hallarider | And the Light Shines -- Destiny AU

[for

pavus_redemit]

The Traveller was always meant to be a safe haven for what pieces of humanity still remained. Though their numbers had actually been increasing over the last several years, there was still darkness that needed to be kept at bay. There was still so much that needed to be reclaimed, so many enemies that continued to beat at the doors and threaten what remained. That was why the Guardians always fought so hard. Whether it was tactical strikes, routine patrols or special assignments, the Traveller was home to all sorts who stood for what was Good. The Guardians swore to protect their home at all costs, venturing planets over with their Ghosts lingering nearby, their direct connection back to the Traveller and to the Speaker.

Bramen was no exception. The Awoken Hunter was always eager to serve, ever since he recalled waking up to the Light. Though he tried to be cautious, a number of routine training exercises proved he was often a bit too over-enthusiastic, the poor man facing a number of embarrassing defeats in the Crucible tournaments. Good thing that something like that could be overlooked, particularly for someone so dedicated to aiding the vanguard. There were plenty of others like Bramen - but there was one person in particular that he found himself more than willing to fight alongside. One person could get him to go right into the bowels of Venus and straight into enemy fire on Mars. There was always one man he could trust to watch his back, one Warlock who just needed to look his way and the Hunter would be ready to go at a moment's notice.

That particular Warlock could often be found down in the tavern beneath the hangar, out near where Dead Orbit would congregate. The Awoken of that faction would often glance every time Bramen walked back, follow his movements - it was unnerving but they always kept a close eye on everyone who would come and go. He'd heard from a reliable source they were seeking out new talent. Bramen couldn't help but wonder if his Warlock friend knew about it.

Bramen made his way down to the tavern, taking the steps two at a time as he looked around the modestly crowded area, his bright yellow-green eyes glowing in the dimmer light. He caught sight of his friend, the man seated on a couch with a drink in hand, drinking and chatting with a very bulky Exo Titan - I-R0 N. Bull if Bramen recalled the man's name. One of the more acclaimed raiders that he knew of, a man who commanded his own unit of men and women, his own raid faction. It was an impressive sight to see when they all went off and recorded their run, bringing back what information the city needed. The Exo knew just about everyone in this city - it was no surprise he was friendly with Bramen's own companion.

"Dorian," the Awoken called out, raising his hand in greeting before moving closer to where the men sat, greeting them both, "I've been looking for you."

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From:

pavus_redemit

The conversation with Dead Orbit was very brief in terms of things. Dorian hands over some scans he took for them and a list of names, recommendations for Dead Orbit's roster. He wasn't the only one giving names but his opinions would help.

He strolled casually towards Bramen when his visit is done and he smiled at him. "Yes, all done and ready to go."

Dorian took out his Ghost to check on ammo synth and to change up a few things when it came to guns. He had purchased Red Death from Xur recently and needed to give the gun some experience. "No, I seem to be very ready to go."

From:

hallarider

Bramen made a few changes to his own equipment while his Ghost was out, switching up his auto-rifle with a light hum. He had a hand cannon he was rather fond of but the auto-rifle would serve him better on this sort of mission, no one never quite knew what to expect on the moon, after all. One needed to be prepared for anything - Fallen and Hive were rampant there. The Hive were pressing further into the center of the moon, allegedly preparing to summon a god of sorts. Who could really say though? Today's task would be on the surface where the Fallen tended to tread. Whatever Dorian was looking for, whatever knowledge he was seeking, hopefully it would serve them well.

It was only a moment later that they found themselves on Bramen's ship, seated in the cockpit. There was enough for the pair of them, seated close together - Bramen's Ghost floating up to connect to the main controls and power source, powering up the ship in full and lifting them off and into orbit. It was seamless and it was efficient, the pair of men feeling weightless for a moment as they ascended higher and higher. The Ghost clicked and made a whirring sound, compensating for the lack of gravity as they went higher and higher.

Bramen finally breathed in, the Ghost pumping oxygen into the chamber for them, adjusting the temperature and gravity accordingly, the Tower soon but a distant memory.

"What do you think you'll find near the colonies?" he asked, turning his head to Dorian finally, tilting it a little. They had some time to relax and brace themselves for their upcoming assignment, the moon not a far distance - but long enough. Enough for a conversation, at the very least.

From:

pavus_redemit

"The wonderful thing about the moon is how well it preserves things," Dorian said as he lounged in the chair provided. They would have a quick, easy flight to the Moon that should be enjoyed. "And there's no Cabal to cannibalize it. The Fallen use structures for cover but they don't take the technology. I'm looking for data banks."

He tossed his Ghost in to the little bit of space they had. It flipped around, opened and closed its lenses and then projected a hologram of the data banks he was looking for.

"If moon dust hasn't gotten in and corrupted the circuitry I'm going to go data mining and see what I can find from the Golden Age."

From:

hallarider

Bramen's eyes moved to the hologram that the Ghost produced, looking at it with intrigue. The Golden Age was still a time full of so much mystery, people had spent ages trying to decode anything from it. "If we find something, I hope it's usable," he said with a nod, still looking up at the hologram. He eased back into his seat, taking a breath in.

"I've thought often of what the Golden Age must have been like," he admitted, cosing his eyes for a moment. "Awoken like me didn't exist then - we weren't formed until the Darkness came. I don't think anyone's really clear on where we came from or how... I wonder if any of the data you find might help shed some light on that."

From:

pavus_redemit

"If I know anything about humans it's that we regarded your kind with suspicion and distrust even in the Golden Age," Dorian said with a laugh. His Ghost whirred at the sound and the image faded away. It bounced around for a moment and then returned to where it rested on his belt.

"We look back at the Golden Age expecting to see something glorious but the truth is always darker. Our arrogance made us fall." Dorian had no illusions about history. He studied it too closely to be charmed by it. "However, if you're looking for Awoken history perhaps Venus would be better."

From:

hallarider

"Maybe. It's said we were first discovered near the Reef - but any Awoken you find there regard the ones who live in the Tower with just as much distrust," Bramen said, frowning a little. His bright eyes seemed faded for a moment, looking down at the control panel of his ship. Systems normal, his Ghost was controlling it with ease. He didn't need to touch a thing. He shrugged a bit, pulling his Hunter cape out from behind him, trying not to sit on it and letting it drape over one arm instead.

"Human, Awoken, Exo, we're all after the same thing - we have one goal in the end, why can't we work towards it?" he shook his head, the infighting even in the Tower often got out of hand. Thankfully most clans had taken to settling matters in the Crucible, though that tended to spawn more bad blood. He looked up again, giving Dorian a smile.

"I'm glad you're one of the good ones, Dorian. It makes me pleased to be your friend."

From:

pavus_redemit

"Humanity, in general, is concerned everyone is secretly trying to wipe it out of existence," Dorian explained, his voice taking on a lecturing quality. It did that went he talked about history. "I've studied ancient stories and so many have to do with us being wiped out in apocalyptic disasters or epidemic diseases. Ancient man was fascinated by their own mortality and something called a zombie which seems to be some sort of inhuman beast that ate human flesh."

He adored talking about history and he adored that Bramen in generally allowed him to talk about history without judgement. Many of his fellow Guardians didn't see the point when they were busy dealing with the present. If it didn't relate to the Traveler, the Darkness or the races out to kill them then there was no point in knowing it.

"There are a few of us who see the benefit in befriending the Awoken and the Exo and don't see it as a world ending problem." He smiled at Bramen. "Some of us have more sense than fear even now."

From:

hallarider

With Dorian, Bramen was granted a rare opportunity to listen to history of the world, learn more about not only the human race but the Awoken and the Exo. Dorian was a scholar above all else, studying everything he could. Cryptarchs often had their heads so buried in the past, focusing on relics and engrams, it was hard to get straight answers out of them. Master Rahool was one of the worst, eagerly taking whatever engrams he could get his hands on. Dorian was far different from that, the man seemed so intrigued by the why behind everything. It was refreshing to be in his company, to hear his thoughts on the matter.

"More sense than fear," Bramen repeated those words with a grin, he knew that phrase all too well. Normally the Hunter vanguard used it in a negative context with him (though it was often followed up by him requesting Bramen take him along next time, so he could see it for himself - the Hunter vanguard made it no secret how badly he missed being out in the field).

"Something we both have, considering where we're headed. There's no one I'd rather do this with though," he laughed, spirits already feeling bolstered. He was all the more eager and ready now to help the man on his task.

"We should be there shortly - less than twenty minutes at this speed."

From:

pavus_redemit

The past was not just recordings and engrams and data, some corrupted and broken from time. The Cryptarchs were good people but too lost in the past to understand the present. Dorian, a Guardian and a scholar, did his best to make history relatable to everyone.

"Lovely." Dorian rubbed his palms together. He was quite excited to get to work especially now that they were so close. He loved getting to explore.

"Friendly wager that I kill more Fallen than you?"

From:

hallarider

Bramen let out a healthy laugh at that one, easing back into his chair. "If everything goes as planned, I'll be getting twice as many as you. My auto rifle has been itching for a good fight, I won't let her leave disappointed," he said as he gave Dorian a bit of a playful wink. If all went as planned, Bramen would be the one holding back any Fallen scouts while Dorian uncovered some old databanks and got his Ghost to process them.

That would be ideal - but when did any of these ventures turn out ideally? A wager wouldn't be out of the question though. It might even be fun.

"But I'll see that wager. How does one-thousand glimmer sound?"

From:

pavus_redemit

Dorian responded with a snort. "Auto rifles are too wild. Any precision shot is pure luck and no skill." He had used the automatic rifles. It seemed like a waste of ammo to fire so wildly. He much preferred the steady scout rifles or pulse rifles. "Aren't you supposed to be about precision and skill? We Warlocks are the wild ones, tampering with forces beyond our control and so on."

But obvious Dorian and the other Warlocks had a great of control. They knew what they were doing and the strength of their power was undeniable. He tried not to brag however.

"Oh, I was going to bet a night of drinks but if you want to get rich with this, fine."

From:

hallarider

"Don't pretend if you won a bet like that, you wouldn't drain me at least one-thousand," he laughed, reaching out to touch his friend's arm. He patted it and then allowed his hand to rest there, staying against Dorian's forearm and stroking it slowly. "If you won, you'd have me buy you your fill and then make sure the rest of the bar was well-watered too," he teased, good-natured about it all, even with the man's jabbing about Hunters.

"But, if you'd like - a whole night of drinks at the bar. One-thousand glimmer cap on that." He eased his hand back and straightened up in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and adjusting the straps on his boots, making certain they were tight.

"And auto-rifles might not have a lot of control in the wrong hands, it's true," the Hunter added, smirking a little, "But in a crowd, when the enemy starts to close in on you, precision isn't necessary. The auto rifle is the ultimate guarantee for survival in a case like that, anything to get the enemy to stumble back, get them bleeding - sends both Fallen and Hive into a panic. Cabal and Vex, it serves to confuse them when the bullets hit metal in so many different places, disrupts their senses for a minute - gives the sniper a chance to pick them off one at a time."

From:

pavus_redemit

Affection was not what Dorian was used to from the Awoken. They seemed to keep to themselves. Like most humans Dorian still enjoyed the company of others. His preference for men was known but aliens? That still carried some stigma. "That sounds perfectly reasonable."

He adjusts his gloves and Warlock Bond for something to do with his hands. A night drinking with that sort of limit was perfect. They could get pleasantly drunk and have a good time.

"When they get close you throw concentrated dark matter at them or grenades before to keep the enemy from getting close." He glanced over to him. "Or with a pulse rifle get them before they have time to think 'Oh, Guardian, I should kill them'!"

From:

hallarider

Awoken were more affectionate than Dorian might have realised. Amongst themselves, they had little ways of showing it, things that would go pat the average human's eye, little gestures and glances that meant something very different among their people. Interacting with humans, they had to be more overt if they wanted to show their feelings - be it friendship or otherwise. What Bramen felt for Dorian was nothing short of adoration. What that meant, the Awoken couldn't truly be certain - but he wanted to be near Dorian. He wanted to be close to the man, just as he wanted to be close to his Awoken brethren. There was a connection there, a sense of appreciation. He felt good when he was with the man.

Even if they were teasing one and other, betting over who could kill more Fallen.

"Hunter Grenades are better used at a distance and our knives are good for one or two strikes but we don't quite have the same talent with dark matter you Warlocks do," he laughed, half scoffing as he leaned back again, getting comfortable. "Though it does sound like a pretty useful thing to have on your side. Almost a shame I'm mostly versed in my knife."

Though Bramen was certainly a formidable force with that blade. A Bladedancer was never to be underestimated.

From:

pavus_redemit

"But you stab people so well with it," Dorian said to smooth any ruffled feathers. He didn't want to actually offend his friend. There was always some good natured ribbing between the two. "Neither one of us is exactly meant for a front line assualt but I can always bring myself back from the dead if need be. I can take point if you'd like."

It was quite the skill to have, honestly. He couldn't explain it to anyone but a Warlock, how to drift back from the Void, but he had done it again and again in many situations.

From:

hallarider

"Almost a shame we couldn't bring Bull along," the Hunter laughed, though he always marvelled at what the Warlock could do. He was impressive any way one tried to look at it. "We'll have to invite him along next time, maybe he'll show us how to dismantle a Wizard with a Stike."

Dismantle was probably the best word to use for what Bull did. Dismember seemed too tame.

"But as it stands, I think I already know what drink I'll have you buy me first."

From:

pavus_redemit

"There's a human Titan I know, Cullen, he would probably be willing to help us," Dorian mused but it was too late to go fetch the man now. They would be on the moon in moments.

He laughed and enjoyed the friendly banter. "Oh, you are going to regret that confidence when you're buying me as much alcohol as I can consume."

Dorian will happily get drunk on Bramen's money.

From:

hallarider

They could bicker on and on over who would be paying but the ship began moving towards the Moon, Bramen's Ghost guiding it towards the surface. The ship hovered high above the drop point, the computer within its systems engaging once the Awoken's Ghost unhooked itself from the dash. It levitated closer to its Guardian, blinking its lens at the pair of men before it transported them both down onto the surface.

The technology behind the drop was something to behold, almost as much as Dorian's powers were. The moment they were out of the ship, their armour materialised, snug to their bodies, helmets equipped and life support systems engaging. It was a blink of light that caused the two men to drop down onto the moon's surface, feet touching down and disturbing the dust. Bramen took in a deep breath and drew his rifle, ensuring it was fully loaded, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"The colonies aren't far," he said, his voice flanging a bit through his Exodus Cover helm. The visor at the front glowed a bit, a vibrant white as it picked up the environment, scanning the region with a slow turn of his head. "Should we unload the Speeders? Or do we want to walk the scenic route?"

From:

pavus_redemit

The loss of the Earth like gravity was always a strange sensation just like materializing with all his gear on and his pulse rifle in his hand. Hopefully his Hunter friend wouldn't report him for having the illegal Red Death.

"Let's go on foot," he said as he inspected his weapon to make sure he had it built the way he wanted. "We'll be quieter that way and if there are Fallen waiting for us they won't suspect a thing."

Dorian wasn't as good at stealth as Bramen but he could manage to get close without making too much noise.

From:

hallarider

It took Bramen only a moment to adjust, stretching out a bit and allowing himself to take in that weightless feeling. Their armour was specially conditioned to force a simulation of gravity though when doing a double or triple jump, it seemed ineffective. He needed to be cautious about jumping around on the moon - there were too many pits and craters that could lead to places less appealing. And that was provided he was lucky. Some of these craters didn't even appear to have a bottom. Bramen didn't feel as though he needed to find out for certain.

In terms of Dorian's weapon though, Bramen would say nothing. What Dorian armed himself with was his business. How the man defended himself was up to him - so long as he wasn't turning it against Bramen himself or any fellow Guardians, what harm was there? There were rumours that Red Death and all made like it were Guardian Killers but no one had ever truly determined what that meant. Fear seemed to keep everyone in check, making them afraid to even dare test the pulse rifle's prowess. It felt natural that Dorian would take up such a mantle.

Bramen could only hope that it was all superstition surrounding it.

"I'll scout some higher ground," he said with a short nod, moving ahead and up a crater. The speaker inside of Dorian's helmet crackled to life, Bramen's voice inside, louder now as he continued to speak despite the growing distance. "Just over this ridge, I'll see what we're in for. With any luck, we'll have a clear walk for the most part." Though really, he wouldn't mind having to fight at least a couple Fallen. Perhaps even a dozen hive.

Climbing up the ridge, Bramen was a number of feet above Dorian now, the Hunter crouching down a bit and his stealth cloaking kicking in almost instantly, obscuring him from the enemy's line of sight. He scanned about, humming a little to himself in doing so. "I see a few Shanks scouting around," he stated, "Looks to be a captain a good distance away, along with a few Dregs and Vandals. Looks like something crashed there - a small drone ship or a satellite by the look of things. We could stand to get a little closer, they look pretty intent on keeping their eye on a nearby cave. I have a feeling they are waiting for the Hive to try and claim their prize."

Bramen stood up, his cloaking still active for a moment longer before her jumped down, gracefully landing on the surface again and before his friend. "If it's one of ours, it's worth recovering - making sure whatever information there doesn't fall into enemy hands. If it turns out it isn't ours, who knows? We might have some new information about the Cabal or Vex to bring back to the Vanguards. By the shape of it, it doesn't appear to be Fallen or Hive technology."

From:

pavus_redemit

Dorian moved along a ridge for cover. He focused on Bramen's voice in his helmet as he waited for a clear line of sight. His radar showed him a few enemies in the distance but nothing beyond that.

"We should clear them out," he said when Bramen was finished reporting. "We can check the downed object and scout without being bothered until reinforcements arrive. Do you want to carefully snipe or should we head in?"

Dorian would be content with either strategy. He had a very nice shotgun for just such occasions but his sniper rifle saw a lot less action.

The terrain favored them. There were more ridges between them and the enemy, providing them more cover. The enemy would have to fight in the open.

"We should scout the cave as well just to make sure nothing is going on there." He had heard reports that the Hive were starting to do rituals of some sort, a cult of some kind with a focus on blades and piles of skulls. If they were acting on the Moon they needed to take the opportunity to stop it while they could.

From:

hallarider

"We'll move in a bit closer and find a ridge near them - we'll pick them off with sniper rifles and close in once their numbers have thinned," Bramen said with a nod. Even if he was occasionally brash, the Awoken had a good eye for strategy at times like this. "If we can take the Captain down, we should be able to move in, pick off the rest at a closer range. If we can't take the Captain down, we can at least focus on his minions there. Once they're gone, we can move in and get him in a pincer - hopefully before he calls for any reinforcements."

Bramen pulled his Ghost out again, double checking his equipment. "I've got Patience and Time with me," the name of his rifle was a bit ironic, considering how often the Hunter ran in headlong. "Arc damage will help if the Captain puts up his shield." He equipped it, the sniper rifle appearing in his hand before his ghost collapsed and returned to his pack. He double checked his ammunition reserves and readied the rifle, looking around the area again. "We should be able to each take a side - if you open fire first -- or even throw down a grenade, it could make them run closer to my side. If everything goes as planned, once they realise my side is a trap, they'll start to retreat and you can begin picking them off as they try to scatter."

With luck, the Captain would be the one leading the retreat - and a few lucky shots to his head, he'd be downed. Bramen gestured over towards a ridge down the line, nodding in its direction. "We'll head over there - there's a twin pair of peaks we can each take."

From:

pavus_redemit

Dorian was a decent strategist. He favored the shock strategy though. Overwhelm your enemy with sudden force and leave them panicking so they can't form a strategy. In same cases it worked but in others it was useless. He was willing to take the careful strategy here when they didn't have the numbers for overwhelming.

"There's a ridge maybe three yards from your position. It will give you a better flanking position," he replied as he scanned the area again. "I can take position a yard to my right and shoot from there. It will provide good cover and if they find some way to flank I can retreat easily."

His sniper rifle wasn't quite as good. It was a Legendary but certainly not to the caliber of Patience and Time. He still equipped it and checked the ammo.

"You move up first. I'll toss a grenade and move up then we start shooting. Sound good?" he asked, looking over the field one more time.

From:

hallarider

Bramen nodded to his friend's suggestion, more than pleased to get started. Picking down Fallen with a sniper rifle was almost like a hobby at this point, something he all but thrived on. Be a good chance to start counting how many Fallen he could down too - certainly more than Dorian if his hand was steady enough. Oh, he could taste it already.

"On your signal," Bramen reminded him, quickly moving towards the ridge Dorian suggested, swift in making his approach to his vantage point. He crouched down, allowing himself to cloak among the rocks, not yet aiming his rifle. It was nearly impossible to retain the focus to do both at once, he'd wait until Dorian's grenade went off. He was poised and he was ready, even if Dorian couldn't see him - though the Warlock no doubt saw where it seemed a patch of land was distorted, a reflection of the rock that moved on its own. At this distance, the Fallen wouldn't take notice.

"Let's see what--" Bramen suddenly cut off, the sky above darkening. A Fallen dropship was moving in overhead, the engines audible and disrupting communications. It rumbled overhead, a gust of air pushing down over top both men and threatening to knock them out of place. The ship moved towards where the other Fallen were, the bay doors in the back opening up and releasing two more Captains, along with a handful of Dregs. Several more Shanks flew out too, taking their time in drifting towards the surface - capturing a visual on everything that came within their line of sight. The new Captains that arrived started to make their unintelligible sounds, those grunts and roars that had no translation. Fallen could speak a common tongue if necessary - but their own language seemed to go without translation. No scholar had been able to crack it yet.

The drop ship rose back up, climbing higher into the sky - leaving without firing anything, something Bramen suddenly found himself beyond grateful for. He breathed in, quickly opening the channel to speak directly to Dorian once more.

"I have a feeling we'll need to rethink this strategy..."

From:

pavus_redemit

Bramen moved first and Dorian was quick to move after him. He slid on his knees behind his cover and had just plucked the grenade off his belt to arm it when the sky went black.

He peeked carefully over the ridge to watch the Fallen dropship sail overhead and drop its cargo off. More Fallen, of course.

"It's a Warsat," Dorian said softly through the comms, though there was no reason to keep his voice down. "That's why they're amassing like this. They want it and want to keep Guardians away."

This changed everything. The numbers had increased but they still had a better chance to live than to die. There was no Walker. Dorian counted it a good day whenever there was no Walker.

"Can you stealth to the Warsat?" he asked, a little rhetorically. "If you can get in to position on it I will throw a grenade, as planned, but follow it up with heavy rocket fire. Dragon's Breath will clear out a number of them. While they're focused on me, you can pick them off until your blades are charged then dance through the rest of them."

There went their careful cover strategy but they didn't have that luxury anymore. They couldn't let the Warsat end up in Fallen hands. It had too much valuable information for the Tower.

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Inquisitor Bramen Lavellan

this time i've got seeds on ground

And the Light Shines -- Destiny AU