Last spark from the ashes

It’s been a couple days since Steve ran into the representatives (and proprietors) of Lucina Envirotech at the fair. He hasn’t heard much since then aside from Gil texting him with a friendly ‘thanks again for your help, it was nice meeting you’. And with the excitement of the fair over, their scenic little town has settled back into its quiet routine. No word on how the would-be tech entrepreneurs are getting on with proselytising to the old farmhands of Robinwood. But he is going to get a message about mid-morning then, while the sun is shining in through the windows.

Hi, Steve. Bryn and I are planning to get some lunch at the Bluebird Grill. Would you like to join us?

And immediately after:

No pressure if you can’t make it or you don’t want to. It’s just if you were in town and felt like it.

(And then nothing, because Bryn has intervened and taken his phone away.)

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: Earth, The Last City

PARTIES: Five[5]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Titan-Class rekindledtitan , One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Rogers, Steve juststeverogers , One [1] Asgardian, designate Odinson, Thor pirateangelbaby, One [1] Guardian-type, designate Ming, Jie, Titan-Class


ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Infinity War; Blaze-37; Asgard; Rogers, Steve; Odinson, Thor; Stormbreaker; Mjolnir;


( Devotion. Bravery. Sacrifice. Death. )

TYPE: Patrol log

LOCATION: Ishtar Sink, Venus

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [rekindledtitan], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Rogers, Steve [juststeverogers]

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Rogers, Steve; Blaze-37; Pelsor; House of Winter; Ishtar Sink; Shattered Coast; Silent Fang; Drevis




It’s hard to see much of Venus from above, so dense is the layer of murky yellow overcast in its sky. Only when Blaze’s little jumpship drops out of the clouds will Steve get a look at what’s waiting for them below. Steep volcanic slopes, luminous green forests; glimpses of colony buildings, broken and overgrown but still standing tall; and then, as Blaze banks them around, there’s something else looming over the old skyline.

It’s less a fortress than a vast column of interlocking structures, black and geometric and unnatural-looking even at this distance. Much of it doesn’t appear to be physically supported: it just hangs there, disappearing into the clouds that roil about it, towering unnervingly over the landscape and making the human skyscrapers look like paltry sandcastles.

“The Vex Citadel,” Ghost explains quietly, at Steve’s look.

“That’s not where we’re headed,” Blaze says. “This time.” The Vex probably wouldn’t be so willing to allow them in after their last visit. Besides, she promised Steve bikes. She sets the autopilot course, glances back over her shoulder to check Steve’s ready, then unclips her helm from the side of the chair and sets it on her head, the seals locking into place as she latches it tight. Ghost checks the ship’s displays and then vanishes into her systems. Her voice comes through the audio relays a little more tinny: “Get ready to drop.”

Fast transmat landings are always slightly disorienting, the way they drop you a couple feet above the ground, but Blaze is used to it and thumps down as gracefully as a Titan can. The warmth of the air enfolds them instantly, muggy and oppressive after the brisk Nexus autumn. Venus is not a place of cold seasons. They’ve landed by a rocky stream that flows between twisting jungle trees, and though there’s an acidic tang to the air even filters can’t scrub out, it’s balanced out by scents of warm vegetation and alien humus. Something small is chirping in the branches above them. The ship swoops away above them, swiftly lost in the clouds. The Guardian looks around, rifle in her hands, then nods to Steve. “Welcome to the Sink.”

“Let’s go liberate some Pikes.”

Following the 'In Cinders' post, Blaze was briefly diverted and wound up running into Steve Rogers prior to this post.

---

( Extract record )

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: The Last City, Earth

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [rekindledtitan], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Rogers, Steve [juststeverogers]



ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Rogers, Steve; Harrowheart; Earth; Ixis Naugus; Blaze-37; Shaxx



You can’t teleport straight into the Tower, so once again Blaze and Ghost are bringing a guest aboard their ship. The Exo stands back a step as the materialize, not wanting to crowd their human friend in the cramped interior.

“So this is our jumpship,” she explains, gesturing at the little cabin. Ghost’s already powering up the lights - and the life-support, which fires up with a hiss of fresh air. It’s fortunate they’ve been keeping the place better heated since their last organic visitors. It looks pretty bare and cold right now, everything that might mark it as a living space tucked away behind patchwork metal plating. “Sorry we have to take the long way round, but on the bright side that means you get to come in the scenic route. Go ahead and take a seat.”

She has to mean the only item of furniture there: the hefty pilot’s seat with its worn padding. Blaze is going to move around it and go right for the cockpit controls. And hey, the interior decor might not be much, but the view from the big forward displays is nothing to sniff at: a sweeping window with the glowing blue curve of Earth visible below, and no atmosphere masking the countless stars above