url][/spoiler] Earlier that day. 800 hours. The fireteam dispatched from the Rubicon Outpost is awaiting the transport ships for the Cabal Laboratory they commandeered. The Rubicon Outpost consisted of at least seven fireteams totaling 25 guardians to watch over and scout a large portion of area on Mars. After a strike by four of the seven fireteams proved successful to breach the base and secure the lab, only one was needed now to oversee the final mission. The lab full of tech and gear was going to be shipped back to the Tower and then re-purposed and distributed among Vanguard forces after testing. Zana was standing inside one of the main labs, across the room were tables, and weird constructs, beakers, and giant cylinders filled with black sludge. Zana had turned one of the surfaces into a picnic table, she had a drink, a half-eaten sandwich, and about ten throwing knives laid out. This was her breakfast and target practice. Some of the other walls were lined with pressurized fuel tanks, and the occasional giant orange three-dimensional Cabal schematics popping up on a screen or module. Zana was busy lodging some knives in to one of the walls lined with tanks, her ghost was nearby. “Hey, Ti,” she threw another knife and it landed parallel with the other two on the wall slowly inching closer to the tanks, “when exactly are the transports getting here?” “I don’t know,” the ghost responded, “Vince wanted the pickup to be today around 2000 hours .” “So you’re telling me that’s another day spent here patrolling and killing scouts.” Zana threw another knife. Her ghost chimed in a message from Pegasus. “If I remember correctly, aren’t we the ones patrolling and killing scouts right now Neo?” Pegasus asked. “I think you’re right!” the ghost responded in a matter-of-factly way. Pegasus and Neo were huddled up on a dune, peeking through binoculars while underneath a cloaking shroud. Most Cabal patrolling the area or trying to reclaim the lost laboratory were met with bullets. Pegasus had the easy job taking shots while being almost completely hidden and having the high ground. Pegasus chimed back into the radio jokingly. “Well Neo, since we stopped all of the Cabal for the night, this sand is looking kinda comfy, maybe we’ll snipe a few zzz’s. “Wait what’s a “Z?”, Neo asked dumbfounded, “Ohhhhhhhh nevermind” “Oh no you don’t, you better not sleep on your watch!” Zana shouted from over the radio. Pegasus sat up on his arm, “Well technically it’s not my watch anymore. Remember when I volunteered my valuable time to watch at night so you and Vincy could get some decent sleep. Yeah well, it’s 8:00 hours and that means the shift is now yours. Hope you got some good sleep. Don’t know how Vince does it but sleep is weird, now I could rest all day in the sun, but I can’t do that sleep thing, too serious.” “Well aren’t you at least going to come back to the base?” Zana asked. Pegasus yawned, “Zana. I’m made of metal, I’m not gonna go back to the base and lay in some metal cot. Vince sure has a back built for that stuff but not me. But in all seriousness, we’ve been here for a week, the Cabal have all but abandoned this laboratory, so there are no serious or major threats around. The alarm system is still fine too. I’ll stay out here dozing and you can just patrol the perimeter of the base. Then, I’ll head back in halfway through, Vince’ll show us whatever he’s been cooking up with Marlo all this time, the transports come pick up the junk and we profit. Tomorrow, we pick up another job, and the three of us are back at it again. Best case scenario I’ll wake up and kill whatever starts shooting at me, worst case scenario if something does kill me out here, you’ll know because Neo will forward you my will . . . P.S. I left you nothing.” “Wow, that actually sounds like a great offer” Zana responded. “I know, that’s why I said it,” at this point Pegasus has buried himself a ways into the sand. “No, I meant the will, I’d love nothing more then to receive nothing from you, but patrolling the base works fine too until you kick the bucket” Zana snarkingly replied. “Oh HAR HAR, didn’t know you were so funny,” Pegasus closed his eyes, “Have fun patrolling.” “Have fun being a sandcastle.” “NEO, stop sending funny pictures of me!” “I’ll think about it--,” and with that the ghosts cut the feed. Back in the lab Vince was breathing peacefully. The corridor he was in was remodeled brilliantly. The number of flags left lying around made a great canopy, and all the ammo crates scattered about helped him make the perfect King size bed. Vince had his armor hanging onto the wall next to him. A yellow ghost with green wisps centered around its eye began inspecting the armor from head to toe with a watchful look. Starting at the chrome helmet with its sharp edges, the ghost began counting. “1,2,3,4-6,” the ghost shook it head and moved down. The chest piece was also shining but the design made a swirl in the center that split off into silver and gold for each arm. Despite recently being repaired, the ghost shot a hologram over the chest piece and recalled every shot and dent his guardian had received. “Over 790,000 shots at you Vince,” the ghost whispered to himself, “over 40 years of fighting the Darkness, defending the last city . . . and I’ve seen you perish more than a hundred times.” Marlo switched off the hologram and hovered near his guardian, “Of the 29 times I thought I’d lose you for good, they were all my fault, I was in the way or not hidden and you protected me, you were always the first to dive headfirst to shield the ones you care about. I’m just lucky to be able to wake you back up.” Vince’s breathing became still, Marlo looked worried. “Vince!”, he flew closer to his guardian. [spoiler]“Watch out!” Vince’s hand flew up to grab his ghost and cover him beneath his arm.[/spoiler] “What is it?” the ghost asked alarmed. “Cabal missiles, Fallen artillery,” Vince was going for extravagancy in his Scandinavian tones,” no, something much worse than Hive magic even.” Vince peeked beneath his arm at his small friend. “It is your worrying, tiny Marlo, you woke me with your mistruths,” Vince gave a generous smile. Marlo seemed confused, “What do you mean?” Vince spoke with a deep sentiment, “My deaths are not your fault. I protect you, because you are as much as me, as I am of you.” Vince pulled his ghost closer to his heart, so he could feel his heartbeat. “Do you hear that, that is why I am here, that heart you hear… It was nothing until you found it, your light is mine, my heartbeat is yours. We share it all, one in the same and that is why I protect you. One day I may fall for the last time, but so help me, YOU, my brave ghost, will carry on my spirit and stories. Will tell people of our heroic actions. You will teach and guide our caped comrades if I cannot. I swear to you.” “Thank you, Vince that means a lot to me” Marlo adjusted his shell a bit. “No, thank you,” Vince took a deep sigh as he got up from his makeshift bed, “Now let us go and show our hunters something very special.” After an hour or so had passed, Vince was dressed in his armor with the helmet off and hauling a crate into the main lab where Zana was, she had just finished patrolling. “Why are you moving things Vince, aren’t the transports packing up the labs?” Zana asked. Vince answered, “Yes, they are, but Vanguard wanted the most important things categorized to expedite shipping. Weapons first, then other tech, but, there are some things in the lower labs we will keep.” Ti hovered over the crate and began scanning, “Ooohh these must be those scout rifles that track and explode on impact, and those Legion issued shotguns. Wow, these tools in Guardians hands would be amazing.” “Ooohhh, I want new guns, gimme gimme!” Pegasus-12 and Neo came strolling into the lab dusting themselves off and stopping to peek into the crate. Vince slammed the lid of the crate shut, “No, in the lab there is something much better, for both of you.” “Like what?” Zana asked. “Well,” Vince began to explain, “in battle you know how I summon my hammer and try to use Fist of Havoc, Marlo has crafted me armor to keep remnants of one power, while using the other.” Pegasus-12 raised a finger, “Wait, but I want bigger guns. “ “I’ve seen how crazy you go, going from one form to the other, but is there a use to using both forms at the same time, like isn’t that taxing on you,” Zana asked. “What are you kidding Zana, our enemies hate stuff like that” Pegasus chimed in, “now I’ve only seen the Hive make one sort of a face, but that one time Vince threw his hammer at that Knight and it exploded and he followed through with that arc fist, I tell ya, there was the slightest change in the slant on their eyes that told me there was a hint of fear there, or it was them pooping themselves because Vince is a behemoth of power. But either way, they were scared” [spoiler]Pt 4[url]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/250835263[/url][/spoiler]