Masterpost: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/253000143/0/0 “I’m Wasp.” “You’re not Wasp. He’s a hunter, not a talking Vex!” Eltanin kept her sidearm aimed at the Goblin’s head as she shuffled toward Korne, who had begun exploring the decrepit warehouse on his own. “No, no, listen! You know how, uh, Arcturus was all fancy with Vex tech?” Wasp manipulated his thin bronze arms to try to make gestures, but they were slow. “I don’t know how he did it, but that mind of his, Damocles, made me… how do I say it… I lived multiple lives, and my mind got spit out into this chassis.” “Multiple lives? That’s right… time flows differently in the Vex network…” Eltanin softened her gaze. “Wait, how do you know me? And why did you get Korne?” “Er, that’s not important. I’ll explain Korne later. Right now, we need to work on stopping Arcturus.” Wasp’s eye flared, and a red holographic image began to paint itself in front of him. A large cave that welled out near the bottom. A large, hydra-like chassis was pinned to a metal wall with its arms spread out. Its head dropped down at an awkward angle. “Where is this?” “Venus, somewhere. I don’t know, it’s been a long time.” “How long?” Wasp sighed as he recalled what had happened during his slumber, “I lived out the rest of my life as a mercenary. Things didn’t go well, I’ll tell you that much. Everything came crashing down. My next life was pretty nice, actually. No Traveler, no aliens, just me, and…” Eltanin watched as the red line-map flickered away. The Goblin frame let out an echoing howl and clutched its head. As she walked forward to console Wasp, the door of the warehouse was kicked open. “Eltanin! We’re here! Where’s Wasp?” Zahir aimed his pulse rifle at the Goblin, confused immediately by the sight. “Yeah, where is he? I’m gonna teach him a lesson!” Lacer barged in next. “Is that the Korne guy?” Auva peeked in alongside Procyon. “Wait! Stop! This is Wasp right here!” Eltanin spread her hands out in front of her. Korne, frightened by the sudden commotion, drew his knife and turned toward Lacer. The titan responded by smacking the hunter in the face with a backfist, knocking him down. “Lacer, help Korne up. I’m going to get Eltanin.” Zahir walked toward the Goblin, keeping his rifle up. Lacer did as he was told, accompanied by Auva and Procyon. “Zahir, put your gun down!” Eltanin moved in front of Wasp, blocking the titan’s path. He didn’t stop. “I mean it, Zahir! Don’t hurt him!” She glared with an intensity that chilled the exo to the bone. Her green eyes flared with panic and impatience. “Wasp has… he’s been through a lot.” “You can’t trust a man like him.” Zahir let out weakly. He wasn’t used to being talked to this way by Eltanin. “But you have.” Wasp shot back, looking in Lacer’s direction, who had begun lifting Korne up from the ground. The awakened hunter shook his head, his posture improved. “Ah, that was a nice dirt nap, I suppose. Who might you three be?” Wasp looked back at Zahir. “Look, titan. I’ve had the opportunity to live my life to the fullest. More than once, in fact. I’ve had a lot more than I deserve. Believe me when I say this: I only want Arcturus dead. Auva looked at Korne in bewilderment. “Y-you, you’re…” “Altair?” Procyon stepped back in surprise. “Wait a minute…” Lacer rubbed his head in confusion. “Who’s this “Altair?” You getting me mixed up with another charming fellow?” Korne adjusted his dusty cloak and fixed his belt. His ghost floated beside him, her eye wide in confusion. “Yes!” Wasp’s voice cried aloud, shaking the warehouse with his now robotic voice, “that man right there, he’s the original Altair. That’s why I brought him here. There’s something you need to know about him” “Let me guess,” Eltanin looked the hunter up and down, “Arcturus has something to do with this too?” “Yeah,” Wasp continued, “I dunno why, but Damocles told me… a whole lot. I’m starting to think Arcturus doesn’t have full control over it. Anyway, apparently, after rejecting Phoros as his mentor, he convinced Korne to let him experiment on him under the name of Phoros. That’s why the idiot Korne worships the ground that man walked on. Arcturus did some messed up experiments on Korne, and he effectively separated the “Korne” from him. That’s why he’s the bumbling oaf you see today.” “But it wasn’t successful, and that’s why he goes back sometimes? Like right now?” “Exactly. Altair died after being removed, and was later found and revived by his ghost.” Wasp pointed one of his three fingers at Korne. “Altair was the embodiment of Korne’s nobility and kindness. That’s why, and no offense to the man, he seemed a bit over the top. Didn’t his personality kinda rub you the wrong way? Am I the only one?” The building was cast into silence. “Okay, I guess that was a weird question to ask. I was usually on the business end of his golden gun anyway. Listen, I know this is a lot to take in, but here’s the bottom line. We gotta stop Arcturus. Who knows what he’s gonna do with this Damocles of his?” “He’s right.” Eltanin turned back to Wasp, “He showed me Arcturus’ lair, and I’ve seen that chassis before. There’s a reason it’s so rare. Quria, Panoptes, Damocles is commissioning its own simulation powerhouse!” “If it’s any shot at stopping Arcturus, we have to take it.” Zahir finally lowered his gun. “Great. Listen, I had this helmet. It was called, erm, it looked like a bird’s head. Celestial Nighthawk was its name. You guys had a hunter, right? Where is he?” Wasp looked over the group. “Ascella is a she.” Lacer remarked, “she’s actually working with the Vanguard on confiscating your stuff, pal.” “You know, that’s perfect for you. I was gonna lead you guys through a stash filled with traps so I could have a few laughs, but it looks like I’m not gettin’ that. Let’s go, then. Oh, first, I wanna talk to Korne’s ghost.” Korne’s polygonal companion turned to face the Goblin. “What do you want, creep?” “Oh, hey you guys!” Ascella waved as her friends approached the prison cell. She dumped a gunmetal grey cache into a corner and stretched her back. “So we’re really working with Wasp, eh? Where is he?” Wasp, now reduced to a Goblin’s head, spoke from his nook in between Lacer’s torso and arm. “Right here.” “Oh! Why are you a head?” “Wouldn’t want a Goblin walking around the city, right? I don’t like this either.” Ascella knelt down to the head’s level. “Actually, this is great, you worm.” She flicked his eye and strolled back to the assortment of bins, weapons, and armor spread out in the jail cell behind her. “So the Nighthawk’s in one of these?” “Yeah. You good with a golden gun?” Ascella paused. “Not really… but I can try.” “Good enough. We don’t have much time. Crack open that orange safe. It’s-” A loud, metallic crash came from beyond the back wall. Everyone froze in silence. “What was that?” Wasp began to shudder, “wait a minute. If I remember correctly, I had a partner. Where’d you idiots lock Seginus up?” “Heh, funny you ask that now.” Lacer took a step back, “I thought he was under MAXIMUM SECURITY!” Ascella gulped. “He is. And he was locked up pretty close to here.” The crashing grew louder, and a voice called from down the hall. “I hear Wasp! Where is Wasp!?”